Lowest priced MC thats better than a Premium MM?

I had the Grade 2 Prime+ (~$1100) Zu 103 cartridge and within weeks of receiving it, damaged the cantilever. Somehow, I also managed to damage the internal wiring and thus could not be fixed due to the epoxy potting of the cartridge (became landfill as Zu only gave me 20% store credit).  There are many better choices out there for modded Denon 103's - Musikraft, Mighty Ana Sound, VAS to name a few.

Aberyclark, sorry I did not see your phono specs until now. If the 100 ohm load resistance at your MC inputs is fixed, you ought not to try to drive it with a low output MI, because those have a high enough inductance regardless of the stated internal resistance which may be low, to require at least a 500 ohm input impedance. You’re fine to use a high output MI into your MM inputs.For that matter, some LOMCs (e.g., some Denon and Benz cartridges) are also not a good match to a 100 ohm input Z.

Why do people choose a cheap MC over a good MM/MI? I don't think there is a benefit by doing so. In my experience a 1k MM/MI is about the level of a 5k LOMC, and no worry about buying an SUT or a phono stage that copes with LOMC.

Is moving coil so important as a label that much cheaper but better sounding options shall be disregarded?

Giant killer might be overused..but a Soundsmith Ruby OCL on the Grace F9 body is a pretty amazing bit of affordable kit. My take on the Hana ML ( from real ownership experience w a host of other cartridges ) is that due to scale and strategy it’s really ( rebadged ) a $2 K performer. It’s not the truth teller a Lyra Delos is, but may work better in systems that run lean.

Dog and Tomic, This is what I and Mijostyn and some others have been saying; MM and MI with high output alternatives ought to be considered way ahead of LOMCs at the lower price points (and for me personally, even at the higher price points).