What is the best MM or Hi Output MC cart for $250?


I have an older Rega Planar 3 TT with an Accutex MM cartridge and a Bellari VP129 MM phono stage and think I may be overdue for a new cartridge. It still sounds very good, but how do you know when its time for a new cartridge and what is the best one that would work with the Bellari MM phono stage for $250 or less?
Thanks for your replies.
Louis
128x128lou_setriodes
JR.com has the AT150 for $250.

You should also check out the Denon DL-160 HOMC. Outstanding performance for the price, usually $150 to $175.
I see you have a Rega Table. I am listening to a Denon DL 160 on a Rega P9 with RB1000 arm right now. It sounds great. The cart comes with an auxilary weight to add weight to the head of the arm. You need to use it with the Rega arm.

Do some research on this cart, it is very hard to beat for the price.


12-18-08: Tigerwoodkhorns
JR.com has the AT150 for $250.

You should also check out the Denon DL-160 HOMC. Outstanding performance for the price, usually $150 to $175.
Tigerwoodkhorns (Threads | Answers)
I used and enjoyed the DL-160 for the better part of a year. When I upgraded, I got an AT150MLX. It's true that the DL-160 is a great cartridge for the asking price of $180. It's smooth, detailed for the price, brings out significant frequency extension over any $100 cartridges. Tracks well, tracks reasonably light.

But the AT150MLX is so much better, it makes the $70 difference seem totally insignificant. Add to that that whereas the DL-160 is an MC and therefore has to be replaced when the stylus goes, the AT150MLX has a replaceable stylus for $179.95 (lpgear.com), so once you pay the initial extra $70, the cost of ownership is the same as for a DL-160.

The AT150MLX can elevate your system from advanced entry level to a sense of really digging into what the high end is all about. This cartridge is much faster, more subtle, very neutral, very extended, and transparent over anything you're likely to hear at $200 or below. For all its speed, clarity and accuracy, it is also capable of sounding lush, especially with its way of bringing out the low subtle details such as the way sounds are made by the voice or any instrument, combined with a greater sense of the ambience of the recording venue. It does these things equally well on any kind of music.

My AT150MLX handles chamber music, voice, baroque, bombastic orchestral, rock, jazz, big band, folk, and country equally well. I can't say enough about it, and as much as I liked the DL-160, save yourself the intermediate step, pay the extra $70, and just move into the high end.

Not only is the cart only $250 at J&R, the shipping is free.
I'm glad someone suggested the Benz MC20E2. Since I have less experience than most, I didn't want to be the first to recommend it, but I'm using the MC20E2-L (low output) in my Linn/Fidelity Research setup, and have been extremely happy with it. Besides my own (admittedly probably not "golden") ears, every review I've seen described it as an "over achiever" in its price range. If the regular output MC20E2 is similar to the L version (I have a step-up transformer in my chain) it is definitely worth considering.