Need help picking budget Turntable

Colitis, thanks for the info. While I reserve the right to search your bags...uh, that is, withhold judgement, I do believe that with all these accolades for the Kerry mod I will buy one of these. As to the two-bearing hypothesis, there is some kind of miscommunication here. More elucidation is needed...anyway, thanks for the heads-up on the titanium weight: probably Twl can explain why it sits so close to the bearing relative to the heavyweight, something to do with the tear-drop shape?

johnnantais, I do not believe the tear-drop shape is the answer because they both have a hole that is off center. I think the difference is in the material used Heavyweight is stainless while the Kerry is titanium. Just a thought, having owned both. Too bad TWL hasn't chimed in to clear the haze on the mechanics of the REGA's. I also owned the Herbie's Turntable mat, while it made an improvement mine picked up every lint and fiber floating around on the air. Anyone else had this problem(static?)? Remember Johnnantais, this is a hobby for some not, a military tribunal with "empirical evidence" Lighten up HUH!?

Colitis, when you compare different tonearm counterweights on your tonearm in controlled conditions - making sure the wiring is the same, the 'table is the same and so on - you are conducting an empirical/scientific experiment. This is what the audio hobby is. When I ask for empirical evidence of the negative contributions of the spring in an RB300, I am asking for someone to take the trouble to find out if it is really resonating, instead of just assuming it is. There's no difference between this request and someone asking which is the best turntable: we are both looking for experience, and this too is what the audio hobby is. I didn't want to offend you, but this hobby is also about questioning, or things like the Kerry counterweight wouldn't exist (in this case hobbyists questioned Rega's design). By buying all these mods, you question Roy Gandy. And so I questioned your statement that the RB250 was categorically superior to the RB300. At the moment my system is in a transitional state, and so all my high-end 'tables sound bright right now, and my mid-fi one sounds just right. Does this mean that the mid-fi one is better? No, just that my preamp is bright, and favours the rolled-off high frequencies of the lesser 'table. And thanks for the heads-up on Herbie's mat, now this'll open up yet another can of worms...

Johnnantais, I bet there is a return policy regarding the mat from Herbie's, if it is not what you want. That would allow for trying in your own environment. I still use the "Non-Felt" mat, even though some like Herbie's better, and no static cling.
We are dealing with different choices, all of which can give pleasure. None of the choices is an irreversible mistake.
After you eventually get your choice of vinyl playback system up and running, please post in this discussion thread know how it all turns out.

Good points Johnnantais, I guess I misperceived the true intention of your comments. I do understand the variables involved of a controled experiment. Do you have a 250 you could test? Just curious, you seem to have been in this longer than I have(I am 30). I did get the Sota to give me the bass I had, it was VTA after all.