Since you're considering the Clearaudio Emotion, what about the Clearaudio-sourced Marantz, which comes with a very nice Clearaudio cartridge?
If you were to go the Technics route (but I'm not holding my breath) and your $1800 seems to be just for 'table, arm, and cart, I'd go with the SL1200 + KAB outboard PSU, threaded clamp, tonearm rewire, fluid damper, and Isonoe feet. Mount Sumiko headshell and Sumiko BPS EVO III cartridge. Total price = $1659. The Technics DD tables achieve a speed accuracy and s/n ratio you don't see on belt drive turntables until you get into some serious money. The fluid damper, rewire, and Isonoe feet take care of the Technics' weaknesses in vibration isolation and wire quality.
If you can't abide the thought of an S-shaped arm with detachable headshell, get an SL1210 Mk2 from Musicians Friend for $400 and add the Origin Live armboard for about $100 and fully modded OL-1 tonearm for $800 for a total of $1300, which leaves you $500 for a cartridge--perhaps a Sumiko BPS EVO III or Ortofon 2M Black.
If you were to go the Technics route (but I'm not holding my breath) and your $1800 seems to be just for 'table, arm, and cart, I'd go with the SL1200 + KAB outboard PSU, threaded clamp, tonearm rewire, fluid damper, and Isonoe feet. Mount Sumiko headshell and Sumiko BPS EVO III cartridge. Total price = $1659. The Technics DD tables achieve a speed accuracy and s/n ratio you don't see on belt drive turntables until you get into some serious money. The fluid damper, rewire, and Isonoe feet take care of the Technics' weaknesses in vibration isolation and wire quality.
If you can't abide the thought of an S-shaped arm with detachable headshell, get an SL1210 Mk2 from Musicians Friend for $400 and add the Origin Live armboard for about $100 and fully modded OL-1 tonearm for $800 for a total of $1300, which leaves you $500 for a cartridge--perhaps a Sumiko BPS EVO III or Ortofon 2M Black.