Help me make a decision! Turntable overload

For the OP, I totally agree with those who maintain that the best bang for your buck would be to buy vintage.  But taking that pathway requires a certain level of sophistication, understanding of circuit design and of how products interact, and willingness to tinker. Those descriptors do not seem to match with your own characteristics or desires. Therefore I think you did the right thing to buy the pioneer turntable new. I would then advise you to proceed to buy the Ortofon bronze. Or any other very good moving magnet or moving coil Cartridge in your price range. I also agree with Chakster  that you should stay away from the denon moving coil cartridges, because they are very low in compliance and will not be a good match for the tonearm that comes mounted on your pioneer turntable. You will learn more and more about this stuff as you go along, and it is never too late to experiment with great sounding older equipment.

@lewm  Thanks!  I've been reading as much as I can...  I agree with everything you said, and already have plans to build a secondary system that will allow me to experiment a lot more down the line with Vintage stuff.  I'm really not totally opposed to Vintage stuff - I just am not knowledgeable enough yet to know what to go after, and then finding one in pristine cosmetic condition means big $$$.  

In the meantime, I have convinced myself that the av760slc is THE best cartridge for me and I should just drop the money now instead of going through a dozen different cartridges trying to figure it out.  The VinylRoom did a review on it that really resonated with me and what I think I am looking for...  I just want to spend the money once and enjoy my system without regrets or second guesses (probably impossible I know).

The more I read about the MC cartridges in my budget the more I realized that probably was not the best path for me to go down at this point.

@chakster  Thank for the message!  I've been slammed with work and haven't had a chance to reply.  I need to reread this thread and everyones suggestions now that I have a bit better idea what some of these recommended cartridges cost and how they have been reviewed and compared.  I still feel more comfortable buying a new modern MM cartridge over vintage at this point.  Maybe for my secondary system down the road the experimentation can begin!

It seems ludicrous to judge these cartridge by the words of others and not by the SOUND, but its all I have right now.  

So, can I get a final input from all you educated and patient folks about the following cartridges for the PLX 1000?:

**av760slc** (my current choice)
av750sh
ortofon Black
ortofon Bronze
Nagaoka mp200

I will be using a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS PreAmp if that matters...  :)

As for the NEW moving magnet i would recommend Garrott, i am so happy with my old P77, make sure to check their new carts like P77i, but keep in mind that prices are in Australian Dollars, so in USD it is much cheaper. https://garrottbrothers.com/

The vintage Pickering XSV3000 with Stereohedron for $350 tip is unbeatable and there is nothing better than this even for much higher price. Stereohedron stylus tip is very special. If the cartridge is MINT like mine then you’re safe, lol ... Also there is an Expert Stylus company in UK specialized in retipping Stanton/Pickering cartridges with the same stylus profile, back in the days there were a manufacturer of Stereohedron. My buddy Nandric is a big fan of Expert Stylus service and diamonds. 

Well...  I just ordered the av760slc and it should be here Weds!  

My TT arrived today and everything is setup and hooked up  - except for the Cartridge...  

I am really excited.  The TT is beyond my expectations in build quality, I really feel like I made the right call on that, for me.  Same with the Cartridge.  But there is only one way to find out... :)

Please believe me, no one can pick a cartridge for you; that's because different cartridges favor different aspects of the music. The cartridge that floats your boat the best can only be discovered by trial and error.

Since different brands have what is called a "house sound", I would advise you to know what this is and have the ability to identify it. Then by trial and error discover which one is most conducive to the music you like.

All these cartridge experts have chosen the best cartridge for them, not the best cartridge for you. That is something you will have to discover for your self.