Trying a turntable-it sounds crappy, what's up??

Red2-
Ouch! That is a big investment:)

I was hoping it would be like digital front ends- there are some pretty decent sounding 4-500$ used CD players out there. Yes, to get higher end sound you typically need to spend well over a grand in a one box or transport/DAC, but the used $4-500 player is still not too bad.

Anything comparable to that type of paradigm in thinking?

Lkdog,
Some answers for your questions.

1) Sure it can be a fun thing to put a new cartridge on your existing turntable, and it will get you by for the short term, while you look for your upgrade path. Nothing wrong with that at all.

2)I think you could get into a decent level of analog playback for around $1k, if you look around and get some good buys on used equipment. For new equipment, it probably will take close to $2k, by the time you get a new phono section/TT/arm/cartridge/cables/etc. There are some good new turntables coming into the affordable range now, from a variety of quality manufacturers, and the $1k TT market is becoming quite competitive. I'm sure you could find something satisfactory in that range now. Maybe a little more for a better tonearm/cartridge wouldn't hurt any.

As you go up the performance ladder, the advantages of analog become more and more apparent. Many users on this forum even feel that a Rega Planar 3 with a basic Goldring cartridge exceeds their more expensive digital players. But I'd consider the Planar 3 to be the bottom rung of the audiophile analog ladder, in real terms. Anything up from there would be better. If you could go up to $2k or more, then you are really getting into what analog can do. Beware, it is addicting.

What you are hearing now is only the tip of the iceberg. You have a mass-market TT, and it can only give you a glimmer of what is there.

Twl -
Thanks for the info. I guess you are a right; to put it in perspective I have well over $1000 in my digital front end (I bought the CAry used and it was $1500 new). Once you add cables and power cords, and various tweaks it really adds up.
Even with all of that I have an entry level audiophile front end.
I appreciate your input.
Was kind of hoping I could get something fairly decent for 5 bills, but maybe that is not realistic.

Hi Lkdog, to be somewhere near your budget used is the ticket, definitely. You could start with something that does perform incredibly well and has a lot of support: a Thorens TD160, right now there is a MKII going on Audiogon (don't know the seller, yadda-yadda) for $235 with excellent MM cartridge. This 'table has excellent pace and dynamics (make sure the springs are level), good detail retrieval, deep bass and a decent tonearm, as long as you stick with MMs. For an excellent phono stage the Antique Sound Lab Mini Phono, which is a tubed unit and excellent value, sells for $250. Ta-da. Of course, the rest here are right and once you're hooked you'll likely get into better components at a higher premium. There are other excellent 'tables which can be had at the $200-$300 level, underrated sleepers like the AR turntables, the Aristons (RD-11s are superb), a variety of heavier direct-drives, and so on. The Thorens is a good place to start, though, due to websites like the following: http://www.theanalogdept.com/

Lkdog,
TWL & Johnnatais are painting a clear picture for you. I agree that about $1k would be great budget for a nice starter table, but think you can find something pretty good for $500-800 if you're patient. The VPI HW19jr and HW19III can be found in that range, with a solid upgrade path for down the road. Someone here just got an LP12 for $800. Better yet, I've seen Nottingham Horizons used for around $800. If you post a wanted ad, you might even prompt some potential upgrader to go for it, since you made selling his old table so effortless...fight the good fight! Cheers,
Spencer