New to Vinyl, TT suggestions please


Howdy,

I'm looking to get into vinyl and was looking for suggestions on TT's up to $500 on the used market, including cartirdge and arm, preferably low maintenance (specific table suggestions that are now available would be welcome too!). My musical tastes favor electronic/techno/triphop/ambiant music, especially heavy in angelic female vocals and engaging bass lines, to Radiohead and Pink floyd, Tull and Nina Simone, with operas and occasional jazz thrown in when in them mood. My preamp/phono pre is the musical fidelity A3.2cr, my system if full range and bass from 20-40hz is very important to me, if that helps. My reference redbook and SACD player is the Marantz SA-14, which I'm quite fond of, and would like a vinyl rig with the same essential sonic characteristics, if that helps! Thanks much for any assistance.
uva_hifi
Rega P-3 is the standard.. also because it comes with the Rega arm, which is a great arm. I've never used them but I hear great things about the Rega cartridges too. I had a Rega P-3 for years that I kept modifying (maybe 15 yrs of so) until last year I took the plunge and went for a Rega P-9 which I love.
You can't go wrong with the P3, but I would recommend the RB250 instead of the RB300. The 250 has better stability because it has no VTF(vertical tracking force) dial and has two bearings, and no spring. The only thing is that you will need to upgrade the endstub(it's plastic) and then the counterweight. This may be more expensive but in the long run a better sound. I know because I have had a P3 with both arms on it.
rega arm and cartridge, the more you get for $500 the better. the 300 is a better arm than the 250, so get the 300!
The 250 tonearm is a better arm, because it has two bearings not just one as with the 300. This has been backed up in other posts on this site as well! The 250 is a great combination a used Sota Sapphire which I just upgraded to. A little more than your $500 though after the armboard.