Inexpensive MM Cartridge

I think the AT VM95 series gets the most votes here. I personally think the ML version has the best stylus. For a $170 dollar cartridge it is an unbelievable stylus. In this situation I see no reason to spend more money than this. I do not think you get significantly better until you get to $400-$500. Even Raul agrees and that says something. After using one of these I firmly believe that AT makes the best economy cartridges. 

I have a Pioneer PL-530 which is a couple of steps up from your model. These tables with their S-shaped tonearms are not capable of extracting the most from very expensive cartridges. If the table was originally bought with a cartridge included it was probably a Shure budget model. On my table I have a Grado Gold cart. Works well given my setup. Well under the $300 budget. However, the phono stage in the system is just as important as the cart.

Auditioning cartridges is almost impossible unless there is a return option. Probably hard to find. Best advice.....search other forums and try to find other opinions for that particular table. Good Luck.

Thanks everyone for your excellent advice!  This is a thread I will keep aware of.  I ended up getting a really good deal on a demo Nagaoka MP-200 from a trusted dealer, but from the posts above, it may be better than the rest of the system benefit from.  Oh well.  Perhaps there will be another TT that comes into the throw, and we can swap cartridges. I think this thread will help others in a similar situation.

peter s. Good luck in your searches. Turntables are one of the most challenging items in the analog world. Tables can be bought with a preinstalled cartridge. If from a trusted dealer then those cartridges can be mounted in a correct manor. However, mounting a cartridge is a most important thing. Factors such a overhang, alignment, tracking force, and others are critical as to how the end sound is. Switching a cartridge from one table to another takes all these factors into account.

Buying a cartridge to see how it performs, and if it's not satisfactory, then getting another turntable and installing the "before" purchased cartridge may not be the best path to pursue. May or may not sound better? An upgraded cartridge on your table may not be any improvement at all. Then...where to go? It all comes down to the rest of the system. Importantly is the phono stage, whether it's a stand alone or built into the amp? Does the Pioneer table, although recently serviced, have an upgraded power cable and interconnects?
So many things to consider. If I were given those options I would try to audition a new table with installed cart with the existing system. That's the best way to determine the path to take.

I think the Grados are highly overrated, with a tendency to murkiness with a subdued high end.  The A/T's may be a better choice in this price range.  Or the Ortofon 2M Blue.