Advice needed in Spain

Everyone will have it's own opinion and I'd go with Nottingham. It's universal for any music with detail and precision

Whatever turntable you decide on, I'd suggest passing on the idea of a Goldring 1042. Despite the decent reviews, I found it an underwhelming average at best sort of cartridge when used in either a VPI Scout or with a Rega arm on an Acoustic Signature turntable. Nothing bad about it, but nothing very inspiring or exceptional either. I figure they must get paired with turntable "out the door and ready to use" packages because Goldring sells them at a good price in bulk to turntable manufacturers. I'd go with Dynavector or Ortofon cartridges myself. If you mean to avoid "tweaking various bits" by only choosing a turntable with a pre-mounted cartridge, you're really limiting your options.

Hi photon46

Thanks for the advice. By avoiding tweaking various bits I mean getting back to what I was doing 20 years ago. That was buying something then not being satisfied with it so I'd buy a different turntable mat. Wasn't sure about that so I'd buy a set of rubber feet. Then a friend said put the mat back but change the stylus. Better, so I changed the balance weight on the arm and put on a Mitchell Engineering weight, etc. etc.
In the end it sounded OK but I had no Idea what bit was having what effect.
I've found a shop in Berlin, Germany where I can listen to whatever I want and he will guarantee to set it up in the shop with me and ship it to Spain ready to go.
I'm not fixed on the G1042 it's just that most people I've spoken to are pretty sure it will do the job for me but I'm very open minded about the cartridge.
I am however pretty much swaying towards the Nottingham Analogue deck.

So if anyone has/had a Nottingham deck especially the Interstate junior I'd love to hear from you.

Just to expand on my last post.........

I'm thinking of going with the Nottingham Analogue Interstate Junior with the Nottingham tone arm.
I've been given the option of numerous cartridges but I don't know a( what their sound signature is like and b)How will they work in the Nottingham if I like the sound clean and detailed?

If anyone has opinions on any of these please feel free to share. Thanks very much by the ay the advice is helpful.
So, in no particular order my options are

Benz Micro MC-Gold
Dynavector 10x5
Ortofon Quintet Blue
Clearaudio Concept MC
Clearaudio Performer v2
Denon DL 103R
Grado Reference Platinum 1
Grado Statement Sonata 1
Ortofon 2M Black
Transrotor Cantare
Sumiko Blue Point EVO III

Rob, I know what you mean about the endless quest for the last tweak that will give you that last bit of something you feel you're lacking. I think it's part of the audiophile disease complex :-)

In my experience, one can read all the reviews available on a cartridge but that only goes so far in telling you whether one is right for you and your setup (unfortunately.) Taste in cartridges is as unique to the individual listener as taste in music, wine, or significant others. It's been my experience from being an analog fan for forty years or so that one has to resign themselves to learning to install cartridges themselves and be prepared to try a few before hitting on the right one.

That said, you've got a list that is all over the place as far as characteristics. You list a mix of high and low output cartridges. Do you already have a phono preamp and is it as capable a performer for a cartridge with .4mv as 5 mv.? As you no doubt know, the capabilities of the phono preamp are a huge part of the total performance of an analog rig.