Super Cheap Placeholder Cartridge

I'm guessing you know Needle Doctor? But just in case, see link below. Search under Budget Cartridges by price. I see a Sumiko Oyster for $75 bucks.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Budget-Phono-Cartridges?sort1desc=F&sort1=Item_ONLINECUSTOMERPRICE

If you can spend just a little more, the Ortofon Red at $99
is a killer cartridge.

The Shure M97xE is really good also and can be found for
around your budget.

That's easy if you are a Grado fan like me. Get a Green1. They are $90 in Canada but I am sure they cost less in the US. The Black1 is good but the higher spec ones in each Grado Prestige series pair always sound better.

My favorite super elcheapo cartridges are the AT95 series or the Ortofon OM series Omega.

US company LP Gear sells the stock green body AT95e as well as a number of upgraded version with a better cantilvers and tips. The yellow and dark green versions sound better than the stock and are $35 and $60 respectively. Cleaner sounding than the Grados and track better but gives up a bit of the Grado detail and lush midrange.

The Omega is also sold as an OE cartridge with budget tables like the Pro-Ject Elemental and original Essential. Nice warm sound like the Grado though not as detailed and micro dynamics are weaker. It is a better tracker though. LP Gear also sells upgraded tips from Ortofon and their own versions.

I have used each of these cartridge families and variants for nearly thirty years and they are all excellent. Some orate so good, I have been disappointed with higher end cartridges that fail to get the basics right.

Dark Green AT95e up to $75.00 ($60.00)
Ortofon 2M Red up to $100.00 ($99.00)

AT95e, I'm running mine now and to my ears, it is a more dynamic and refined cartridge than even the Shure 97. It needs to track at 2.0 grams though.