I use Goldring 1042 with Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm and Acoustech phono. When choosing I didn't want to go with any MC under $1k, nor did I want Ortofon or Audiotechnica for sounding thin and bright in some set-ups, or mid-range Grado that could be veiled and unbalanced.
I also considered two more expensive alternatives - Soundsmith Carmen and Audio Note IQ, the latter being upscale Goldring, I think.
I might upgrade to either of them later or to higher level Soundsmith or even Lyra Delos. US prices are often higher or much higher. I got the Goldring from the UK for $375 including shipping.
It sounds excellent with Nottingham, great for the money, I would say.