Start with Project 1.2?

I'd go with something well known and used so, if you don't like it, you can easily sell it. For example, a Music Hall MM7 is available now in the classifieds for about $750, with cartridge. If the popping and hisses drive you nuts, you can always sell it. Conversely, if you end up loving it and feel the need to upgrade, you can sell it on your path to analog nirvana (there's also a good deal on an Origin Live Aurora Gold setup right now -- that is one nice turntable, but above your price range).

Cleaning the records helps with the noise, but you really can't escape it unless the records are new or mint. Cleaning is a whole sub-culture and involves much research, possibly some machines, and trial and error.

Do make sure what your preamp can accommodate. Not all cartridges are high enough voltage so check to make sure the preamp is set for both moving magnet and moving coil. If it is, you're probably OK. Otherwise, make sure you determine the cartridges output voltage before buying the turntable or you may need to buy a separate phono preamp.

Hi, I was faced with the same questions you are asking only a few months ago. It was my birthday and my girlfriend wanted to get me a TT(and listen to her records..hehe) but I didn't want to get a junky TT. I had a price limit of around $350. I went on the Needle doctor site and found a Project RM-4 table with a grado blue cart for $450. So I splurged a little and it turned out to be a descent table for the money. It's a no frills, manual TT but the sound is good enough for me in terms of getting back into vinyl and enjoying my old records. Check it out online you may like it.

I have been running a Project 1.2 for about 3 years now. Re pops and clicks, even after getting a record cleaning machine and with a huge availability of mint vinyl (Los Angeles) they are still there but well managed. This will be true regardless of the table. Record maintenance is a time consuming fact of life and probably not for everybody.

Now about the 1.2. Mine came out of the box with a Sumiko Oyster. It was not until I upgraded to a Grado Red that this setup showed up my CDs. Nothing earth shattering, but my best listening experiences, i.e. realism of presentation, depth of soundstage, emotional high, etc..., have been on vinyl. So the 1.2 is capable but not perfect. It does occasionally reveal some wow/flutter and the Grado likes to 'dance' around on some records. I hear Ortofons are better about this. The previously mentioned RM-4 is probably a better deal in the end since it comes with a better cartridge and the price of the 1.2 has gone up I believe.

For reference my CD player is an Ah! 4000 with Siemens tubes, which by itself sounds pretty damn good.

I didn't want to wait so I pulled the old direct drive from the basement along with some pretty pristine records from our combined collection. All I can say is WOW ! Even with a run of the mill Pioneer table and an audio technica cartridge ( that I'm sure I paid about $25 for) these albums sound great ! I can begin to see what the hubbub is about. I'm not sure where I'll go from here, probably something like one of decent upgrades pointed out above. (I keep drooling over at needledoctor) Right now I am enjoying the 'alive' sound that these albums have ( even with click, pops, and so on).
I did't get many responses, but the ones I did get forced me to reevaluate my assumptions and I'm grateful that I did.
I won't get rid of the Rotel cd player any time soon, but we'll be spinnin' albums around here a lot,...