The bias against "cheap" cartridges is lame. The Sumiko Pearl at 125 bucks or so was amazing...I use an Ortofon Quintet Blue MC which at 500 bucks or so isn't cheap but also sounds amazing. Don't be fooled by elitist baloney as there are tons of great sounding inexpensive options.
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?