Turntables better than a Wadia 861SE w/ Statement

I'm in the quest for a new analogue rig myself. My finances only permit the moderately priced options: Nottingham Space Deck/Ace Space Arm, The VPI Scout Master/JMW-9 (Signature?), and the Teres 160/Origin Live Silver Mk II (or perhaps the Morch). I find all these options to be viable choices, if slightly different "flavors", as is the basic Scout. I'm not an admirer of the stock JMW-9 arm and I think the Signature version appears to be a worthwhile upgrade although I haven't heard it yet. None of the arms in question are exactly world class but all are decent. If you want to plunge into the deep end I recommend that you definitely add the Galibier Design tables and possibly the Avid Actus to your list. You should also consider the Lyra cartridges (all are approx. .5mV output). The Schroeders and the lastest iteration of the Triplanar seem to be the current pinnacles of tonearm design. Definitive judgements in analogue gear are very hard to come by as comparisons where only one variable is altered are not easy to arrange. Good luck in your search.

One of the simmering controveries in record reproduction is the issue of the alleged sonic signature of acrylic. VPI, Basis, Clearaudio, Scheu/Eurolab and Amazon seem to make up the pro acrylic camp while Nottingham Analogue, Galibier, Redpoint, Simon Yorke (I think), SME, Avid and Acoustic Signature have chosen to avoid the use of acrylic. Verdier, I believe, uses it in the plinth but not the platter. The lower echelon Teres use it in the platter (formerly their entire entry level table) while the upper echelon Teres do not use any acrylic. I'm not in a position to conjecture on how significant this issue is - perhaps someone with more expertise will chime in - but it is worth considering. At the level of $2K - $4K table and arm combinations it may not be an overriding issue but when one gets into the realm of $10K and up table/arm combinations the equation may change.
Personally, I would opt for the roughly $3K table/arm realm coupled with a $600 - $1.5K cartridge. That is certainly a good enough system to give you a very good idea of what vinyl offers. I suggest you also invest in a record cleaning machine and a good dedicated stand or wall shelf for the table. If you opt for the Space Deck I've heard very positive comments about the Boston audio mat.

I believe there are four variants of the ZYX Airy 3: low (.24mV) output, high (.48mv) output, and your choice of silver ("S") or copper ("X") coils. The US distributor is Sorasound, search ZYX here on Audiogon. The current price seems to be $2,300.00. I have no experience with these cartridges but personally I'd be dubious about the wisdom of mounting any $2K+ cartridge on a $3K table & arm combination.

Aoliviero, hopefully someone with more experience with these arm and cartridge combinations will step in but I can supply some general information. I will let others make the arguments for sub-$500 cartidges e.g. the AT-OC9 II, Denon 103 (& variants), Dyanavector 10x5 and the mid-priced Grados. The next price notch up brings you into the realm of the Shelter 501 II (.48mV, approx. $850), Sumiko Blackbird (2.5mV, $750), Benz Micro Glider II (.4/.8/& 2.5mV variants, $800), Dynavector Karat 17D2 II (.23mV, $750), Ortofon Kontrapunkts (.45mV), Lyra Dorian (.6mV, $750), and the cheaper ZYX models (.24 & .48mV, Bloom $? - $1140 Yatra). Not every cartridge is a good match with every arm, at the coarsest level the compliance of the cartridge suspension needs to me matched to the appropriate effective arm mass. The cartridge price comparisons aren't entirely apples-to-apples as some manufacturers or distributors offer substantial discounts for retipping, oops damage or upgrades while others leave you entirely on your own once they have your money. Also some companies appear to have better QC and some cartridges track better than others. All these cartridges are fairly good (or at least ones I've heard) and have their partisans. I like the Lyras which some some people find insufficiently romantic. The shop that sells you your arm and table should be prepared to let you listen to at least a couple options.