Turntable Cartridge upgrade question.

I agree with @theflattire 

You are going through all of this research using a Schiit Mani phono preamp? You have to be kidding. I have one as a back up. And when I auditioned it my system just to see how it sounded it was really lacking in presence, percussive articulation and lack of low end. Keep your cartridge and up the anty for a phono stage. Trying to audition a good cartridge through a Mani is like trying to look at a museum painting through sun glasses. Just saying. Good luck.

@ssg308 

my TT isn’t $7000 but my phono stage costs around $5k.

IMO, the phono stage the most important component in your vinyl chain.  The signal has to go through it.

If your budget is the same as above, the new Darlington Labs MP8B looks good.

Upgrade the phono stage and you will probably like that 2M Black a lot more.

Buy the Denon DH-103 and get the wood body made for it.  That way you will be done with this and allow you to focus on a phono stage.

We have a Gold Bug cartridge which is also made by Denon.  The 103 is so close for so much less.

Happy Listening.

@theflattire valid point phono stage as like DAC are key components. let me explore your suggestion.

"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.