Upgrade from Rega Elys 2

@audiosavage1 - Can you switch to MC ?

If yes then you could try the Denon DL-103 or one of the many versions from people like soundsmith, or Zu - two companies that upgrade the standard 103 for even better performance.

If your phono stage does not have enough gain - try the Denon DL-110 

I've had Denon on my TT for several years - I had the Elys 2 for a very short while, but switched to the 103 and never looked for anything else

Regards - Steve

The MoFi allows for either MM or MC. I don't mind playing around with the shims if it would make a tremendous difference. Getting to play around with things to get the best out of them is half the fun of having an analog system. 
Thanks again for the advice. 

Hello,
I’ve had a 2M Black on my Rega for a awhile and loved it. It has tons of detail, great dynamics, and generates a robust signal that lowers the perceived noise floor. All in all, a fantastic cart.
Regards,
Oran

So here's the question:

Moving coil or moving magnet? Answering that question will (maybe) narrow down the choices. Also - shims to me aren't an issue (well - they might be - I've never dealt with them before - but I wouldn't mind fiddling with them). I just want compatibility with the tonearm / head I also told my wife that I'd be looking at a new cartridge and she didn't balk, so the search can move forward full speed ahead.

And I don't think that the Elys is bad - but I think the system is capable of quite a bit more and the source needle / cartridge is the easiest thing to change.