Assuming that even the weakest link is not really weak,
what vinylcat said.
I think, cartridges less than about $500 are a waist of money, though. US prices, you can usually get some cartridges from the UK and Japan for significantly less.
Develop a hierarchy for phono playback
I am hoping we can form a consensus on the relative importance of each element. I will start by listing them in physical order starting at the record.
1. Cartridge
2. Wires
3. Arm
4. Turntable
5. Connecting cables
6. Phono Stage
7. Optional SUT and additional connecting cables
I thought about this two ways: How might these elements be prioritized for someone just starting out? Or, how might the elements be prioritized differently where cost is less important than best SQ?