I underestimated the impact a new cartridge would have

My first Benz was a Micro Glider back in the 90's. Superb cartridge. After that came a Benz Ruby H. All the same great Benz qualities, only in much bigger doses. The same only better as they say. Really like that sound and really happy, nothing to fault at all, just wanted more and Koetsu seemed the logical next step. Because no way I am trying a lot of the usually recommended contenders, not when already knowing what I like. Sure enough, Koetsu Black Goldline isn't really any different than the Benz's, just a whole lot more of all they do right. 

So the answer is yes there definitely is even more out there to be had. Do NOT buy another! Because if you break it soon, well then you do. But if you don't- and if you are careful you never will - then in a few to several years as technology advances there will be even better choices and you will be able to have everything you have now only better for the same or maybe even less. Which of course means if you're willing to spend more then you will be amazed all over again just how much better things can get.

Its not a challenge at all. Simply move up the Benz line to the next one you can afford, paying attention mostly to output. Or if you get to the point you can afford it then move to the cheapest Koetsu you can afford, again paying attention only to output. 

But that's a long ways off. All this same stuff applies equally if not more so to the phono stage.....

I'm guilty of chasing components for better and more and I feel I've neglected to recognize how good my Hana EH is. When I'm ready, next will be a big jump up the Hana line. Thanks for the reminder!

Years ago got off of my CD player and got on an Ortofon 2M red. Then blue. Then bronze. Then black. I thought that I was pretty close to what I could justify spending after the addition of a Hagerman tube preamp and vintage Mullard tubes. After all, this is an indulgence for me as I’m a family man. But, I got a serious deal on a vintage Dynavector Karat 23RS MR. I had it serviced by Andy Kim at the Needle Clinic (he repaired the suspension). From the first test track, I understood the difference between MM and MC. I believe that I plateaued in the MM world. Everything was quite enjoyable and fairly detailed with the 2M black, but with the Dynavector the depth of the music, the whole rhythms, cords, and tones that I didn’t know were there on the same LPs that I’ve been playing.....it was like going from a 1080p television to a 4k. Quite remarkable. One year spent at every cartridge progression helped me to appreciate fully appreciate where I am now. 

dynavectors are just wonderful... they and benz’s are my faves among a few random others

been thru many others (art9, koetsu, shelter, zyx (ugh)) - come back home to my glider, gull wing and xx2 and tkr

I started out in the 1960s and '70s with MM cartridges including a top of the line Shure V-15.  Using first a Garrard changer, then Miracord 50H, and, bought in Hong Kong on R&R in 1969, a Thorens TD 125 turntable with Shure SME 3009 tonearm, efforts were made to achieve better reproduction.  Despite these turntable upgrades, there was little, if any, improvement.
In 2001, a VPI TNT 3.5 with 10" JMW Memorial tonearm and a Grado moving iron cartridge were acquired with little enhancement.  Transition to a Shelter MC cartridge occurred in about 2005 with a Clearaudio Concerto cartridge followed by a Clearaudio Stradivari V2.  The MC cartridges did offer noticeably better reproduction, but at a cost in the case of the Stradivari of over $3,500.
A couple of years ago, I read a very favorable review of the HANA low output MC cartridge.  Since there was by then quite a bit of stylus time on the Stradivari, I bought the HANA.SL for just $750.  I was amazed at the improvement.  For the first time, I realized what was recorded on an LP; it was far more "life-like" than I heard on vinyl before and on CDs, too, for that matter.  The accuracy of the sound and the ambience was as close to live reproduction I had heard.
When the HANA ML came out, I bought one.  It was surprising to find that as good as the SL was, the ML was noticeably better. There is no longer any impetus to continue the search for a better phono cartridge, although the Hana Umami Red Moving Coil Cartridge is tempting.  It's price is in the neighborhood of the Stradivari, though, which is intimidating.

In my experience, the phono cartridge is the most significant determinant of sound quality in record reproduction.  The phono preamp is the next most significant.  It is with pride I mention that mine is the third and latest that I have designed and constructed.  It is just a two-stage affair with low-noise BJT input stage and MOSFET output stage, yet in testing done at a famous high-end audio manufacturer, was noted to be surprisingly low-noise, additionally tracking the RIAA curve with little deviation.
The two preceding designs had JFET input stages, but a low-noise BJT is a better choice when the output impedance of the driver (phono cartridge) is low.  This is the case with with MC cartridges.