I'd like to hear recommendations for Turntables under $5,000

@nandric you know the price for the plinth for SP-10mkII, this is one of the reason that makes SP-10mkII very expensive. With PD-444 the owner is free of the problem with plinth even with one tonearm (it can be "12 inch tonearm that does not fit into the stock Technics plinth). Custom plinth from respected manufacturers starts from $2500 for Technics (and it is nearly 3 times higher than the cost of the turntable itself).

And BTW if you don’t own Luxman PD-444 you can’t talk about it, you don’t know the quality of this turntable and you’re not Raul :)

I have both (PD-444 and SP-10mkII), so i can talk about it, i prefer Luxmans.

I think the realistic price for Luxman PD-444 is about $2500 without tonearms. But it can be found cheaper. In my opinion this is the best turntable design ever made for reasonable price. 

If you can wait, look at Soundstage Direct website for a demo/openbox prime. Usually around $2,700.

Thanks Everyone for your suggestions. I like the idea of Michelle and found an Orbe I may pursue.  

I don't think one should put the DD candidates in the same basket with the BD candidates, but I do think one can buy a superb turntable for under $5000, if one is willing to buy a used or refurbished unit.  Or any one of the current production turntables mentioned already. First, decide whether you prefer DD or BD.  Then choose among the many very good candidates in these two categories.  That's homework for the OP.

I'll just add the Kenwood L07D (about $3500, usually), and even the Denon DP80 ($1000 for a fully restored one), to the list.  The L07D comes with integral plinth that is state of the art even by current standards and a fine tonearm made for Kenwood by Micro-Seiki.  The DP80 needs a suitable plinth. By the way, I don't know why a DD with motor by M-S is per se going to be top tier; M-S never made a really great DD.  This is not to say that the Luxman is not also superb.

Nandric, You crack me up.  We (in the English speaking world) are taught that Marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake".  But I suppose the starving French masses could have resorted to cookies as well, in lieu of bread.  But she was Austrian, was she not? Maybe she said "Let them eat sacher torte". That would have put a great strain on all the bakeries in Vienna, I'm sure.

Michell Orbe is a fantastic turntable.