Table,cartridge,phono...where to put most of my money?

Pindac, I got no PM from you, today or previously. I did find a DP80 for sale on eBay for $800 plus shipping from Japan. Still quite a bargain, IMO, if it’s in good working order as claimed by the seller. For $400 and even less, you can buy one or two off Yahoo Japan, described as "junk".

I've had my disagreements with Jasonbourne, too, but in fairness, he did not criticize the TechDas.  He put it up as a high performng TT that the OP might still find fault with.

Vinyl is a rabbit hole. Acceptance and budget constraints. Don't think otherwise. Just go with the few pressings that satisfy, and depend on the digital that beats the analog. I love my evolving vinyl setup but it is limited due my specific situation.  Hoping for surprise and revelation. Can I hear an amen?

A few years back I bought a Project Carbon10 TT with a Sumiko Blackbird cartridge and a Lehmann Audio phono stage feeding directly into my amps. Digital was my old and trusted Oppo. I found that my LPs sounded at least as good as my CDs, often the exact same recording. I then switched the Lehmann for the SunValley SV-Pre1616D, after reading Herb Reicherts review. Wow! That was an eye-opener: LPs sounded far more "real' and "there" than CDs. So I upgraded my digital front end to an MSB Platinum Signature CD-player/DAC combo (got a great deal on USAudioMart), which got the digital representation on a similar albeit somewhat different footing: the DAC produced an over-all "rounder" sound, whereas the LPs sounded more "chiseled", especially in the treble. Depending on the style of the source, both were legitimate renderings. But then lightning stroke: I bought a custom-made Lenco-revival TT from PTP Audio, paired with a (custom-made) Woody tonearm by Pete Riggle, and an Audio Technica ART-1000 with a Von Neumann configuration, where the coils sit directly on top of the stylus. This turned out to be a breathtaking combination, adding to the life-like presentation of tone unreal rhythmic dynamics and "drive" which left my digital music in the dust, or better: the latter was pleasant and easy to enjoy, while the analog sound commanded attention and delivered true excitement and foot-tapping. So, in short: a good phono stage should come first, the SunValley SV-Pre1616D being a true bargain considering the musicality and versatility of this tube stage. Second: try to move away from belt-driven TTs and look for an idler drive or even a direct drive unit: the difference is truly audible and for the better. Finally: a great cartridge will make you whole: I would probably start with a Denon-103 modified with a better cantilever, stylus and body, as they are being offered for very reasonable outlay by several after-market artisans on ebay. I am quite sure that you will hear the difference between an analog recording and a digital version, and that it will be an enjoyable one.