What's your go-to cheapie cartridge?

@stevecham u know it !!!!

A little north of your limit on price, but the  Denon DL-301MK2 is a bargain at $400.  I bought my last one for a lot less when Comet Supply was still selling them.

Ortofon 2M Blue

Have to be a vintage mm cart.
ADC XLM mk2 or ADC ZLM. or Sonus Gold Blue.

All judicious eBay buys at under $300.

All get rotated in turn with some newer lomc carts and give me great pleasure.

Now let’s just wait for Chakster and his cart nominations..

@tonyptony maybe not exactly $300, but very close to it under $450 if you're lucky:

Audio-Technica AT-ML150 OCC would be a perfect choice within your budget. It is a good start, two other upper models in this series are simply the best ever, but for the price you stated the AT-ML150 OCC is the best choice (imo) and far superior in comparison to Nagaoka or any new MM in the price range for up to $700 today.

JUST LOOK at THE AT-ML150 OCC SPECS:

Frequency Response (Hz): 5 - 42,000 !!!

Vertical Tracking Force: 1.25 +/- 0.3

Tracking Ability (microns) at center value VTF: 90

Tracking Ability (microns) at upper value VTF: 100

Channel Separation (dB at 1kHz/10kHz): 31/21

Channel Balance (dB): 0.5

Output (mV at 1kHz), 5 cm/sec): 4

Vertical Tracking Angle: 23 degree

Stylus Shape: MicroLine

Stylus Construction: Nude Square Shank

Cantilever: Gold-plated BERYLLIUM

Wire Uses For Coil: PCOCC

Recommended Load Impedance (ohms): 47,000

Recommended Load Capacitance (pF): 100 - 200

Dynamic Compliance @ 100Hz: 10.0

(* Dynamic Compliance @10Hz will be around 18-20cu)

Static Compliance: 40.0

Cartridge Weight (grams) 7.5

Replacement Stylus: ATN150ML

KEY FEATURES:

AT-ML150 OCC Vector-Aligned stereo phono cartridges feature an original design patented by Audio-Technica around the world. The key to this mechanism is the two magnetic generators arranged in the shape of a "V". These two magnets are positioned to exactly match the positions of the left and right channels in the stereo record groove. Major benefits of the Vector-Aligned cartridge include outstanding channel separation, very low distortion and superb tracing performance. As a final attention to detail, even the output terminals are constructed of PCOCC copper. This meticulous care and attention given to every minute detail in both the vibration and generator systems has resulted a significant improvement in the performance and sound quality.

Gold-Plated BERYLLIUM Cantilever.

It’s tiny, gold-plated Beryllium Cantilever provides an extremely rigid yet lightweight platform to which the stylus is mounted. Interestingly, the gold plating acts to damp what little resonance the boron produces.

MicroLine Stylus.

The stylus used is of the latest and most advanced design: Nude Square Shank Micro Line stylus more closely resembling the cutter stylus than any previous design, this shape produces better high frequency response with less wear or distortion than any previous design!

PCOCC Wire.

The latest technological advance is the utilization of a new, pure copper material in Audio-Technica’s exclusive “Paratoroidal Signal Generator”. Together with the laminated core structure, which minimizes loss in the high frequency region, this integrated parataroidal generator system operates at an efficiency significantly greater than conventional cartridges. The use of PCOCC wire perfects the performance of the advanced paratoroidal coil design. A special high-temperature extrusion die produces copper with virtually no transverse crystal barriers to impede signal transmission or color sound. Thus, the coils of the AT-ML150 / OCC transmit distortion-free sound in which even the most subtle details are reproduced with clarity and purity.