I’ve got a state of the art digital rig (transport & DAC) and a late 90’s vintage turntable (Denon DP 47F) plus a Hana SL cartridge. I’m following this thread carefully because I am seriously considering getting a new turntable and arm.
I’m curious what it is about your vinyl sound you don’t like as well as a CD. Is it frequency response, imaging, surface noise, compressed dynamics, or other issues?
My vinyl rig actually sounds very similar to my digital rig on the best pressings. I collect audiophile pressings and the best vinyl records can have a little more "bloom" than the correseponding CD or SACD. I also have over a thousand older records dating back to the 70’s and many of those records are clearly inferior to the CD. Most of the time it’s not even close. The CD is clearer, has better dynamics, doesn’t have surface noise, and is just easier to listen to. I really doubt that buying a six figure analog setup would make these records sound better than the CD.
BTW, these records are in good condition and I have always used a discwasher to clean before with every play. I doubt that ultrasonic cleaning would make a leap in their sound quality but I haven’t heard that comparison. There are people who offer the service of cleaning your records with an ultrasonic cleaner and I would try that before spending several grand on a unit of your own.
I think the issue gets down to having an emotional attachment to your old records. If you are not buying new vinyl then I think that it’s going to be a matter of living with the SQ problems of your records. If your VPI or Linn tables didn’t cut it I doubt you are going to do significantly better with new equipment.
Regarding specific equipment, my budget is similar to yours and I am considering an EAT C-Sharp turntable or the new Mo-Fi Masterdeck table. I’m going to keep my Hana cartridge because the reviews I’ve read indicate that it is hard to do better without spending mega bucks.