Among cartridges costing less than $500 (MSRP), there are only two that I personally recommend:
1. The Grado Sonata;
2. The Shure V15VxMR.
Both cartridges have relatively "warm" yet detailed sound with good soundstaging. The one "downside" to the Grado is that is is susceptible to picking up hum from the motors of some turntables, so a degree of caution in matching is warranted. The Shure V15VxMR rarely gets the kudos it deserves from audiophiles, but it's a fine cartridge and arguably the best value of any cartridge in its general price bracket. It also has the best tracking ability of any cartridge selling for less than $750.
1. The Grado Sonata;
2. The Shure V15VxMR.
Both cartridges have relatively "warm" yet detailed sound with good soundstaging. The one "downside" to the Grado is that is is susceptible to picking up hum from the motors of some turntables, so a degree of caution in matching is warranted. The Shure V15VxMR rarely gets the kudos it deserves from audiophiles, but it's a fine cartridge and arguably the best value of any cartridge in its general price bracket. It also has the best tracking ability of any cartridge selling for less than $750.