Possibly Looking for a Turntable/Cartridge Under $1000

It seems, based on several responses in this thread, that $1000 is still considered a "starter" turntable. What get’s me beyond the starter realm and how much will the sound differ?

The Fosi looks interesting. I’m still trying to figure out what I get for $1000 that I wouldn’t get for $300-500. Is $1500 any better than $1000? I don’t really know what features/specs I should be looking for that will make a sonic difference.

My Hegel preamp doesn’t have a phono input, but I was looking at the possibility of building a Pearl 3 phono stage (https://diyaudiostore.com/products/pearl-3-phono-preamplifier) or buying one in that same price range.

I don’t know if I will digitize my vinyl. I might, but I’ve seem several videos of people doing that and it seems painful. I just ripped all of my CDs and that was painful enough, but I’m not saying no.

Yes, I will need to clean my records. As for the condition, I wouldn’t say that they are in excellent condition. I tried to take care of my records but I wasn’t the only one using them at times. I did have roommates that would on occasion play the records, but not often. But caring for them as a true audiophile would, no. I was just a college student living in conditions that college students live.

Of course I will try to thoroughly wash/clean my records, but I will not be paying anyone to do that. Again, I’m looking at approximately $1000 on the turntable and cartridge and about $300-400 on a phono stage. I would imagine that having someone clean my records is not cheep, so no. I will do it myself.

No, I am not versed in turntable setup. I’m only versed in the art of YouTube and trying to figure it out.  :-)

I don't need or expect a turntable to exceed the capabilities of a digital source. I'm sure I won't get that with a $1000 turntable and a $400 phono stage. I do want to experience the best analog playback that I can at that price point, and exceed that capabilities of what I can experience with $300-$500. If I can't exceed what I could do with the $500 setup than it's not worth doing. Again, I've had the real entry level turntable which is why I said I don't understand why people love vinyl so much. I am looking to make that next step to get a sense of why some feel vinyl is so magical. That's what I'm trying to get to. That doesn't mean the pinnacle, just get to that point. Are my expectations too high for what I'm willing to spend?

No!

@dayglow 

Nothing wrong with my vinyl leg… it’s just that I  have a really good digital end and most audiophile pressings are available in high resolution files. Also, my digital leg will often sound better because my vinyl pressing may be the 10,000th produced by a stamper. There is much more variation in vinyl than there is in digital. 
 

You can assemble a vinyl system that sounds better (whatever that means to you) than a digital end, and visa versa. There just simply isn’t an edge until you get into ultra expensive systems (like $100K legs, although I am not positive that is even true any more).
 

In my case, a carefully chose both my analog and digital legs for musical and natural presentation and they both achieve that for roughly the same amount of money. My assessment is done on listening to hundreds of albums, not just finding one exception to prove something to myself. 

You can do it, everything I showed you is under $800. plus some tax, free or very little shipping cost, still in your budget.

That Shibata stylus in that pre-aligned cartridge playing new or properly cleaned vinyl should sound awesome.

I was very happy with that setup for years.

Here’s another idea for you

$275. Used Technics SL-J33 Programmable Linear Tracking with P Mount

I had one for years, played it in my main system, put it in my shop/garage system, loaned it to half a dozen of my friends to use while they had something fixed, gave it to my son.

I put a Shibata P-Mount in it, it’s Quartz Locked Direct Drive, this one has OEM cable with ground wire, ask seller about the feet, sometimes they need replacing.

$200. Shibata P Mount, auto alignment and calibrated

EVERYONE was amazed how good it sounded. 

The auto features, the programmable function, so compact, sooooo good!

You still need to clean your lps, but that little thing is awesome.

Linear Tracking, true alignment to each and every groove, no anti-skate involved.

It looks like nothing, but it’s quite something.

Way back when, I had a Pioneer programmable that was a drawer in a case you could stack, these are what made copying individual tracks onto cassette decks so easy.

It scans, finds the blank spots between tracks automatically, you pick which tracks in which order, ... play

several available, hifishark