MM Cartridge to MC Cartridge

My biggest fear of going to a MC is that I don't spend enough to prevent it from being a lateral move.   You definitely have a good phono pre.     

I was thinking the same thing and wondering , do I have to spend $1500 on a cartridge for a just a modest improvement?   Not sure I want to do that.   My biggest improvements since getting back into vinyl were the accessories to dial things in better.  Stylus Gauge ,  MoFi Geodisc, VTA block .    After some trial and error sound improved dramatically.  

If you go with another Rega , the 3 screw mount system takes a lot of fuss out of the equation.   If not a mirror protractor or geodisc is an easy way to get good results

An easy recommendation is the Hana SL mc ($750). This has the Shibata stylus for superior detail retrieval. It is my choice for an mc cartridge under $1K. After that the skies the limit!

When I moved from MM I opted for the Denon DL103 - even though it has a sperical stylus it was noticebly better and very affordable

Then after reading about the ZU version (and similar approaches) I applied my DIY mind to the problem and epoxied a brass plate to the cardridge, which again improved things, because

1. it added some mss, which suited my Rega arm better
2. it tightened up the sound - much crisper with a tighter bass

The final upgrade was to replace the stylus with a Soundsmith mod to ruby cantilever with an optimized Countor contact line stylus, which improved the details amazingly

Now I am not suggesting you go thruogh the same steps, but the things that make a difference are

1. stylus profile and cantilever material
2. Matching the tonearm

BTW - I had a Rega cartridge and by comparison it was muddy and lifeless

@jasonbourne71 recommendation is pretty good by all accounts, but also look at the Denon range (not necessarily the 103).

Audio Tecnichnica also have some MM carts that may improve things also

Hope that helps - Steve