This leaves out a crucial part of what happens when one placing a floppy disc of vinyl on a surface. There will be a cavity below that shift from center to front of the disc when adding a clamp.
Tap the disc with your nail and you clearly hear the hollow space below. Thinking any cartridge will not "hear" and reproduce this cavity is denying the acoustics of that environment.
Me thinks, a vacuum is the only way to couple disc and platter into one acoustic unit. Tap that sandwich and you will only hear the sound of your nail striking the record, nothing more.
I would not consider any turntable, in any price range without a proper vacuum hold.
It is as basic an issue as firm speed stability and lack of bearing noise.