Sorry, but that's about as specific info as I've ever found for it, almost all the sources I use cite the distance as between 1500 and 1600 ly away, just as you found. Problem is it's at that perfect distance (500 pc or more) where parallax measurements aren't so fantastically accurate. Doesn't help that the Complex is also quite large (several hundred ly by all accounts), so whether someone gives the estimate for the average distance to the nebula or merely the distance to the nearest sections of it makes a huge difference.
So, since we do have a reasonably accurate measurement on M42 (which is just close enough to be accurately measurable) putting it at 1,270±76 ly away (
abstract), you can use that as a good minimum distance to base an estimate on.
If this is for classwork or an assignment and the teacher questions the answer you give (whichever it may be, since any of them below 1600 are likely valid to some degree, depending on which sources you cite) just explain why you chose the number you did and be very clear with your sources.
I know I didn't go into as much depth as I could have with that answer, if there is anything in particular you still need an answer for, I'll be glad to help you find it.
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