Deciding on new TT: Rega Planar 6 or...?

[saru]

I recently sold a bunch of my entry-level audio gear to my younger brother, including the Music Hall mmf2.2 turntable that had facilitated my introduction to vinyl for the past couple years. I figured that my upgrade to C2600/MC601 gear would justify an turntable upgrade as well, so I gladly parted ways with the Music Hall piece (and my brother was very grateful for the excuse to go buy a bunch of vinyl!). Of course, the itch to fill the empty space at the top of my component stand has gotten more intense, so I'm on the hunt to step up to a turntable in the $2k-or-less category.

Someone had recommended the Rega Planar 3 to me as a great TT that's a step above entry-level; upon further research, it became clear that the Planar 6 would be a better investment since I would otherwise probably end up getting the LPS for the Planar 3 (it's included with the Planar 6), and from there it's only a few hundred dollars to just get the 6. So I'm leaning heavily toward the 6, but before I take that plunge, I was curious if AA'ers had recommendations for other products at this price point that I ought to consider, or if they had any first-hand experience with the Planar 6 that they could relate..?