New Cartridge

@ericsch 

http://www.rega.co.uk/exact.html

this cartridge output is too much (6-7mV), the diamond is fine (Vital), but the rest is nothing special, this cartridge can be easily upgraded within $600 for much better cartridge. I want to remind that Rega is not a cartridge manufacturer. 

Also i can't remember anyone said anything good about this rega cartridge on audiogon, almost any good MM cartridge discussed and compared to each other in MM thread for decades. 

You have to study the basics about cartridge design first.

-Cantilever (conventional like aluminum or exotic like beryllium... etc)

-Stylus tip (nude or bonded, the most important is the stylus profile, you’d better ignore cartridges with conical or even elliptical tip)

-Cartridge compliance to match your tonearm (you can’t use low compliance on your arm, mid compliance is what you have to look for)

And with $600 stick to mid compliance MM or MI cartridges. Some of the best carts designed in the 80’s could be found with the best possible options, because new models at the same price does not have advanced cantilevers or best diamond profiles, in my opinion they are inferior (with some exceptions).

*If you need exact recommendation on some particular model send me PM

Do not buy MC cartridges, because you can not change the stylus yourself, you will pay crazy money for re-tipping process and some re-tippers will make your cartridge even worse than original using none original parts. A typical life span of the stylus is 600 hrs. 

Some decent MM cartridges can be used for 1200 hrs if the stylus profile is MicroLine or MicroRidge and you can swap styli by yourself in a 10 seconds (this option is ONLY for MM/MI cartridges, not for MC).  

Forgot to mention really like to stick with a MM cartridge.

Good choice, you can also look for Moving Iron, Induced Magnet and even Moving Flux for use with MM phono stage. 

 I am currently looking for a phono stage to match this Hana .. with my current set up , gain is an issue .. my present preamp is just a bit shy of the necessary input of 2mV.  Anyone with phono stage input would be appreciated.  

@drz771 Why not just add SUT for your phono stage ?