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Budget MM Phono Cartridge Recommendation

Looking to upgrade the cartridge on my Technics SL-3300 (w/AT95E) with a budget cartridge, under $200.
The following are what I've been able to find in this price range, one from each brand:

Sumiko Pearl
Ortofon 2M Red Verso
Grado Blue1 Prestige
Audio Technica VM530EN

And for a little bit more, Ortofon 2M Blue.

Any recommendations from this list or you think I'm wasting my money...keeping in mind this is a budget upgrade.
Thanks in advance.
128x128kalali
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,661 posts
 
The Grado is a great match for the 12 gram technics arm!
arh
366 posts
 
I would recomment the Ortofon Red. I have had the Bronze and then the Black. Great cartridges
Alan
loungeaudio's avatar
loungeaudio
12 posts
 
Shure m91ed. 
kalali's avatar
kalali OP
1,977 posts
 

Gentlemen/ladies, thank you for your input. Appreciate it. I have been completely neglecting my analog rig - also includes an Akai GX-4000D reel to reel, and mostly trying to make my (separate) streaming/CD set up sound good. I spent this last weekend just listening to my LP collection - roughly 1200 LPs, last of which I bought back in 1981 when I left college, and some tapes (@7.5 ips), and I was truly smittened. Even with this average quality turntable/deck I felt the music just sounded good. I don't want to turn this into a rabbit hole but just want to make it better while considering how often I actually sit down and use the system. Just as an aside, I'm discovering the limitations of the Tidal library along the way. Last night I listened to a couple of David Gilmore LPs and neither are available on Tidal.

Sorry about the long post.

inna
7,296 posts
 
I would go with Nagaoka 150 or Grado Gold, $275 and $260 respectively, from lpgear.com. Both will sound full and dynamic.
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