Advise.....Best cartridge under $1000.00

Why not the Lyra Beta? It retails for $1000 and is a very revealing cartridge with very low record noise (on my VPI IV modified/SAMA/SME IV modified). It is a terrific sounding cartridge that has excellent tracking and projected very long life. My Dynavectors (Karat, Ruby, XL) all bit the dust every 3 years due to suspension hardening. My former Lyra Lydian lasted 8 years and still wasn't worn out or had a hardened suspension. I highly recommend the Lyra line for longetivity and low record noise. I am also considering upgrading to an ZYX R-1000 silver but that one is more than double this column's price range.

Slowhand, I think that if you are still using the JMW arm, that you are in safe territory with the Glider. If you can stretch a little, or get a deal, the Benz LO-4 is a better one.

Of course you know I like the Shelter, but cannot recommend it on that arm because of potential compliance mismatch. The Benz LO-4 is as close as you can come to the Shelter, in a cartridge around that price, that has a high enough compliance to be completely safe with the JMW arm. It is a very good cart. If you can't find a good deal on one, then the Glider is the next best bet. It wouldn't hurt to check out the Dynavectors either, since they are some very fine cartridges that would work well in that arm. Like a 17D2 Karat. Different kind of sound than the Benz, and would give you some choice between the European and Japanese sounds.

Don't overlook Benz' quite liberal trade-ins. The last I looked, you could upgrade to the $1295 Benz L2/M2/H2 for $800 with any Benz trade-in. I'm wrestling with the same decision, i.e. the Benz L2 vs the Lyra Helicon, which one of my audio dealers really thinks is worth the extra money.