Need advice on what to look for in a turntable - budget $6K to $10K

I have a VPI TNT-2 table paired with a Phoenix Eagle/Roadrunner and had a Parasound JC3+ with it for a while.  I moved to an Audia Flight Phono which was twice the cost, but was a much better phono stage in all respects (twice as good is always subjective).  I am now using an Allnic H-3000 with an HA-3000 head amp and will be staying in my system for the foreseeable future.

For a cart, I just upgraded from a Dynavector XX2 MkII to a Kiseki PurpleHeart and it's an outstanding match in my system.  It's very detailed and musical with a wonderful sound stage.  It's a great buy at the price and will probably be picking up a second as a backup before the secret gets out and the prices go up. 

The thing I like about VPI is that they are built like tanks, the company provides excellent customer service, even on my older model, and parts are easy replace if necessary or upgrade if desired. 

If I may briefly hijack the thread with a couple of tangential questions for theothergreg: so you find the HA-3000 to match well with the Kiseki? I have the Allnic H-3000, too, and I’m on the brink of ordering an HA-3000. I’ve also been considering the Kiseki, but its unusual combination of high DCR (42 ohms) and nearly 0.5mV output would seem a challenging match for the Allnic’s step-ups. The head amp works well with it, though?

Bill

Hi Bill, I had the same concerns as you but figured I would give it a try since, if it didn't work, I could always put it in a secondary system.  I really like it in my system and find it transparent and detailed while still being listenable for extended sessions. 

Your level of satisfaction may depend on the cart you are currently using.  The PurpleHeart is definitely a big step up from the Dynavector I used previously. 

That's good to know. My main analog dealer tells me the Kiseki is his favorite--and he has like 30 cartridges in rotation, several costing twice as much. Might have to take the plunge!

Dear @mmporsche : Price is not a precise reflect of a TT quality performance. Exist several very high price TT that can beats by a humble Rega. Range price is only for you, superior limit on your budget.

Some one posted that you have to listen as many options as you can and it's important but been a " rookie " on analog adventure you need a seller that can support to you locally and not only with the TT set up but with the tonearm and cartridge. In the other side you will learn but this kind of learning it does not takes 1-2 weeks but months/years.

So to me makes no sense to invest a very high price in the analog rig ( TT, tonearm, cartridge, IC cables. ) till you learn how to achieve the best for that expensive analog rig.

In the mean time you can learn and enjoy your 100 LPs and have fun buying hundreds of LPs. 

The @sbank offer is very atractive . You say that live in Denver and things are that  there is a TT manufacturer/designer: Galibier designs, his owner sometimes post here: tom_mackris.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.