@last_lemming The AT-ML series is unbeatable, if your budget is limited you can start with AT-ML150 (Beryllium cantilever), but it will be impossible to find anything close to AT-ML170 for much lower price if you’re considering new MM cartridges. The MM is out of fashion nowadays, it is impossible to find a modern MM cartridge with hollow pipe boron cantilever and micro line stylus with similar specs (the tip mass, the frequency response etc), even very expensive MC are not close. This type of tapered boron pipe cantilevers are not available anymore, same with beryllium. I’ve tried many cartridges, in my opinion top MM models from the 80s are better choice when it comes to price/quality. The problem is to find a perfect sample, but if you got it then it’s brilliant. You already have some cartridges and if you’re looking for something special you can check not only AT-ML170, but also Victor Laboratory X1 or X1II for your Technics tonearm. Another gian killers are the Grace F-14 or LEVEL II, Stanton CS-100 WOS, but within your budget i could recommend only AT20SLa but they are all high compliance and not ideal for your tonearm, so the AT-ML170 is better choice.
If you really would like to stick to your budget then maybe Glanz MFG-610LX is what you need, check on ebay, they are NOS. I’m not sure this 610LX is equal to my rare Glanz MFG-61 (legendary model, their best of the best), but it must be close! Perfect for your tonearm. It’s not exactly MM, it’s Moving Flux, patented by Mitachi Corporation.
As for the new MM carts i could only recommend Garrott Brothers cartridges, but again i use their old P77, the new "improved version" is P77i Dynamic Coil, but i’m affraid it is not as good as the AT-ML series from the 80s.
I don’t like new Ortofon MM cartridges simply because i have much much better vintage MM cartridges. Also the new AT line of MM carts are not as good as their old AT-ML series (reported by many users who tried both).
If you really would like to stick to your budget then maybe Glanz MFG-610LX is what you need, check on ebay, they are NOS. I’m not sure this 610LX is equal to my rare Glanz MFG-61 (legendary model, their best of the best), but it must be close! Perfect for your tonearm. It’s not exactly MM, it’s Moving Flux, patented by Mitachi Corporation.
As for the new MM carts i could only recommend Garrott Brothers cartridges, but again i use their old P77, the new "improved version" is P77i Dynamic Coil, but i’m affraid it is not as good as the AT-ML series from the 80s.
I don’t like new Ortofon MM cartridges simply because i have much much better vintage MM cartridges. Also the new AT line of MM carts are not as good as their old AT-ML series (reported by many users who tried both).