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

I’ve owned the Michell with SME V arm, also Bryston BLP-1, both are nice. The SME arm being the deciding factor as to the Gyro being better. All that said, the EAT C-SHARP with arm for $3k is a better table to me. The package deal with Ortofon Quintet Black for $3.5k is really nice also. Easy to set up, beautifully built, great sound. I've moved from VPI HRX to the EAT and feel no let down in performance.  

The aforementioned tables are well regarded but I'd also consider Well-Tempered, Anvil, and Pear Audio.

I had a newer example of the VPI Classic 1 for a short while. It was a big disappointment. 

If you want an easy to deal with turntable that has good reviews, look at the Technics 1200G.  People who own them generally seem very happy with them.

I must say I am very happy with my project xtension 10 turntable with superpack. $4000 and is a beauty

For whatever its worth, I owned a VPI Classic Signature (Classic 3 with 3D tonearm). Nice looking but I was never able to get the performance that I am getting with my rebuilt Lenco 75. The 3D unipivot on the VPI is not as good as one would think. To give you an idea, I had the Dynavector XV-1s on the VPI and a 20 x 2L on the Lenco with a Jelco 12 inch in a A/B test with only the TTs being swapped. The Lenco shredded the VPI. So the next step was to move the XV-1s to the Lenco and it has gone up against TTs of $10K and still performs better than the other TTs because it has the coherence and musicality I was looking for, not to mention detail and resolution as good as any of the best TTs. My Lenco was rebuilt at a cost of approx $5,000 when all was said and done and I am using a PTP plate and bearing with ruby ball for the bearing. I had a hunch it would be better than my VPI when I took the stock Lenco and plugged it in to my system and it already sounded pretty good using a simple empire MM cartridge that came with the Lenco which I bought for $400. So you don't have to spend $5,000 like I did to get good sound out of a Lenco 75 or 78.Also, my friend owns a TD 124 which he has rebuilt and he swears the Lenco is superior but I have never heard it so I can't say for sure. Good luck!