Your Nominations: Top Phono Stages under $1,000

Just to throw another one out - Leema Acoustics Essential.
I've had it about a week and a hundred albums or so and I am very happy with it.
One reason the I got it was Art Dudley's review in Stereophile and his use of a DL-103D - probably my favorite cartridge.
I've got it paired with a 103D on a VPI Aries 2 on a RB900 arm and I can't find any weaknesses with it - quite and detailed with a big sound stage - it has a lot of everything.
Compared to any of my other preamps (Vincent PHO-8, ATA - Aural Thrills, Yaqin 23B and a custom build), it's in different league.

Art also like the Tavish phono stage. I own, and enjoy the Croft phono integrated. As mentioned a few times here, maybe the Croft phono stage. Off subject: runaround- I just bought my first Denon, but it is the Charisma (Denon) 103. It really is very impressive. It's just breaking in, but does especially well on rock. It's full bodied, and has this sweeping dynamic swing that is addictive. I haven't ran it through it's paces with other types of music quite yet. Back to the regularly scheduled programming.  

Parks Audio Budgie or Lounge Audio.  Different schools of thought, but both excellent.

Larseand another one to help confuse you even more. The Graham Slee line of phonostages should have something in your budget. The cool thing is if you join the forum they will let you listen to it in your home system. The cost is just the price of shipping. Not to mention the Old School Era Gold just won Michael Fremmer's phonostage shoot out. Not too scientific but a win in the column is a win. Well worth looking into.
https://www.analogplanet.com/category/phono-preamp-reviews/
https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/about/try-before-you-buy.html

Cambridge cp2