My constant answer the amazing AES AE-3 for much less than your budget but hard to find on the market. Only one dealer has any new ones left and it is heavily laden with expensive upgrades including a special paint job from Upscale audio, virtually doubling it's price . The plain Jane model is super but you have to find one used. I use one that cost $350. The rest of my system BTW retails for about $15K and I have no sense that I can really upgrade to anything else. I did roll some great tubes into it but any good OS tubes will improve it.
Another crazy solution to your problem is to buy a recapped refurbed vintage tube amp. I am using a Fisher 400 while in temporary exile that continues to amaze me. It may be a stretch to get a lot of volume out of such an amp but if you don't play too loud it's very good. These amps always have tube phono sections.
Now the best part of your medical career begins NOT! I know.
Mechans MD
Another crazy solution to your problem is to buy a recapped refurbed vintage tube amp. I am using a Fisher 400 while in temporary exile that continues to amaze me. It may be a stretch to get a lot of volume out of such an amp but if you don't play too loud it's very good. These amps always have tube phono sections.
Now the best part of your medical career begins NOT! I know.
Mechans MD