"sub 10K are just entry level audiophile TT"
As an experienced audiophile, it is my opinion that this statement is potentially misleading to anyone who is new to the hobby. (I sifted through many less neutral, more pejorative adjectives before settling on "misleading".) This was in response to the previous statement that $7K is "cheap". Actually, in the price range of $5K to $7K you can buy many superb turntables for which you would never have to apologize, and if you open your mind to buying a second hand turntable, the ceiling is much higher. I agree with the notion that the phono stage in this system can easily be bettered, and I disagree that MC cartridges are categorically superior to MM types or MI types, which haven't yet been mentioned. Like the Nagaoka MP500.