Reasonable moving coil cartridge

My MC "Rabbit Hole" is getting a few broken DL-103 carts and modifying them. I have a DL-103S with a fine elliptical and a wood bodied DL-103 with a hypereliptical sitting here to play with.

Could you summarize the cost of the broken cartridge, new tip, new cantilever, and service fee ? 

In my opinion this is how most of the people invest more and more into Denon 103 step by step, upgrading this cartridge with modern cantilever, advanced stylus tip, new body. This is all fine, but the total cost is equal to a better (different) cartridge with better stylus tip and cantilever (and even better cartridge body). 

I always ask why you have to bother with DL-103 and all the time consuming upgrades if you can simply buy a better cartridge for equal price ?  

Ok, I picked up the DL-103S with a worn stylus for 100 bucks, the DL-103 with broken cantilever for 80 bucks, seller gave me a wood body that he never used with it as well. So 180 bucks for two rebuildable carts. Got a new fine elliptical replaced on the stock cantilever for the DL-103S and the DL-103 was potted into the wood body, new cantilever with a hyperelliptical stylus installed, all for 390 bucks. So for 570 bucks total I have 2 rebuilt Denon MC carts or 285 bucks each.
Where can I get better carts for 285 bucks?
Heck, I can't buy a new DL-103 for that price and these are upgraded. Turn around time was two weeks.
Maybe they are not the last word in MC carts, I don't pretend them to be, but they sure are a bargain in my book.

BillWojo

The AT 33ev, original price near 1000, can now be purchasd for around $225.

For about $350 you can get an Audio Technica OC9 II cartridge, and its a mighty fine sounding LOMC for that kind of money. Boron cantilever and microridge stylus, its hard to believe you can get one for this kind of money. Heck retippers would charge you more to retip it than what you can buy it for. One of the better values in analog. 

Why not look for a gently used cartridge you'll get much more for your money. I've had great luck with a few I've bought.

Why not look for a gently used cartridge you’ll get much more for your money. I’ve had great luck with a few I’ve bought.

Absolutely, i never buy NEW, even slightly used sample (for 20hrs for example) of the brand new cartridge will be 30% cheaper on the used market. And all the top models are the best for the money (even slightly used from trustworthy sellers). With MM/MI anyone can find NOS or NEW stylus later if the sound signature of the slightly used cartridge is what we really like. 

Why wouldn’t you buy an MC as long as you have an MC-capable phono stage already available? The Audio-Technica AT-F7 is every bit as competent as any MM in the same price range and better than most. The one advantage a similarly priced MM has is the exchangable stylus, but if that doesn’t particularly matter then for all intents and purposes it’s a matter of six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I agree that you have to spend closer to a thousand to get an MC which is unequivocally better than the best MMs, but that’s a totally different subject.

+1 @agrippa
FINALLY! Someone gets the point of the conversation.