Top 5 favorite MM cartridges currently available

Mechans,
You posted in another thread about your experience with homc vs mm. Did that include mi? Just wondering what mm/mi you have tried? Is your dyna the 900ish one, dv20xh?  An equipment designer I trust also loves this cart if it's the one I'm thinking of. Have a great day!

I just got a Shelter 201 a few days ago. I’m still listening and breaking it in. At US list of $310 it’s an OK deal, but when you get it from a Japanese dealer on eBay at $167, it’s a no-brainer. It’s a rather vivid cartridge, very dynamic (it can make you jump) with a rich and natural-sounding midrange, rich but quick bass and smooth and natural treble. Also good imaging and soundstage. Whatever kind of music I put on, it sounds like the cartridge was designed for that kind of music. Using it in a listenng session always leaves me feeling good, which I consider to be an important indicator of its effectiveness.

There’s a HOMC that has some very positive Internet buzz and piques my curiosity--the LpGear BIN 323. It has 1.7mV output and a nude 5x20 um line contact stylus. On my high-output-only rig, the 1.6mV Denon DL160 has plenty of output and the Audio Technica AT-MONO3/LP does just fine at 1.2mV. There is also a less expensive version, the BIN 215 at $249. But it has a bonded elliptical stylus and the nude line contact on the BIN 323 seems to be a good deal for an extra $80.

Dear @mechans : You posted:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/do-they-make-a-quiet-great-sounding-phono-pre-amp/post?postid...

I don’t know why do you want to change what you already have?

Sumiko and Benz Micro have on sale very good HOMC cartridges.

For HO cartridges you have several today/current models options: Roksan, Audio Note, Goldring, Ortofon, Grado, Clearaudio, Audio Technica, Garrot, Nagaoka, Shelter, etc, etc.
Try to look for its the latest top models.

In the other side you said: """ Cost is not a restriction ... """

if that is true maybe a good option for you and before to pull the triger in a cartridge: how about a better phono stage?

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.