Great vintage MM cartridge for my Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck/Spacearm. Recommendations?

I usually run four tonearms, but can go to six using pods. I recently did some rearranging because of the re-introduction of the NuVista Vinyl and remounted my MP-500. I not only like its performance, but it makes sense to me to use it for the first play of purchases from discogs, just in case one tears off the stylus. As a result I have given it a permanent place instead of the LP-S. It gives the Decca Reference and the Sussurro a run for their money. They win the race, but it comes close at a fraction of the price.

So unless there are other reasons for preferring a vintage cartridge (and I can understand there might be—see Raul's long thread on vintage MM cartridges), the MP-500 is certainly worth considering.

I've run several cartridges on my Nottingham Spacedeck over the years. Although not MM, for last ten years it has had my Koetsu RSP mounted on it, and I have no plans to change that out. For MM, as I recall, my favorite was a Clearaudio Maestro.

A few years ago I owner a VAC Standard LE preamp that had the same phono section that your Avatar is employing.  I started using some MM carts then some of the HO MC (Benz Ebony HO).  Ultimately I acquired a SUT to use and moved to LOMC cartridges.  You have the same options.  Currently the Moving Irons from Soundsmith that have high outputs and the Moving Irons from Nagaoka certainly should be considered.  @awise1961 suggests the Clearaudio Maestro that I have also found to be an excellent MM cartridge.  The Ortofon 2M Bronze also is option.  On other thought would be the high outputs Hana Cartridges like the recently discontinued Hana SH (new model coming so a deal might be out there though the 2mV output is lower than the 2.5mV Benz i used…).  If you decide to invest in an external SUT that opens an entire new future set of options.  Have fun. 

Just thought about trying vintage MM cartridge, there is a talk in town that some of them are better than modern MMs. But I am not fixated on this idea.

No intention to move to LOMC - too expensive for a good one plus either outboard phono stage or SUT. And HOMC would make little sense to me.

Audionote IQ3m - an upgrade over what you have now with no risk - its the Goldring 1042 taken up several notches.

Yeah, that's what I thought - Nagaoka MP-500 or Audio Note IQ3 if not vintage.

By the way, which one of the two would overall sound better in Nottingham Spacearm ? What would be your best guess ? Or just sound different ?