Reasonable moving coil cartridge

I'd suggest having a read over at The Korf Blog.  It's the only place I know of where measurements of (a few) tonearms and headshells can be found.
Anyway, there are a number of very good tonearms around today which feature removable headshells.  Ikeda, Thomas Schick and Reed to name the three which spring immediately to mind.  No doubt there are more.
I doubt that anyone today would consider the LP12 to be the best belt drive table available, while the Technics is likely still up there.  Not many new DDs
to be had these days though.

Do you need the built-in MM preamp? You do not!  Don’t waste your money on a table with that feature!  Check out the Fluance RT-85; it is supplied with an Ortofon 2M Blue MM cart. Enjoy for now, then choose the ATO9XEN. Or buy both and sell off the unused 2M Blue. You’ll pay $850, recoup maybe $150...still right on budget. 

Note that although these "esoteric" styli types (line contact, shibata etc), are highly touted, some are EXTREMELY finnicky to set up to get their angles correct.

I do not agree, correct set up of any cartridge is important, once you can set up a cartridge you can do it with another one. Manufacturer recommendation for Shibata or LineContact or whatever is the same (tonearm must be parallel to the record surface when the needle is on the record, azimut must be correct). Since you have protractor with your arm there is nothing to worry about. What else? A tonearm with VTA on the fly is great, fine tuning by ears.

Honestly i have never experienced any difficulty to set up the most complicated profiles like Ortofon Replicant (similar to F.Gyger and VdH) for example.

Do not afraid of the styli :)) And practice, it is easier than anyone can expect, i do not use any special devises, just Dr.Feickert protractor and ortofon digital gauge.

chakster

... correct set up of any cartridge is important, once you can set up a cartridge you can do it with another one.

If precision and accuracy are your goals, properly installing and aligning a cartridge with a conical stylus is a whole lot easier than one with an elliptical cartridge. Similarly, properly installing and aligning a cartridge with an elliptical cartridge is a lot easier than doing the same with a cartridge that uses a fine-line stylus.

Manufacturer recommendation for Shibata or LineContact or whatever is the same (tonearm must be parallel to the record surface when the needle is on the record ...

I’ve never seen any phono cartridge manufacturer use the height of the pickup arm to specify how its cartridge should be aligned. Typically, a spec is given for VTA and/or SRA - that’s what should be measured to ensure correct alignment.

A tonearm with VTA on the fly is great, fine tuning by ears ...

I think that’s an over-rated feature. When you change VTA, you also change overhang, SRA and VTF - even if only by a small amount.

If you're set on trying a moving coil cartridge, one of our poster above have already mentioned the Audio-Tecnica ATOC9/II, this would be my choice if I were looking for an MC in this price range.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-AT-OC9ML-II-Cartridge/202821207107?epid=2255378245&hash=item2f39160443:g:4VgAAOSwFNBdw1ob