VPI Scout Prime - You can score a 'demo' or 'blem' for $2,000. From there you are into a system like a camera with interchangeable lenses: you can keep it basic or upgrade over time. Motor, platter, arm mount, arm tube,cabling, even the plinth. That kind of investment protection is something no other table can claim.
Look, for $2,000, any table you look at is going to be pretty damn good. But they are all mostly dead ends except the VPI.
And as others have suggested, throw a Blue Stylus on your Ortofon, and listen to what it is capable of - which is quite a bit, actually - while your bank account recharges, then step into MC cartridge land. In my nearly 50 years in the hobby, there have never been so many excellent MCs available, and so reasonably priced - under $1,000, even under $500.
Ortofon, Audio Technica, Dynavector, and Sumiko aren't exactly slouches in this area, but the buzz is all over Hana, and they are available in low and high output versions (as are some Sumiko and Dynavector), making the MC preamp and another set of interconnects 'barrier to entry' optional. If you are listening to mostly vintage vinyl, the EH (elliptical) is the easiest to setup and live with. If you are more into the Music Direct re-release catalog, then consider the $750 SH (Shibata) or $1200 MH (Microline).
Look, for $2,000, any table you look at is going to be pretty damn good. But they are all mostly dead ends except the VPI.
And as others have suggested, throw a Blue Stylus on your Ortofon, and listen to what it is capable of - which is quite a bit, actually - while your bank account recharges, then step into MC cartridge land. In my nearly 50 years in the hobby, there have never been so many excellent MCs available, and so reasonably priced - under $1,000, even under $500.
Ortofon, Audio Technica, Dynavector, and Sumiko aren't exactly slouches in this area, but the buzz is all over Hana, and they are available in low and high output versions (as are some Sumiko and Dynavector), making the MC preamp and another set of interconnects 'barrier to entry' optional. If you are listening to mostly vintage vinyl, the EH (elliptical) is the easiest to setup and live with. If you are more into the Music Direct re-release catalog, then consider the $750 SH (Shibata) or $1200 MH (Microline).