MM Phono cartridge

Here's another vote for the Nagaoka cartridges. The Clearaudio will be more analytical, leaner and dryer.

@mwh777 - my Clearaudio Charisma II met none of those descriptions while I had it for 3 years, going through a Herron Audio tube phono preamp and a Herron Audio tube line stage. I don't like analytical, lean and dry (that's why I stopped trying out Chord gear). It's all down to how your system goes together. 

You maybe better off going for the rebuild and using what you save for lps or other audio treat,

Yes, that may be the right path to pursue.  I also wonder if upgrading my Origin Silver tone arm ( which is essentially a Rega tonearm) would be beneficial or " better spent" money.

I wonder if anyone has found tone arm upgrades to be an efficient deployment of audio dollars?

How about considering a HO moving coil, a Hana SH MkII, for example. If your desire for an MM cart is to avoid the additional preamp stage, a HOMC does that. If you have some other characteristic I'd love to know what that is. 

Consider this review: https://musicalsurroundings-my.sharepoint.com/personal/ken_musicalsurroundings_com/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fken%5Fmusicalsurroundings%5Fcom%2FDocuments%2FA%5FPrice%20Sheets%2F2024%20Price%20Sheets%2FHana%2FHana%20Reviews%2FSTRP%5F4711%5FDREAMS%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fken%5Fmusicalsurroundings%5Fcom%2FDocuments%2FA%5FPrice%20Sheets%2F2024%20Price%20Sheets%2FHana%2FHana%20Reviews&ga=1

The Hana SH MkII is $850, so you can keep $1000 extra in your wallet, confident you haven't left any performance on the table.