Getting back into venal with a $2,000 budget.

Hi litespeed -

Vinyl is a rabbit hole.  There are hardware, software, and storage considerations.  Vinyl takes up space.  Vinyl begets more vinyl.  Just like tube rolling, there will be cartridge swapping.  You will upgrade at some point.

If you grew up with vinyl, did you like the experience of going to record stores and going through the stacks?  I get the same thrills today that I did 55 years ago when I go to (or can actually find) a record store.  Consider for a second, did you acquire many CDs along the way?  Odds are you will do the same with vinyl.  

None of this is a bad thing, btw.  You just need to determine if vinyl is going to be worth going down the rabbit hole.  And how do you accomplish this without breaking the bank?

At a bare minimum, you will need a TT and a cartridge and a preamp and some cables.  Wherever your starting point is, you need to have good enough equipment to see if this will be an audio extension that you wish to pursue.

Problem with coming on this site is that you are chatting up vinyl converts and we all have our stories and preferences.

I suggested the 1500 C because for $1200 ($1400 if you swap out the cartridge) you can be on your way in literally minutes and you have something that you can live with for at least a few years.  I am sure that a similar Rega or Marantz or Pro-ject will get you there too, though it may cost you several hundred more.  You will always be able to sell it, if it doesn't work for you.

If you have old records or used record shops in your area, you will need something to clean your records.  That goes a long way to removing the record noise that you don't get with CDs.  

That is the least that you are going to get away with.

Go beyond this entry level, but solid approach and I think you will wind up in $5K territory in no time.  It is not very hard to spend $2K on a TT, $1K on a cartridge, $1K on a pre-amp, $1K on accessories.  

Best of luck,

Rich 

This has happened here time and time again. A bunch of geezers front load a newbie with so much information that the newbie throws up his hands and quits. Nobody started vinyl with so much crap and we all managed to survive. Your idea about the rega was fine. All set up and turnkey. Just play records for a year and see if it intrigues you to go further. Some do, some don’t.  Some vinyl lovers tend to get obsessive and it’s a part of the hobby, but it’s not necessary. Do you think all the hipsters buying vinyl at American Eagle are worried about all this crap?  Just take the plunge and see where it goes. IMO

I have no problem with you taking the plunge but it can be expensive. When most of us played albums in out youth our main concern was not audio quality.  Having now gone down the audiophile path vinyl represents, to me at least, at least a $15,000 investment. And that does not include all the fiddling and time a tt deserves to sound its best. I have an old Thorens that needs some attention but I am passing. Mt tt setup just does not sound as good as my digital. Plus I am all thumbs. It would be interesting to ascertain what others have spent on their entire tt setup. 

5-10. Table.

5-10. Arm

500-1000  cartridge

1-5 phono pre-amp

500 cabling

500-1000 record cleaner

100-500 alignment tools

100-500 platform

2-5 albums

Power supply, clamps, brushes, strobes, lights, the list can be endless.  

But the rewards can be sublime.

@chayro Your approach is correct if jumping in a Trend.

As for the Hipsters, they are probably more interested a App to use Blue Tooth Speakers away from the TT to experience their Vinyl replays, not quite HiFi.

The OP has already spent their time and monies creating a CD Source and is looking to extend on this experience, throwing $2K + away without a caution does not cut it.

As a result of their being 'open to all other suggestions'. The OP has been encouraged prior to your post to consider their options, to try and have a few experiences and to attempt to create a SQ for the Vinyl LP as a Source that will be valued and worthy of being used in conjunction with their CD Source in use at present.

The costs associated can easily runaway, so far, all is contained in the suggestions made.