If you love the Ortofon 2M Black, you'll really love...... (help me upgrade)

I've just been discussing this same question my local dealer but with an upper limit of 1k (Rega Exact vs 2M Black), the other one in this range I really want to hear is  The Vessel R3SM

https://www.lpgear.com/product/THEVESSELR3SM.html 

The Vessel blurb is a turn off:

The creative brief for The Vessel™ cartridge series is simple: "Allow the artist to express his music with its amalgam of contradiction as it is elevates and transcends with the natural and artificial interpretation of the human art."

Vessel is a rebranded Excel cartridge from Japan. Same guys who make the Hana. 

Clearaudio MM cartridges are cheap Audio-Technica’s encapsulated in wood coverings. 

Ortofon 2M Black obliterates the above in every possible way.

Go for “ Benz”

For an introductory cartridge the 2M is good, but far far from the best. The Cadenza line is much better than the 2M. I sold my last Ortofon MC cart and bought a Soundsmith. Very nice and he will take care of you in the future.