If it sounded muddy, did you have the VTF too heavy? I had a Shure M97xe just prior to the AT and found it be somewhat sensitive to variations in tracking force. It gets poo-pooed here a lot as not being hi-fi enough, but I found it to be very pleasurable to listen too. I could see it being a good choice for pop/rock records.
But then if you were using a v-15 before an m97 would be a step down I suppose.
Nagaoka JT-555 - crazy, biting fire guitars, loves dense music. Micro Acoustic 630/830. Very fast cartridge, scary dynamics. Audio Technica AT155LC - no need to care or listen - music just flows into you. Audio Technica AT20SS - to add body and wet dry and tipped recordings. Has soul.
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