Best way to spend $2k on a used Turntable & Arm?

VPI Scout is goo performer but some don't like Uni-pivot or no anti skate but it's good one.But I own Aries and really like it.Always pluses and minuses.Owned Rega but at lower and not the best construction in table but arms like 250 and 300 are very good.How much you spend would depend if might upgrade cart.Some choose it first then spend what they can on deck.Denon DL series,lower end Dynavector,Sumiko are good choices.New cart and used deck?Can pick up Scout used for $1200 and then spend what you want on Cart.Linn is different world than suspension less decks.They require less tweaking then most say but still easier not to have to do it.Clearaudio is good.Origin Live makes over price performing arms.Nothing you mentioned is bad in decks is just price point and how well it performs versus others.Think deciding on Cart or deck/arm first helps make second choice easier and again if you think you might upgrade cart go low their and get best deck/arm you can in new/used market.Just buy new Cart and think about new used deck arm.Oh Nottingham might be something to read about as well.Call Bes Nivera at Music Direct.He's heard it all in every combo and sells most.
Chazz

A used Sota vacuum table is a great value but budget some money to have it inspected by the factory to make sure bearing and vac/power supply are working properly.

In order to make a good decision, and get good recommendations, try to define what it was that you did not like about the sound of the MMF5, and what it was about the others that you mentioned that you did like. That would make a good starting point. Was the sound lean, or too full? A little slow and boring, or nervous sounding? Did you get the sense that the bass player was actually contributing to the rhythmic thrust of the music, or simply adding low frequency grunt? Could you hear actual pitches from the bass?

Keep the Grado unless you get a particularly good deal on a package, and perhaps use the money saved for a really good phono stage. Remember that the Grado is a full bodied sounding cartridge, with a generous midrange and bass, as you plan the ingredients list of your sonic recipe :-)

Good luck.

I used the cartridge that came w/ the MMF5. I think it was a Benz cartridge actually. That was in 2003. I appreciate Frogman's suggestion of stating what I liked about the Sota. It did have a vacuum platter w/ a FFT? arm and a $2000.00 Ortofon cartridge. I'm sure it was a $6000 outfit new. I liked it's ability to extract information from the record. It seemed to have a bass that I liked better than the LP12s. We did use a VPI cleaning machine with the Sota. I'm sure that 2k used won't get me quite to that sound but I'm hoping to find what would get me the closest at that price range. I will probably need to think about the cost of a phono and a good stand. I agree that it would not be great to use the Grado with a nice deck. In fact, I think that I want a MC cart. don't I? Thanks again for the great suggestions so far.