Which budget turntable will provide me the best service?


I recently aquired a sizable collection of albums, but do not have a turntable. I have found a shop that has a used MMF-2.1 and a Vestax BDT 2000 for sale at the same price (~$230. I can screen for sound, but being new to this realm of audio I don't know what type of screening checklist I should have in mind for auditioning a turntable for structural/mechanical integrity(?). Any thoughts? Any experience with these units?
skut
The Music Hall is a good turntable, I own the MMF-5. However, I must admit that I've never heard the Vestax table.
The lower-priced Music Hall and Rega turntables both offer good value and performance, but you should definitely have the VPI HW Junior on your list. It can be upgraded over time, so you can improve your analog system as you acquire more LP's, or the quality of your preamp, etc., improves.
I sold my Linn/Ittok/Asak when I found a Rek-o-kut Rondine 34 at a garage sale for $8. I just repaired my neighbor's old Elac which he dusted off from the attic and it's right up there with my Rega3/dynavector 20X. I just might sell off the Rega and buy a ton of records with the money. Good luck!