I know there have been quite a few threads on hi-fi so sorry for another one but as many of you are really into music and hi-fi I thought I'd ask your advice.

I've not had a record player since my teens (80s) when almost everyone had one. I'd like to delve into analogue music again but for someone with limited experience it's a bit of a minefield. I used to often pop into a retro store in London and they're always playing vinyl and I really love the sound. I've read reviews of various equipment but many are contradictory and leave me none the wiser.

It would be for a medium sized room so I don't need huge amounts of power. In fact, it needs to have a small footprint so I was thinking of active speakers - something like the Kanto YU4 or YU6?

For the record player, many of you on here seem to like Rega - would this be the best option or something from Pro-Ject, Technics, Audio-Technica? Should I go for a direct drive or belt drive?

My budget would be about £500-£600 for both speakers and player - is this realistic?

The other question is where do you guys get your records from? Is there anything I need to be aware of when buying vinyl from a physical store and online?

Thanks a lot :)