Moving Magnet Phono Cartridges

+1 on Soundsmith. Not a MM in the traditional sense, but not a MC either. I’m very happy with my Carmen II.

I had been using a 1980"s Audio Technica 112SX with a NOS Shibata stylus. Great detail and soundstage, but fatiguing after a while. Just replaced it with a Goldring E3 which Stereophile gave a Class B rating and is under $200. I imagine the new E4, would be better yet. (It came out after my E3 purchase). 

The Soundsmith Voice is the best high output cartridge I have ever had in my system. Less expensive alternatives are the Goldring 1042, Nagaoka MP500 and the Ortofon 2M Black LVB. I am not a fan of AT's less expensive high output cartridges. I have seen to many manufacturing defects such as styluses pointed in comical directions. 

Those latter AT cartridges with comical styli are ideal for humor records.

I recommend AT540mr all the time, it has very good channel separation and tight channel balance, both important for tight imaging. Sound 'magic' is subjective, think preferred rather than better. 

IF you could find a V15mr BODY, with broken stylus (like mine) ypu can buy this Jico stylus for V15MR body, SAS tip on boron. Very nice.

Boron and other 'stiffer' cantilevers yeild a bit tighter bass, subtle difference.

SAS tip, doubt you will hear any difference.