I disagree that the cartridge is the most critical choice. Actually the tonearm is more important.
An excellent tonearm and average cartridge will outperform an average tonearm and excellent cartridge all day long.
That is not an opinion; it is a fact based on years of listening to hundreds of tonearm/cartridge combinations.
An excellent tonearm and average cartridge will outperform an average tonearm and excellent cartridge all day long.
That is not an opinion; it is a fact based on years of listening to hundreds of tonearm/cartridge combinations.