I don't have that much experience with phono stages in the price range you specified. However, as a general observation, I like tube gear, including tube phono stages. Where higher gain is needed for MC cartridges, my general preference is for using a step up transformer rather than another active gain stage. I happen to like the sound of "iron" in my system. The other reason to go with tubes is the ability to tailor the sound to one's specific preference by trying out different tubes.
It has been a while, but, I heard a Hagerman phono stage in a friend's system and it sounded quite good, particularly for the money.
I recently read about the Sunvalley tube phono stage in Stereophile, which costs less than $1,000 for a kit, and something like $2,000 if purchased assembled. It gives one the ability to actually change equalization curves--both the turnover frequency and the slope of the curve. I've heard phono stages that have this ability and was surprised at how useful this is even when one doesn't have older records that do not use RIAA equalization. You can read about this phono stage at:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-42-sunvalley-audio-sv-eq1616d-phono-equalizer
Good luck on your search.
It has been a while, but, I heard a Hagerman phono stage in a friend's system and it sounded quite good, particularly for the money.
I recently read about the Sunvalley tube phono stage in Stereophile, which costs less than $1,000 for a kit, and something like $2,000 if purchased assembled. It gives one the ability to actually change equalization curves--both the turnover frequency and the slope of the curve. I've heard phono stages that have this ability and was surprised at how useful this is even when one doesn't have older records that do not use RIAA equalization. You can read about this phono stage at:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-42-sunvalley-audio-sv-eq1616d-phono-equalizer
Good luck on your search.