Might I add that a good record cleaner such as the VPI 16.5 (or 17) or one of the others would be a good addition. There are lots of excellent records out there if you ask around at work, neighborhood, friends, etc. (Most will assume you're nuts and practically give them to you in sympathy.) Having a cleaning machine at the ready can turn a very good album into a great album, sonically speaking. Even new records can benefit from a good cleaning!
As to your question on playback equipment, tables seem to break into basically two schools of design- suspended (i.e. Linn Sondeck) and unsuspended (i.e. Rega). Seems that most folks prefer unsuspended, at least from my casual observation. The "sound" is different (tighter, more focussed) and you don't have to fool around adjusting the #$%!& suspension. I happen to have a Well-Tempered Classic (unsuspended type)with a Benz L0.4 and highly recommend it, but there are a number of very good picks out there. (Had a Rega P3 prior to that and the WT was a big improvement.) The phono pre-amp is "gold card" (SS) option on the Audible Illusions M3A pre, which is a marked improvement over the already-good "standard" phono section. (Would've liked to have gone with a tube phono pre, but had to hold cost somewhere!)
As far as tonearms, I second Tacs' suggestion on the Origin-modified RB-250. It can be had for much less than $600 at GCAUDIO dot COM.
Psychoanimal- These boys are in a different league. Don't worry, though- they know what they're talking about!
As to your question on playback equipment, tables seem to break into basically two schools of design- suspended (i.e. Linn Sondeck) and unsuspended (i.e. Rega). Seems that most folks prefer unsuspended, at least from my casual observation. The "sound" is different (tighter, more focussed) and you don't have to fool around adjusting the #$%!& suspension. I happen to have a Well-Tempered Classic (unsuspended type)with a Benz L0.4 and highly recommend it, but there are a number of very good picks out there. (Had a Rega P3 prior to that and the WT was a big improvement.) The phono pre-amp is "gold card" (SS) option on the Audible Illusions M3A pre, which is a marked improvement over the already-good "standard" phono section. (Would've liked to have gone with a tube phono pre, but had to hold cost somewhere!)
As far as tonearms, I second Tacs' suggestion on the Origin-modified RB-250. It can be had for much less than $600 at GCAUDIO dot COM.
Psychoanimal- These boys are in a different league. Don't worry, though- they know what they're talking about!