I’ll second the Audio-Technica VM540ML, in fact I own two of them and love them. The 740ML is basically the same thing with an alloy body, which in my opinion is a negative when it comes to electrically isolating the cartridge wiring (often bonded to the body with one of the signal negative leads) from the tonearm ground.
The NAD PP2 is a nice platform for upgrading with a Burson V6 Classic discrete op-amp and replacing the wall warts with a beefy regulated power supply. You can also replace the input RCA connectors with nice Neutrik XLR jacks and replace the interconnect to your turntable with a nice shielded, balanced cable to extend the tonearm wiring as it should be all the way from the cartridge to the phono stage. That easily puts you in the ballpark of the midrange phono stages, but you don’t have to do all of the upgrades at once.
The NAD PP2 is a nice platform for upgrading with a Burson V6 Classic discrete op-amp and replacing the wall warts with a beefy regulated power supply. You can also replace the input RCA connectors with nice Neutrik XLR jacks and replace the interconnect to your turntable with a nice shielded, balanced cable to extend the tonearm wiring as it should be all the way from the cartridge to the phono stage. That easily puts you in the ballpark of the midrange phono stages, but you don’t have to do all of the upgrades at once.