Need advice on what to look for in a turntable - budget $6K to $10K

I have a VPI TNT-2 table paired with a Phoenix Eagle/Roadrunner and had a Parasound JC3+ with it for a while.  I moved to an Audia Flight Phono which was twice the cost, but was a much better phono stage in all respects (twice as good is always subjective).  I am now using an Allnic H-3000 with an HA-3000 head amp and will be staying in my system for the foreseeable future.

For a cart, I just upgraded from a Dynavector XX2 MkII to a Kiseki PurpleHeart and it's an outstanding match in my system.  It's very detailed and musical with a wonderful sound stage.  It's a great buy at the price and will probably be picking up a second as a backup before the secret gets out and the prices go up. 

The thing I like about VPI is that they are built like tanks, the company provides excellent customer service, even on my older model, and parts are easy replace if necessary or upgrade if desired. 

Hi Bill, I had the same concerns as you but figured I would give it a try since, if it didn't work, I could always put it in a secondary system.  I really like it in my system and find it transparent and detailed while still being listenable for extended sessions. 

Your level of satisfaction may depend on the cart you are currently using.  The PurpleHeart is definitely a big step up from the Dynavector I used previously.