Vinyl noob needs help with cartridge

Try a tried and true classic.  The Denon 103.  It's under your budget, and every self respecting audio nut should own one.  You'll probably do like the rest of us and keep it forever.. Also keep in mind that most of us own several cartridges.  Fun to swap out or add tone arms.  In a few years you'll have a few moving magnets and a few moving coils. This stuff is so addicting.  Have fun.

Norman

What kind of phono stage do you have?

The 2M Black and 2M Bronze are moving magnet carts with a pretty high output, (5mv).

The Zu/Denon 103 is a very low output moving coil (.3mv).

If you have the gain, the Zu/Denon is a wonderful cart. I have one on my Oracle Delphi MKIV and love it.

If you have only a MM stage, the Ortofon 2M Black is great. I have one of those also on a different table. I upgraded from a 2M Bronze and it was a worthwhile investment, although the Bronze was no slouch.

The Audio Technica AT150MLX is another excellent MM cartridge.  

I know that several members really like the newer Audio Technica MC carts, like the AT33 and the OC9/III, but again you need the gain for these.  The Audio Technica ART9 is supposed to be really nice also, but sells for around $1000.

Thanks for the feedback.  I am pulling my old audible illusions pre out of mothballs if I get a mm cart.  If I go the zu denon route I will probably order the Vincent poh8.  I will move up the food chain later and if  this whole vinyl,revival is all I am hoping that it is I will move up to a better cart.  I am just trying very hard to not break the bank at this point.