If it were my money, I'd likely buy a Drake R8B as my tabletop radio of
choice, and I've already got a DE1103 (which I really like, and which is
definitely in your current price range). Some popular choices for tabletop
receivers: Icom's R75, Yaesu's FRG-100B, Ten-Tec's RX-350D. These range from
about $500 (for the R75 and FRG-100B) to about three times that much, in the
case of the Drake and Ten-Tec.

Start saving your pennies!

Jackie