Cartridge recommendations

@invictus005 do you have tape machine?
Have you tried the AT-ML170 OCC or maybe Stanton 981?
This is the T.A.S. article to check about the cartridges that sounds closer to the mastertape, but this is the opinion of the guys who actually cut and master from the tapes: http://www.regonaudio.com/Stanton881AudioTechnicaATML70.html

@chakster I have not tried those two cartridges yet, but I'm working on getting at least one of them to try, possibly the ML170. Great article BTW. I always knew that MM cartridges produced the closest sound to master tapes. However, 2M Black was not around when the article was written. 

I have a B77, but there are not many good prerecorded commercial reels available. I personally know two awesome people in Chicago who record jazz music on reel to reel tapes. Those sound tremendous. One of them sells 1:1 copies of his masters. Good stuff. 

Well, my real to real is too old, it is more for the decoration and looks very attractive, got it from my gradfather. 

Anyway, i have mentioned in another thread that one of my AT-ML170 is looking for a new home. I have the AT-ML180 OCC to keep.

I really doubt that any new MM cartridge can compete with AT-ML170 or Technics EPC-100c mk4 from that article, just because nobody uses such revolutionary technologies in MM design nowadays, materials are not available, and the market demand is not so high. It's hard to imagine the price for something like AT-ML180 OCC or Technics EPC-100c mk4 if they were made today. It's a pinnacle of the MM design and very few cartridges can compete with them, but i can mention a few: Grace F-14 BR/MR, Glanz MFG-61. 

But a friend of mine has replaced his Ortofon 2M with NOS Stanton 881s mkII and was very impressed even on his cheap project turntable.

Personally i like a lot my Stanton SC-100 WOS signature model with sapphire coated cantilever and nude Stereohedron tip. 

I actually thought Chakster was giving good advice.  You might not like how he presents it, though.  I prefer his no b.s. way of speaking.