sumiko pearl or ortofon 2m red

i once heard a pearl and it was so lackluster that i wouldnt waste time on it.

ortos otoh have always sounded like music to me.

in the 100 dollar or so price range, check out Shure too.

The Ortofon red does need a spacer.

I had a Pearl many years ago, on a Thorens 280 for a second system . . . it had a nice sound, but I wasn't happy with its tracking ability. I haven't specifically tried a 2M Red, but I've had some time with a 2M Blue . . . and have owned/installed a decent-sized pile of similar Ortofon MMs - these have been faster, more precise, and better tracking perfomance, and this is more to my taste.

You might also look at the Soundsmith entry-level MMs as well.

The Ortofon Red, which is a tipped ellipical diamond, is a better sounding cartridge to my ears. It also fits my Rega tonearm perfectly without any need to adjust the VTA.