Need advice on new TT

NA Mentor (and almost certainly the Dais) also goes very well with the Trans-Fi air bearing tonearm, perhaps the best bargain in high end. Uses standard parts and clever engineering instead of custom machining - keeps the cost down, ~$1K.

I have the old Nottingham Analogue Mentor, which is said to be inferior to their new Dais. The NA Dais is near the top of your price range.

It is surprisingly close to my DIY air bearing TT. As to the big Technics, I was at the local launch, and they had a motor on display. When I held it to my ear and rotated the spindle, I could hear (albeit faintly) noise from the sleeve bearings. On this basis, not the audition (sounded God-awful to me, with the setup they had), I suspect that the Technics is inferior to a good belt drive.

If I were buying off-the-shelf, I would definitely consider NA. YMMV.