Buying a new TT today


So I’m pretty hellbent on buying a new TT today! Or should I be?!?!? 
I started off kind of sour on vinyl several years back when I ignorantly bought a cheap TT that had a built in phono stage.... Talk about a disappointment! And a buzz kill for vinyl!
Anyway a year or so later I bought a Project Carbon Debut and it blew my mind!!!!  The step up in most aspects of the TT, carbon fiber tone arm/heavier plinth/much heavier platter/motor and remote position/better cartridge in a Ortofon m2red, along with the fact the it was now running through my Integrated’s Phono Stage was just such a leap in sound that I never expected, that now I’m looking for yet another leap like that again lol
Anyway, with pocket flush with cash and headed to two hi-fi shops I pause....
In my new price range, $2,000 or so, should I be looking for a new TT? Or a new cartridge for the TT I have ?
thoughts.
264win
Yes, and it is I guess a matter of taste. When I went from a good MM cartridge that is no longer made (you might like it because of that) the Acutex 412 STR, to the VDH One Special, I remember thinking the VDH was much more alive, vivid, and detailed. But the Acutex back then was inexpensive - I think $2-300. I still have it, plus an extra brand new stylus the guy gave me since he stopped selling them.

When people are in the studio, they produce records trying to make a certain sound - not what is played in the studio, but mixed to achieve a certain sound. I guess those guys are the ones you should ask if the sound on a stereo from a particular cartridge is closer to the mark. Not the techies, but the artists themselves, especially if they produce their own albums.

You'd probably get lots off opinions there too.
When people are in the studio, they produce records trying to make a certain sound - not what is played in the studio, but mixed to achieve a certain sound.

Right, but Doug Sax is famous for DIRECT CUT (Direct-To-Disk) recording techniques. This is when a signal from the mics going to the mixing console and to the cutter stylus (no reel to reel in between). Audiophiles raving about his Sheffield LAB direct cut albums. His monitoring cartridge was Stanton 881s (not even the best Stanton model, but close to the best models). In that TAS article many engineers claimed than MC has a lot of coloration and not true to the sound. This is an opinion, but an opinion from a very well educated sound engineers and mastering engineers with very good ears. @sokogear

It must be a very good MC to be neutral. 
You should really try some killer MM cartridges, your Acutex can't speak for all MM or MI. 

If I did that, I wouldn't need a phono stage, correct, or would it still help?

Acutex is not a top level MM - it is a good mid level one. What is MI? Sorry I'm not a cartridge analyst like you....

BTW, I listen to jazz and rock and (I guess you would call it} pop (Beatles, Paul Simon, Elton John, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt), so it has to be versatile.
MI is Moving Iron (like all the Grado and Sound Smith)
IM is Induced Magnet (like ADC for example)
MF is Moving Flux (like Glanz and Astatic) 

they are all belong to the group of MM/MI 

Watch SoundSmith lecture, he will explain the most :)) 
@sokogear  

Very relevant thread. So many T.T. choices out there...I’m thinking of selling my Basis Audio 2001/modified Rega RB900 with VTA adjust and upgrading to the Vertere Magic Groove MG-1 with the SG-1 tonearm. Everything I’ve read about the Vertere combo(and Touraj) is stellar. But I could not find many individuals who bought them both and reviewed them. It doesn’t seem like anyone would be less than thrilled but I am curious. The Vertere set up seems like a very big bang for the buck.

Any folks here have that set up or are familiar or heard reviews?
Thanks!