This is an outside the box and might be blasphemous for me to post but given your tight budget, a network player might be worth considering. 

I spent a bit more than you at $1150 on my two units but I was seeking flexibility and found it with a network player.  I have a Marantz NA7004.  It is basically the networking features you get in a lot of the modern AV receivers with a built in DAC.  The nice thing about the Marantz is it has inputs and outputs and can serve as an outboard DAC.  It is currently on clearance at Music Direct for $399 as it has been discontinued. 

Only issue I have with it is that my router is slow in assigning it an IP address and sometimes I have to turn it off and on to get Pandora to connect properly.  However, I bleieve that is a problem with my router since I don't have this issue with either my receiver or pre/pro in other rooms and this is a dedicated router to it, a printer and a PC.  Otherwise, it sounds great as I use it for Pandora and streaming files via airplay. 

Pioneed Elite also makes one that has inputs and outputs but I believe it is a touch more expensive at $699.  Might need to inch your budget up if it is what you prefer. 

Beauty of these devices is that you can run a digital signal from a CD player or a USB cable from a PC and use it as a DAC plus they have Airplay, plug & play USB attachment for iPod and iPhone, along with Pandora & Rhapsody built in and internet radio.   

If you don't need the digital inputs, then Pioneer Elite and Denon both have less expensive models at like $399 or $499 but you can not connect a CD or use it as a DAC for other devices.  

You could then spend the balance on an integrated amp with a phono stage.  You may get a more powerful device if you buy used or a refurb.  Ultimately, the size of your room and how loud you want it to be should dictate how much power you need.  One device everyone out hear raves about is the Harmon Kardon HK 3490.  Available from Needle Doctor for $399, it is 120 watts and has a phono stage built in. 

A different kind of solution but it might meet your needs. 

Good luck. 

i had the rega RP1 and found it lacking bass detail. i now have the music hall mmf-2.2 and am a happy camper. good luck.

What cartridges did/do you have on Rega and Music Hall?  I think the cartridge might have made the major difference..

the stock cartridges that they come with. i believe the rega was some sort of ortofon. the music hall is the music hall tracker. anyway, i've noticed my NAD integrated amps lack bass too. isn't rega the OEM for NAD? i'm not saying rega makes NAD's integrated amps, but rather maybe this is a trait with NAD- to have their stuff built with less bass.

OK, different cartridges do sound different from each other.

I do not think there is any business association between NAD and Rega.  I highly doubt NAD or any other reputable company would seek to design their gear with a deficiency in the bass.

perhaps i was passed on bad info. an NAD dealer, who also sells rega, told me when i asked to buy an NAD turntable that rega was NAD's OEM. i guess we'd have to research that one ourselves. as for the second part: of course no company would intentionally build something with less bass detail, but maybe that's how the design turned out and it was deemed to sound "good" to them. dunno.  

There's an exception I should have mentioned. Rega is an OEM for many other companies, including NAD,for turntables (or, often, just for tonearms).  But I don't think they are OEM for any other products such as amplifiers. 

i'd agree and say we are saying the same thing here. i took what the stereo salesman said to mean that rega was the OEM for NAD turntables. i never thought they were in on making NAD amps. happy listening.