Best cheapo Cartridge

Dear @agrippa @pops  : Yes, Audio Technica is synonimous of quality. Here we can read something about the VM new series owners opinions:

https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/cartridges/6637a2f0787470c3/index.html#showreviews

and here we can read what M.Fremer found out in a comparison cartridges review where a very humble AT95E was  one of the contenders and other AT was the AT95SA ( I still own this " baby ". ) with different stylus. It's extremely good performer even at that so cheap/low price:

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/nine-cartridges-compared-reviewed-and-voting-results

R.

I’ve heard/auditioned a good number of Koetsu, Kisekis, Miyajimas and whatnot up through the years and frankly my ART9 gives them all a run for the money.

Yes, it’s exactly $1k cartridge, considered cheap MC compared to ART1000 for example (or to those $15k new ortofon:) . AT is great with their exchange policy, much better than any manufacturers, considering the price for ART9, the factory exchange (when the stylus is worn) is great option (but only from official dealers).

AT150MLX is not even near the old AT-ML170 or AT-ML180 series.

The statement that all new cartridges are good is false and there is absolutely no reason to stick to the new production when old available in NOS or Mint. Curious people and true audiophiles are normally comparing different equipment. Everybody knows all new models , new cartridges, the list of recommended products is the same, always. But some vintage models are unknown to most of the audiophiles, i think it’s worth to mention some great discoveries on this forum. Those gems are vanishing slowly, why the shops are full of new cartridges and will be sull of them for decades in the future. 

I'm not sure what "a lot" is as far as your budget, but the Hana cartridges are really nice for the money.  I have the SL ($750). 

For really inexpensive I recently bought a used Shure V15 IV with a broken stylus for $135 and put a new JICO SAS stylus ($199) on it.  Sounds great! 

The Denon DL-301 MKII is also nice and can be found for around $300- $400. 

I have a Nagaoka MP-500 and admit that I've only tried it on one of my cheap tables (Music Hall 2.2) and got a good deal on it when Kazu was still selling them.  It's good, but for the money, these other options are as good or better to my ears. 

Please note, I'm not familiar with your gear so don't know how any of these would be from a compliance standpoint.

I bought a Nagoaka mp150 as a cheap backup cart and was shocked how well it performed.

So much so that it has not left my deck since I installed to see what it sounded like!
The pair of $1500 and $2900 MC carts are now the backups.

Great deals to be had on Nagoaka on eBay for sure.
Highly recommended!

I should probably try the Nagaoka on a better table.  I hate changing carts on that Music Hall table though, the leads are about as thick as a human hair and easy to break.