Need some cartridge advise please.

Thanks everyone, I have some reading and shopping to do.  

Hi jrun, I spent a lot of time in Bossier City at Louisiana Downs.
Slow horses hindered my passion for higher priced audio components
I found a gem in the Ortofon Cadenza Black. A little above your budget brand new but a gem never the less.

Unfortunately all dealers have very limited choice of cartridges these days. Their margine is huge on LOMC and very little of MM, guess what they are pushing? 

Dynavector XX2- job done

Ha Ha, I'm actually in Shreveport, but the nearest audio dealer is in Dallas.  I'm willing to drive, but damn it's a long ways to visit a small dealer with limited selections.  I realize I'm more likely to see a unicorn than see a new brick and mortar audio dealer near me.

Hi jrun
Where in East Texas ???
I have fond memories of the area but not for music reproduction

Mid mass tonerms designed for mid compliance cartridges.

Genre of music doesn't matter at all, any good cartridge must reproduce all genres equally, if one cartridge reproduce rock better than jazz this cartridge is BS. If a cartridge can reproduce the most complicated passages ( a lot of instruments at the same time) then it is a very good cartridge.  

If fact it shouldn't be an MC, because MM have much better tracking abilities and sounds like a master tape, especially this XSV/4000 or related Stanton cartridges. Victor X1IIe or Sony XL50 are great too... There are many more. 

But if you want an MC make sure to check Dynavector KARAT series with diamond cantilever, this is amazing cartridge for mid/light mass tonearms. 

 

Thanks to all that have responded.  I'm researching cartridge matching with tonearms and my head is spinning.  Anyone with deep pockets want to open an audio shop in east Texas?  :)

I really enjoy my EMT Tsd 75 for classic rock. I'm not sure about synergy with your Rega arm.

Dynavector KARAT17D2 mkII with 1.7mm Diamond cantilever and MicroReach stylus tip. Excellent for your tonearm! 

read about Dynavector philosophy in this interview

and my old thread on audiogon  

I have enjoyed the Benz MIcro.  I do not have any specific complaints about the sound.  I was considering changing based on the age of the cartridge.  Who would you recommend for retipping?

what is the output level of your glider?  if it is a low or a medium you shd look into getting it retipped... it is a wonderful cartridge

otoh if there are specific things you don't like about how it sounds in yor=ur system, tell me what they are, i will suggest alternatives

Thank you racedoc!

Hi...

I would recommend the following cartridges:

TAD Excalibur platinum
Hana ML/MH
Grado Timbre Reference 3
Jico Seto Hori SAS

My other favourites in that price range are for
heavier tonearms, like ZYX or EMT.