New Cartridge advice

you don't gotta spend $2K to get great MC performance.  Obviously you need to make sure they work with the arm, but as it is a Denon, I'd say DL103R or 301 mkII are options worth considering.  Bear in mind both of those are ellipticals though.  the AT OC9 series has fineline and shibata options, but higher compliance than either denon so again research your arm.

unless you are particularly wealthy $2K + cartridges are somewhat foolish I think, considering they a) wear out and b) are likely to suffer an accident at some point...  but  that is just IMO.

I have several Denon DDs, 59L, 60L, 61F, 47F. I have swapped a Grado RS with a micro line retip and a Stanton 881 with vivid line and a finer retip that kept its vtf at 1 or less on the 47F back and forth. And a retipped micro line Denon 303 and the Grado on the 60L, and a Nagaoka 500MP and a Benz on the 61F. Of all these combos I like the 303 on the 60 the best, but both the 881 retip (I like better than Vivid but Vivid is punchier and still good) and the Grado on the 47  sound very good but different. I also have a retipped micro line 301, a 301 Mkii, and a 302 I have tried. Of these I like the 301 best but not as much as the 303. The Benz is also good (used on 59, with bells and whistles arm) but I found even better on a higher end belt TT/Jelco 12"arm I have.  The point is, a better cart than the ones you have will sound different, and most likely better than what you have--up to a point (you may have to play the Darlington's HF jumpers). If you can find a 301, 303, 304, 305 for a low price and spend the 400 or so for the retip you will max out the sound. Anything a lot more $$$ on these tables I have is diminishing returns.

@markmoskow 

Thank you for the specific information on what works with the Denon tables.. That's exactly the type of information I was looking for.

Thanks to that responded. Has anyone tried the Hana SL with a similar model Denon?

Denon mc cartridges are still the best bang -for- buck mc cartridges. I have several, including a 304. In stock form they sound excellent! The Hana SL (Shibata stylus) sounds excellent too but at $700 is more expensive.