I'm a fan of SOTA and have gotten great service and results out of my Sapphire. Sapphires pop up used here and other places for ~$1K and you can get a great second-hand arm like a Graham 2, Micro Seki or similar with VTA on the fly for another ~$1K. That combo gets you giant-killer performance and a very budget friendly price. The table is readily DIY serviceable if needed, FWTW.
VPI is also highly regarded and owners rave about them. I don't have personal experience though, so can't offer more than that. Good luck and happy listening no matter which way you go!