Help with a budget turntable/amp/speaker system?

thank you! do you think the NAD 3020 or the Marantz 2230 would be better suited for my needs? I don't know of any thrift stores near me where I could go test them out.

and is the 3020 significantly better than the C315BEE?

oh, and how would you suggest i split up the budget? thanks :)

Get the AT-440 cart...with your budget, it's really all you can afford and it'll probably do just fine with the music you like...forget Theil and Vandersteens -- they're out of you price range and, speaking from experience (2CE sigs and 3A sigs), Vandys are great for jazz, light classical and especially vocals but are a little laid-back for your tastes, IMO...also, they are rather easily overdriven at the higher volumes you are likely to listen to...they actually have an LED warning light that comes on at what you may consider routine volume levels...I have no experience with Theils but I think they are a bit pricey for your range....a used NAD integrated would make a fine bang-for-buck choice...I confer with Bank738's Wharfedale recco...I have had Pacific EVO 30s and Diamond 9.6s...you will get the SPLs you want but they can also deliver the nuance and detail that audiophiles crave...I would also consider used Klipsches...some may hate them, but their high sensitivity (usually 90 dB/w/m or better) will mate well with the relatively low power integrateds in your range...don't let that statement put you off...50 WPC from an integrated with a real power supply will blow away 100 WPC from a cheapo surround receiver...as for budget, the cart is about $50, leaving you with $650 for speakers/integrated...I'd split that 50-50 with a little give one way or the other depending on what's available...try to go local as shipping will eat up a huge chunk of your budget...sorry for the run-on...good luck and happy listening....keep us informed!!!

One more thought: I know there are a lot of devotees to the NAD 3020 and it was a game-changer but that was back in the '80s and the Marantz goes back to the '70s...I know there are lots of examples of these that are still playing fine but the probabilty of cap failure starts becoming a concern at about 20 yrs...if all things were equal, I'd go for the newer 315 BEE...you might also consider one of the Cambridge integrateds...they've just introduced new models and I've seen a lot of deals on their late-model used stuff...I've never had one but they get raves and I am a big fan of their digital stuff (740 CD player and DAC-Magic)...

Yeah I was a bit worried about that too, because who knows what's happened to that amp over the course of 30-40 years?

Before I posted this, I was leaning towards the Denon-110 for the cartridge but now I'm leaning towards the AT-440MLA. It just seems more reliable after all the great reviews, and I posted a similar thread on a different website and everyone suggested the AT as well.
I think I'm going to end up just using the C315BEE for simplicity's sake.

thank you all so much for the help! :)