If you're using the Audible Illusions preamp phono section, you're pretty much locked into an MM. I happen to like it a lot (I had one for years), but it is (or, at least, was) optimized for MM/MI without the flexibility to adjust capacitance or gain. It will probably work well with some HOMCs, but not so well with others.
That still leaves lots of good choices in your price range. I assume that you're using the unipivot VPI arm, so a good match there is important, too. You might think about the Grado MI carts which are IIRC reputed to be good mates for VPI.
That still leaves lots of good choices in your price range. I assume that you're using the unipivot VPI arm, so a good match there is important, too. You might think about the Grado MI carts which are IIRC reputed to be good mates for VPI.