Best budget table?

Well lookie what I found: http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?anlgtabl&1066171901

$1000 for the Horizon includes a RB-250. Its $800 without.

The Nottingham Horizon is priced at $999. That might be a choice worth looking at.

I have always read that Thorens tables are a good one when
you don't want to spend too much. Of course, one man's
low-end is another man's impossibly expensive luxury! I
picked up a TD-110 for $50 and added a Shure M97XE
cartridge; sounds pretty good to me.

I think the best bargain is a TD-125 with a removable
arm board so you can experiment with different tone arms.
People seem to like that Shure SME-3009 arm; this combo
might be my next one if I ever find a reason to upgrade.

No belt drive in your price range will deliver. Check out direct drive alternatives...

I recently upgraded from my old 70's Pioneer TT as well. I decided on the VPI HW19 series. I recently purchased the Jr. model (with Natural Oak base) and will upgrade as funds are available. It made a big difference in the sound and I'm very happy, plus I saved a few bucks. Something to consider...

I highly suggest a used Basis 1400, with RB300 arm, and an inexpensive cartridge of your choice. (At some point, you should upgrade to the Benz Micro Glider II cartridge).

I bought this setup, w/o cartridge, for $1,000 delivered, and it included not only the TT and arm, but a marble plinth isolation table to set it on, a nonefelt extreme mat (which the Basis should not use in any case) and the basis clamp.

This turntable is incredibly good for the price. Easily beating out the comparably priced Regas. When you can afford it, you should get a basis clamp, as it improves the sound.

By the way, don't forget you will need to make sure your new amplifier has a phono input, or you will need an inexpensive phono preamp as well.

Good Luck!

Three cavaets to this setup.

One, A.J. Conti, the Basis founder, told me he will not be including the Basis 1400 or the arm in his upgrade policy in the future. This means selling either or both in order to upgrade. (The arm is the weak link in this setup, but as you probably know, the RB300 is the industry standard entry arm, so it is good arm, just not up to the quality of the TT itself).

Two, the TT does not have a suspension, so either an isolation platform or a wall mounted rack is desirable.

Three, the Glider II cartridge works fabulously with this TT and arm, but it has an exposed cantilever, which is highly vulnerable to fingers bending it (thus ruining it!) I had this happen to me. I have since replaced it with a Koetsu Black (which has a stylus guard!). If you don't have any kids, the Glider II is probably a better value. I prefer the Koetsu, but that is a matter of taste. It has that "tube" like quality that some people prefer.