Running the risk to get some flak saying that this arm-cartridge resonance it for many applications somewhat overstated...
It took me some time to come to this conclusion.
My best guess though would be that your tt's arm, being only some 7 odd years old, would be off medium effective mass, somewhere between 10—12 gram effective mass, as most more current tonearms would be.
Given that assumption to be quite correct, any cartridge with a compliance ranging from about 15 to 20 cu (compliance units) would be pretty well suited as an replacement.
In the price range of around $ 500 — $ 1500, replacing your current item, in my estimate, practically all new stock cartridges will be in this range.
So now the more important issue I'd see is whether you go for an MC or MM cartridge.
What I perceive in your situation, as you have eluded to, I'd HIGHLY recommend a good MM cartridge - though NOT necessarily an item such as an Ortofon 2M Black.... as yet.
It's a top performer but maybe a bit to tricky and can sound somewhat to bright in a number of situation.
Audio Technica has a large range of current ones to choose from, Ortofon, Nagaoka etc.
All this is no rocket science.
The issue with numerous NOS (new old stock) cartridges is that they quite often, in my experience, proof more tricky to set up, as well the tendency having been designed in the majority for more light-effective-mass tonearms i.e. of compliances 20 cu and some easily as high as 40 cu. (soft as butter in the sun ☀)
Depending on your setup, those could work fine too, I have some, but again not what I'd recommend. At all.
I hope this will give you some more ideas. 😉
M. 🇿🇦
It took me some time to come to this conclusion.
My best guess though would be that your tt's arm, being only some 7 odd years old, would be off medium effective mass, somewhere between 10—12 gram effective mass, as most more current tonearms would be.
Given that assumption to be quite correct, any cartridge with a compliance ranging from about 15 to 20 cu (compliance units) would be pretty well suited as an replacement.
In the price range of around $ 500 — $ 1500, replacing your current item, in my estimate, practically all new stock cartridges will be in this range.
So now the more important issue I'd see is whether you go for an MC or MM cartridge.
What I perceive in your situation, as you have eluded to, I'd HIGHLY recommend a good MM cartridge - though NOT necessarily an item such as an Ortofon 2M Black.... as yet.
It's a top performer but maybe a bit to tricky and can sound somewhat to bright in a number of situation.
Audio Technica has a large range of current ones to choose from, Ortofon, Nagaoka etc.
All this is no rocket science.
The issue with numerous NOS (new old stock) cartridges is that they quite often, in my experience, proof more tricky to set up, as well the tendency having been designed in the majority for more light-effective-mass tonearms i.e. of compliances 20 cu and some easily as high as 40 cu. (soft as butter in the sun ☀)
Depending on your setup, those could work fine too, I have some, but again not what I'd recommend. At all.
I hope this will give you some more ideas. 😉
M. 🇿🇦