Hi Richard,
I have had a couple shapers and a couple router tables. About 5-6 years ago I stopped using router tables altogether.
I have had a 5 hp shaper as well as the little Jet you are looking at. When I closed down my shop a couple years ago, I sold off the large shaper and kept the Jet. For furniture making it works great. I sling large custom cutters on it as well as "medium" sized router bits.
While I don't think I would try using it for the smaller router bits due to the speed, it does work nice for everything I have used it for. I do have a WoodRat for other work.
The compromise position if you could swing it cost wise would be both. The little Jet shaper and a homemade router table. Heck, I made one once for on-site work which I made out of a Jet table saw extension wing which was on close out from Woodcraft. Cut a hole, mounted a decent router plate and simply clamped it to a pair of saw horses. The fence was simply bolted at one end through the table as a pivot and the free end was used to position the fence and them clamped down.
Well, you can see I am partial to the shaper. I like them better. Just saying it may not be a question of one or the other, but both. Heck, you could use the shaper to help build a decent BenchDog type small router table.
Take care, Mike