Does a record player make that much of a difference??

@joshindc There are very cheap activities that can be carried out, to give you the insight into how a set up for a TT>TA>Cart' can be influential for the better on a produced sonic.

Using Footers under the TT of differing materials and introducing a Sub-plinth with additional Footers will produce change to a sonic, some configurations will create a change only and others will be discernable for being a betterment for the sonic produced.

Taking things a stage further and producing a support Structure solely dedicated to the TT, will also be able to add to the Benefits that can be discovered.

If your listening environment allows for an additional space to be taken up by a dedicated structure for supporting a TT, there is many methods to be found that will not cost the earth and be without doubt a improvement. It takes trialing materials and different configurations for the materials being selected to get the most from them.

If attractive aesthetics is a must have then a little extra cost might be incurred, to conceal the honesty of the structure that is selected.

When the under TT configuration is discovered that has the most impressive impact on the Sonic being produced, these discovered benefits should transfer onto any changes made to the Type of TT>TA>Cart' being used.

Note: Extracting the best from a Vinyl Sources supporting Trilogy of ancillaries, can become a lifelong side pursuit to the enjoyment had through the replaying of Vinyl recordings.      

@joshindc I should have pointed out that as each listening environment is unique in the way energy is transferred through it, there is not really a ubiquitous method to prevent the most harmful of these energies being transferred to the TT>TA>Cart', hence the suggestion to trial different devices, materials and configurations for these.

A very expensive Sub-Support can be purchased, but the devices in use are not a surety that the usage is going to create anything that is noticeably a betterment over a design using an assembly of materials that have shown as a support structure the sonic has been tidied up and is a more attractive presentation for the end user.

When it comes to the subject of working to create a structure that enables the Cartridge, especially the Styli's interface within the Vinyl Groove, to only send as a signal, the embedded data detected as a modulation is passed, there is not too much tinkering that can be done if the purest of signal is the desired goal to be sent on through the Signal Path of the System.

If this aspect of using Vinyl as a source material is overlooked, the use of the trilogy of supporting ancillaries is most likely being substantially compromised, making their Value as a purchase seemingly a wasteful expense.

As said, if something along these lines is undertaken, and benefits discovered will transfer through to any equipment changes made to the Supporting Trilogy for using Vinyl as a source.    

The Styli in the Groove passing modulations solely generates the the energy to be transferred via the armature to induce a current.

The current produced being a result of the link between Styli and Coils (MC) is ideally a result of the impact of the modulation on the Styli only. Ambient energies withing the listening environment being able to transfer and influence the Styli to generate alien energy through the armature will be producing a current and sent on signal that is not pure modulation retrieval.

Additionally, the mechanics of the Turntable and Tonearm are both able to influence the Styli, and produce energies that will be transferred through the armature to produce a current. Such a current will be very different than that produced by the Groove Modulation only.

The learning and methods used to control mechanical produced energies comes with a need to have a skill set that is usually way beyond the typical user of a Vinyl LP as a Source. Usually such control measures are found through making substantial investments in equipment, in the hope these mechanical interfaces are much improved by the quality of the engineering adopted as a design and application.

Hence, it is much easier for the typical user of the Vinyl LP as a Source, to create a structure to support the Trilogy of ancillaries to enable a Vinyl LP to be replayed, which will be as a whole, aiding in creating a reduction of ambient energies within the room being transferred to the Styli, where ultimately the most detrimental of the energy that can be encountered is dissipated by the structure. 

With either of the above addressed, but preferably both, will be the condition that allows for the Phonostage to receive Electrical Signal that is mostly created through the Vinyl LP's Modulation/Styli interface only.             

In my earlier post in this thread, it states the function of the Styli, which as a description is strongly suggesting the Styli and Armature are the components dedicated to dealing with produced vibration.

The Turntable will/can create energy that adulterates the information to become a electrical signal the Styli is capable of retrieving.

The Armature typically is not designed to be a filter, that stated, different Armature Materials will have their own unique impact on the sonic that is to be produced.

The Armature is a Link and part in use as a tool to transfer styli produced energy efficiently with a minimum of added adulteration, prior to the energy transferred becoming a electrical signal.  

Adulterated energies from Ambient or Mechanical sources, that are of the capacity that are influencing the Styli, will most likely result in certain frequencies being transferred and converted to a electrical signal, being amplified within the Phonostage, hence becoming a produced sonic at the Speaker end.

Not exactly the Highest of Fidelity those sent energies that are adulterated at the time of being processed into electrical signals, but in multiple cases the presence is accepted and enjoyed as part of the musical encounter being had.