Lowest priced MC thats better than a Premium MM?

@panzrwagn 

Sure. MC cartridges already use very powerful magnets. The only option to increase the output is to increase the size of the coils which adds a lot of mass to the moving system making it harder to damped effectively. Theoretically they would also go through styluses and record grooves faster. In short it is a silly marketing idea. MM and MI cartridges are far superior when it comes to high output design. 

MM and MI cartridges are far superior when it comes to high output design. 

And sound, sometimes.

First of all, lewm said it best, the premise of the question, that is that MC cartridges are going to be superior to MM (or MI) cartridges in all cases is flawed.  That may of course be true sometimes, but not always, for every application, music style or taste.  I will offer an example that is pertinent to the OP.  My go-to turntable for mono recordings is a Technics SL1200 GAE.  I have several cartridges for it both MM and MC, but the one I prefer for most listening, especially for older jazz records is an Ortofon 2M Mono SE, which is the mono based on the 2M Black.  I also use a VAS MC for some recordings, but like I said most often it is the MM that is the winner...for me, my tastes, my musical preferences.  Your results may vary.

My experience:

The best MM I have is the Shure V15 VMR with a JICO SAS stylus. Very nice. 

A Hana SL, $750 at the time. Very nice.

And an AT33PTG/2,$549 when I bought it, but now it's $599 on the Audio-Technica site. This is my favorite by a good margin and I am completely satisfied. I run it on a Sumiko Premier MMT rewired with Cardas  for comparison. I am using a Musical Surroundings Phonomenon II. A modest set up but surprisingly satisfying.

The Audio Technica  AT 33SA is a fine cartridge for top shelf moving magnet money. A top shelf moving magnet is a fine sounding cartridge in its own right. Use of a top shelf moving magnet cartridge is not like suffering in a gulag.