This is probably a question that will get several different answers.... but at how much would you say the best value for a cartridge is before diminishing returns sets in? I see it at $300+ but you all pay more than that for re-tipping of your fancy shmancy MC carts
It really is only entry at level at $300. Seriously. And you only get diminishing returns if things are unbalanced . Put a $2000 cart on a $500 table and a $500 phono stage and your return will be little.
Put a $600 Cart on a $1500 table and a $500 phono stage and it will be amazing..
I have had awesome $300, $500 and $800 MC carts. I can find value and beauty in all 3. But I could not put them on a lot of tables without it being a mismatch. But I put them on my concept and they all sing.
I can show you a $200 MM cart (The AT440Mla) that on the right $300 table (or less) sound amazing.
It has to do with table and tonearm matching, mass, dynamic compliance and where the resonance sweet spot is ..there are calculators on vinylengine
http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_resonance_evaluator.php
Take the tonearm mass (usually listed) and plug it in
when the table displays, look at the table and pick the weight of the cart you are thinking to the total, match to the carts dynamic complaince...you then find if they are a match...
Try this
Put in tonearm mass of 11gr
On the table find the column for 6 or 7 grams (the AT440Mla weighs 6.5)
Now go down to 10 for dynamic compliance (which is 10 for that cart)
Is it green at 10hz ? No. so not a great match
and you can see form the table, that any arm with that mass will need a very heavy cart or the cart needs a heavier arm
do the same test but arm mass of 15
Much different result
Now guys this is just a piece of it...