Does a turntable make a DRAMATIC difference?

I just returned my Sutherland 20/20 Mk2 LPT to Music Direct because my new Holo May DAC DTE sounded much better than my analog. I have a Technics SL-1200G and Hana ML. I also have a tube preamp and I'm guessing that your taste in sound presentation is similar to my preferences.  The Sutherland in my system lacked dynamics and was harsh in the upper range of the female voice. It also lacked the microdynamics that makes voice so wonderful. I changed out preamps, but will be selling a car to fund. Now, voice is sweet and detailed and dynamics are much improved. I wonder what a better arm, turntable or cartridge would do, but I can’t afford to sell another car.

Digital is getting much better and analog can keep up, or better, but the price of admission is steep. I’m leaving things as is for now because a substantial arm/turntable improvement is costly, but I know that this is my weak link, but the music is now fluid and rich.. Phono stages make a big difference.

Are you sure that your turntable is the reason why your analog sounds inferior to the digital?  I'm pretty sure that a better turntable would improve the listening experience, but will it get you where you want to go?  It is very difficult to test this "better turntable" theory.  Once you are sure that your turntable/arm/cartridge are setup correctly, what comes next?  I would think that you would then need to purchase a new turntable/arm and mount the Hana.  Prior to this, you might want to investigate what I found to be the issue in my system consisting of 20/20LPT and Hana.  See if you can find a local dealer willing to let you A/B your Sutherland in their store.  Let them know what listening experience you are after.  Make sure that the phono stage is capable of a fluid musical presentation.  Likely they will go for broke with the A/B, but at least you will hear the Sutherland under ideal conditions.  If the Sutherland holds up, then you will need to establish a turntable budget and decide where to go from there.  My Technics SL-1200G with my present setup now bests my Holo DAC DTE, where the Holo use to be much superior to my analog setup. Currently,  I'm sure that my Technics is the weak link, but at this point my bank account is even a weaker link.  BTW...everyone told me that my problem could not possibly be the 20/20 and I just needed to let it break in..and I did...that I needed better power.. so I spent a fortune on conditioner and power cables.  Then, against advice, I got rid of my 11/2 month old Sutherland and went for a more musical phono stage.  I'm being vague here because I'm sure that you can make such an upgrade in a much more cost effective way then what I did. I've only had the new to me phono stage for a few days, but it only took a few seconds to hear a a major improvement in musicality.  That first day I went from Ella and through two Billies and a dozen other male and female vocalist as well as rock and classical.  Everything about the presentation improved in a big way.