Have a U-Turn turntable with Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. Upgrade cartridge or turntable???

Ortofon 2M Red cartridge that was included. The Ortofon cartridge is good but is sounding worn; and, therefore am considering a Denon 110 high output MC cartridge which will work with this table.

High Output MC is bad idea, if you want an MC look for LOMC or leave the idea buying an MC (if you don’t have MC phono stage) and stick with MM or MI (they are better at this price and stylus is user replaceable).

What is the budget for a cartridge alone (without turntable) ?

If you have $350-450 for a cartridge then look for Stanton 881s mkII or Pickering XSV/3000SP .... these are the best performers you can get for the money. Both with Stereohedron stylus profile. Pickering XSV/3000-SP optimized for modern mid mass tonearms. 

If the budget is lower i don’t really know what to say.

@big_greg

@chakster I’m not sure why you keep recommending cartridges that aren’t in production and nearly impossible to find.

I feel your pain Greg, but they are not "impossible to find", those two models i have mentioned are for sale on ebay very often from many different sellers in USA or EU, even NOS samples.

If you don’t search you will not find, but if you do then you will find and it’s not a big deal. I managed to buy them all, nearly all Stanton and Pickering line (top upper 5 models of each brand).

If you’re in USA then it’s first brand to search for, because you can find local dead stock and stuff like that for very low price (almost nothing), ebay prices are higher for sure, i have mentioned ebay prices (and other sources like UK Audio Mart of US Audio Mart are very helpful.

I recommend them because i like the sound so much!

Maybe you’re not looking for some NOS cartridges, but i’m sure you are aware of NOS tubes and NIB are still available even if they are from the 30’s like some tubes i bought for my amp this year.

Regarding rare cartridge you can simply ask me if you can’t find them yourself.

Remember those endless Mm thread and seems like everyone was able to find many top class vintage cartridges (even in NOS, sealed boxes).

I have a Stanton 981 HZS cartridge that came with a JVC turntable I bought. It didn’t sound that great, but I think the stylus was worn and of course, an original replacement is also unobtanium.

@big_greg
You will find so many super positive feedbacks about Stanton 981s right here on audiogon from our Mexican or American users in the famous MM thread. For example @lewm is one who enjoyed it as far as i know. I’ve been using low impedance (low output) model of this cartridge. My favorite Stanton is SC-100 WOS (collector’s series 100). My Stanton cartridges are NOS or like new, so i can’t comment on worn cartridges.

I too wonder why the push against certain types of cartridges. Not all of us have an unlimited amount of funds so we get the best we can with what we have.

@jcipale Only honest opinion here.
" We get the best we can with what we have " - this is exactly what i've been doing for the last 7 years. I've learned that "the best" is NOT expensive (and not the latest), but cartridge design and stylus tip is important, it's about sound, high fidelity. I think i explained so many times why one $350 vintage cartridge is better than most of the modern MM cartridges for the same price. You're comparing bonded spherical or elliptical styli with nude line contact type, but the price is the same, so what you would get ? If you could compare in your system there wouldn't be any doubt what is better, especially if the price is the same or very close.   

Technics SL1500C comes with Ortofon M2 Red and you can always replace the stylus when you have extra or you can sell it and buy a better cartridges. 

@allears4u cartridge is extremely important and you can always find a better cartridge, i've been doing it many times :)) Read my first post in this thread, stylus profile is the key, Stereohedron is fantastic