@ei001h wrote: " Is there a quality unit that I can get for $1500-2000 that would give me 90-95% sound and built quality of a high-end unit ?"
No, not really. Sure, you can find a table that you'll enjoy listening to, but $1,500 - $2,000 will only get you a decent turntable. You'll still have to buy the tonearm, wiring, cartridge, and cabling.
The phono stage in your McIntosh is decent but only does MM, although you can always opt for a high output MC.
It is folly to expect that spending $2,000 will get you to 95% of a $20,000 'high-end' unit.
My suggestion would be to buy the best deck you can afford now (i.e. Oracle, VPI, Linn, Michell, Roksan, etc.) and then upgrade the other components in the future.
No, not really. Sure, you can find a table that you'll enjoy listening to, but $1,500 - $2,000 will only get you a decent turntable. You'll still have to buy the tonearm, wiring, cartridge, and cabling.
The phono stage in your McIntosh is decent but only does MM, although you can always opt for a high output MC.
It is folly to expect that spending $2,000 will get you to 95% of a $20,000 'high-end' unit.
My suggestion would be to buy the best deck you can afford now (i.e. Oracle, VPI, Linn, Michell, Roksan, etc.) and then upgrade the other components in the future.