i believe in buying the best pressings you can afford of the records you love most. if that's a hot stamper or whatever, RIP your wallet. in my experience a quality pressing makes itself known on even the most modest systems, whereas an expensive cartridge might have a huge, or very little impact - based on all the gear that follows it. just my .02c
should also add that the best analog rig i've ever heard (rosewood koetsu on a feickert) made everything sound better, but the better pressings still revealed themselves