dumb down an LP-12

Ok so i decided to put together a  sound system for my office which is 2000 miles away from home and where I can spend weeks at a time. At home I have an MA-5200 and the accompanying macd player (with a dac input).

I had a music hall cd25.2 kicking arround (which i thought had a dac i could input into but i guess i waas remembering the mcintosh.)

I bought a croft integrated (sounded fun to goof around with tubes) will use the MH 25.2 which i thought i could stream into (nope). and I needed a table.  Tables have gotten very expensive in last ten years.....I have a cheap rega (rp2?) back home and never really felt much either way about it.

I thought - "hey your goofing around with tubes why not get a cool looking old TT and enjoy the look and vibe if the newer stuff has gotten this pricey..."

I bought an LP12 with troika for 15oo bucks. now I have learned a few scary things (SUT, HEAD amp, PARIS?) but its the setup finickiness that scares me. I wonder if going to an MM cartridge could avoid the gut-wrenching SUT decision and make the table less a musical instrument that needs to be tuned itself and more a device that plays music. 

Be nice - I am.