Pioneer Direct Drives - Now and then?

I'd like to spend $1000 or less, given I may buy like 5 records. :)

Cost for cartridge + player. 

Main requirement for me is that it not damage the vinyl while playing, and have rock solid settings.  Want to set it up exactly once.

Chosing between these 3 turntables I think *1st one is the best:

Technics mk7 $999 *
Denon VL12 PRIME $899
PLX-1000 $649

But you can’t buy a turntable you’re looking for, and a proper cartridge, within $1k total.

A good cartridge alone is about $400

FWIW, I had a Pioneer PL-600 (I understand there were two Pioneer turntables with this model designation...mine was the higher end one from ‘79 or ‘80 in grey finish). With, first, an ADC ZLM cart and later a Shure V-15 type (4 or 5), it was a good sounding rig.....sort of a “loaded out Chevy Impala” of a turntable.  The Shure cartridge was a step up.  It started having pronounced platter speed stability issues suddenly in about 2005-ish after a quarter-century’s worth of light/moderate use.  I replaced it with a Music Hall MMF 5/Goldring 1012 cart which has been an infinitely better match for my sonic sensibilities 

Thanks everyone for the ideas!!

I owned the PLX-1000 for a spell. Contrary to fanboy myth, it does sound and perform just as well if not better than the fabled 1200 MKII. Also feels like a higher quality machine in my opinion. 

I think to get a DD that's significantly better you'd have to spring for the 1200GR. 

Note that cartridge overhang for the PLX is different than the 1200s so you can't use the Technics plastic headshell jig. No loss really as that thing only achieves a ballpark alignment anyhow.

The KAB arm damper fits the PLX.

I also preferred the PLX to a VPI Classic 1, though that was not with a particularly good cartridge admittedly. 

It's a good performer in the objective sense, however, it does play with the forced-weightiness and digital-like glare typical of DD tables. Though, to get better objective performance out of a belt-drive  you'd be looking at $3K^.