Help me decide on first turntable purchase

Are you fairly sure you will stick with Vinyl, or just wondering?

OP

For me, even 3K is too much to determine if someone would stick with Vinyl. I’d rather spend the difference on musical content, and upgrade later.

I agree, I don’t like the Technics Metal/Plastic Look (however...).

Your Speakers and Equipment, the sound In your Space, is established. It comes down to: Vinyl, opposed to CD’s and/or Streaming: Surprise: Vinyl Sounds Good! Is it Worth the Work? Do you like the hands-on involvement?

I suggest a lower cost start, ascertain future intentions, learn fundamentals, then, with some acquired knowledge and skills, move up. Keep, sell, give away the initial TT and Cartridge.

Cartridge Alignment is FUNDAMENTAL, I strongly advise an OEM pre-mounted cartridge. Stick with it? then acquire alignment skills PRIOR to upgrading.

I also advise starting with a MM Moving Magnet type, Elliptical Stylus Shape to keep initial costs down.

I prefer Direct Drive, Quartz Locked, however ANY decent TT will produce accurate enough speed, and low enough wow, flutter: IOW, IMO, specs will not be the reason you stick with or don’t stick with Vinyl.

All Phono Cartridges (except horribly expensive Strain-Gauge) require a Phono Stage to provide signal Equalization (cut highs/boost lows) prior to volume control and amplification.

Some starter TT’s have built-in OPTIONAL Phono EQ. Again, ’good enough’ to ascertain Yea or Nay. Then, finding a Phono EQ with better/preferred sound is one of the trickiest parts of refining LP’s sound. I always advise return options for phono stages. This forum is filled with this and that about Phono EQ, happiness and discouragement, big money can be joyful or misspent.

PHONO EQ., my trail

Old Days, prior to CD: Tube Receivers; Tube Preamps; SS Receivers; SS Preamps. Then, after CD: I had a highly respected McIntosh C28 Solid State Preamp, overhauled by the factory. I actually preferred the AT120’s dinky built-in phono eq. I changed to McIntosh Tube Preamp mx110z, it’s MM Phono EQ is wonderful, I’ll never look for better. In my office, just to get a TT going, I bought a a $14. Pyle Phono EQ., sounded decent. Upgrade: I tried a Cambridge Duo, nah, sent it back. Got a Luxman with phono EQ, love it.

COMPARISON:

For direct comparison, buy both CD and LP versions of music you are familiar with and love. In addition we can suggest specific music, excellently engineered, importantly superb imaging, that will help you decide.

A single suggestion, 3 master guitarists, superb recording and imaging:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_Night_in_San_Francisco

STARTER TT

So: as an ugly Technics Look start, I can tell you, I believe this is a very good starter TT, good enough to determine future intentions with Vinyl, then ditch the ugly thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120XUSB-Direct-Drive-Hi-Fidelity-Anti-Skate/dp/B07N3S4X3P...

I used one for years, upgraded the stylus, changed the cartridge, used it’s built-in Phono EQ. Enjoyably. It could better the CD versions. Then, after research, acquired skills, got my Vintage Wood TT shown here, selected it's 3 tonearms, 3 cartridges, tried my first MC cartridge, bit by bit, all with help from members here.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9511

I gave the AT120 to someone like yourself getting back into vinyl.

Then the world of upgrades lies beyond.