Mono cartridge recommendation

I have gone through a lot of mono cartridges.  I think there is a strong consensus that using a true mono cartridge sounds better than using a mono switch.  I have done both and heard the difference. Endless discussion of the subject online if you do a search.   

Couple people mentioned the Miyajima Zero.  Nice cart but well over $2000.  Used to be around $1500 but they bumped the price way up over the last five years. I have some mixed feelings about this company but that is OT.   

I have a Miyajima Premium BE.  It is very nice but I don't think I would call it neutral.  I also have a Phasemation Mono which is equally good, (actually better IMO) just a bit less romantic sounding and more detailed.
A great place to start would be an Audio Technica AT 33 MONO.  Unless you are really serious about mono playback, this might be all the cart you need. It has a rich clear sound.   In your price range and taste, the Hana Mono,  VAS and Soundsmith would all be worth a look. I am looking at a wood body Grado next but these have a more lush presentation that might not be your idea of "neutral".  

I have a VAS mono that is neutral and quite good.  It has an elliptical stylus and an aluminum cantilever.  I have an Audio Technica AT33 mono Anniversary, spherical stylus, aluminum, neutral and also quite good.  Both of these are moving coil.  Finally I have an Ortofon 2M mono SE (this is a modified 2M Black still available in Europe), Shibata, aluminim, neutral, and quite good.  Each of these sounds best on certain records believe it or not, so it is nice to have options.  The most versatile is the VAS, the most bang for the buck is the AT.  They are all good and yes they all sound better than the mono button using a stereo cartridge. 

How many mono records do you have? There are many different mono records (very old mono made before stereo was invented, many mono records after stereo was invented, new mono records made with stereo cutter head). Some of them can be played properly only with specific stylus size, some are better with true mono cartridge but with modern stylus profile (advanced stylus shape). If you have different type of mono from different eras you’d be better with true mono MM but with different styli for different mono records. 

@andysf @billstevenson @chakster 

Thanks for the info.  Between classical, jazz, blues, and rock I probably have maybe  4 or 5 hundred mono records, maybe more, I never thought to count.  They span from early jazz, blues and classical lps to the rock Era from bands like the Kinks, Beatles, the Who, Jefferson Airplane, The Moody Blues and many others.

It looks like the AT33 is one I'll look into further.

There are lots of opinions on stylus profiles in relation to playing mono LPs. One side of that issue is addressed pretty well on the Miyajima website, but it is a bit one-sided.

@lewm  When I saw your comment about the issue of mono carts being "addressed pretty well" on the Miyajima website I thought that they must have finally spent a few yen and found an English speaking technical editor. Sad to say there is still the original incoherent blather such as:
"There are a lot of monaural LPs to excellent records such as classical music, jazz, a lock.
When I look for the LP of the excellent performance, monaural recording knows a thing more than the half.
And I want to come to listen to a monaural LP by a good sound.

There are people purchasing a monaural cartridge easily.
And there are people playing a monaural LP with an existing monaural cartridge and stereo cartridge.
The people feel a monaural LP like an old sound by the influence of the cartridge.
And an image is left as an old LP.
In fact, the monaural LP has better sound than the stereo LP.
The reason is simple.
It is natural that a sound is better than the stereo LP to put two signals in as for the monaural LP which installs one signal in one ditch."
For a company that sells the vast majority of its cartridges to the western world to be unwilling to provide information about their offerings in a understandable form is, IMO, inexcusable.  Tokyo is full of people who could correct this for less than the price of a mid range cartridge so it not a matter of ability or expense.

I know that some people find it amusing but to me it borders on contempt that they make so little effort to communicate in a meaningful way with their potential customers.
And don't get me started on their tacky little red velvet boxes!