Audition the WTL Classic if possible. However, the Classic came out in '79 - Bill F. has made significant improvements on his design since then. Enter with his latest TTs. They might look like science projects but they sound f*in amazing...
The Simplex would be within your price range with a decent cart.
I find it's more economical to save up for that one special TT that you'll have in service for many years to come - then to keep buying mediocre (i.e. rega, pro-ject, music hall et. al) "affordable" ones and maxing out their upgrade paths over and over again only to realize you never arrive at your sweet spot with all them "fad turntables" and ridiculous aftermarket upgrades.
Good luck and happy listening
