What $ percentage goes into the turntable, the arm, preamp, and cartridge?

Several recent threads on this subject.

For me, I bought my SOTA table used, and as it turns out, it cost about the same as my new Hagerman Trumpet MC phono pre. My arm and cartridge were more expensive than each.

SOTA Sapphire III (used) 20%
Jelco 850 MKII arm (new) 25%
Soundsmith MIMC cart (new) 35%
Hagerman Trumpet MC phono pre (new) 20%

That is just how mine ’shook out’. IMO, I do think in most cases, the cart is most important to spend a significant amount on. I use other carts very occasionally, but the Soundsmith MIMC makes it all better. That said, had my SOTA Sapphire been new, it would have been closer to 44% of the cost (or more), all others remaining the same. And the table is significant as well. It all is.

I'm shocked that not only doesn't Origin Live list cabling at 50%+ of total priority, they don't even list cabling at all.  

Relax OP. The one above is easily shocked. It stems as usual from not having the slightest clue what he's talking about. Of course they don't mention the cost of the cabling. The phono lead in Origin Live arms is hard wired. Just one of their many strong points.    

You seem to have a bit of a wrong impression about the way they use percentages. It is nothing to do with going cheap and upgrading later. They are very much in line with your goal of having a balanced system.  

Read through everything on there, it is clear what they are saying. There is even the example of comparing a dirt cheap cartridge on a very expensive table/arm and how much better it sounds than the other way around. I have experienced this myself upgrading carts, arms and tables over the years. Any way you want to slice it you are miles ahead to get as good a table and arm as you can. Then don't go cheap on the cartridge, get something you think will sound real good. Just don't shoot yourself in the foot thinking you should spend as much on the cart as the arm. You shouldn't. Their formula is just a rough guide, but it is a pretty darn good rough guide.

@millercarbon  - So if one were to spend $3000 on a tonearm, then the guide says I should be looking at ~ $1000 cartridges.  That seems a bit low for a cartridge and a bit high for a tonearm given today's pricing, given the TT is $3000 and the preamp is $3000.  That is what made me start thinking of the formula %.   

What I am saying is, most tonearms / turntables / preamps haven't increased in price as quickly as most cartridges have in recent days.