Honest question about cartridge vs. turntable performance.

Hey Chakster - it's just guidelines for percentage spend on a moderate system by component area (up to maybe $15-20K) . They also forgot the cables/conditioner which could eat up 10% ($1500-2000).

The point is that if the source produces garbage, I don't care what kind of amp and speakers you have, it will sound like crap. Once the source gets to a  certain quality level, the amp and speakers can make a bigger difference. 

Of course everything matters, but the OP is looking for the best sound improvement for the buck, which we all are.

Ralph, I was saying that tongue in cheek. The Japenese made much better stuff than Campy for a while. They had to drag Campy out of the stone age. Camply could never catch up in mountain bike gear but in the mid 90's campy finally got serious again. I use it because I prefer ergo shifting levers, more intuitive, the EPS gear is better than Shimano DI2 and the disc brakes are seriously better. 
The Rohloff hubs are very cool but heavy. I have a Merlin Extra Light and for certain I think Ti bikes ride better than most carbon frames. The reason I got the Specialized is because it has a shock absorber in the head tube and it will take 42 mm Tubeless tires. I have an artificial wrist and I have to do everything to protect it. The Specialized Diverge is the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden but other than the shock absorber it is not due to the frame but to the Fulcrum carbon rims and the 32 mm tubeless tires. If I could put those tires on the Merlin I think it would ride even better but it is limited to 25 mm tires. 
The wife and I rode Tripole Rd last weekend to celebrate our 32nd aniversary (White Mountains, NH.) 6 miles with an average grade of 10%! We made it to the top without putting a foot down:)
I'm not sure I'm crazy about Lewm's analogy but overall I think he is right. The cartridge and tonearm act as a unit apart from the turntable. He is also right concerning noise and resonance. The Dohmann Helix takes all of this into account. I do beleive it is the quietest Turntable you can purchase today and hopefully I will be able to afford one before he goes out of business. I do believe the noise and resonance affect the sound more so than wow and flutter in most turntables. I do not think it is taken seriously by the establishment because it is impossible to measure. But, this is the reason I have always prefered suspended turntables. Even on a concrete slab there is loads of garbage that can make it's way to the cartridge by way of the turntable's feet. I'm afraid most of them are hopelessly inadequate. The SME 30 series is an excellent example of a quiet turntable. 
Tubelvr1, I think you be best served by spending the 2k on a nice cartridge. I do not beleive it would make a significant improvement on your turntable, tonearm or Phono amp. Tackle them when you have more money to spend. 

Lewm, The record was discharged on both sides and it is spinning with the dust cover up (old trash record:) You are right about the probe. I get a quick 150 volt spike and that is it. The record simply does not have enough capacitance. I discovered I have the perfect static electricity detection device. While rubbing the record with paper to get the charge the hair stood up on the back of my fingers. You can see it being attracted towards the record. Very...Handy:)))

It is possible to spend more on the front end analog and less on the amplifier and speakers and get the best sound.  Buying used efficient speakers (like a Legacy Focus speaker for $2500 or Signature IIIs for $1600) and a lower powered tube amp (but one with a good power supply for low impedance, maybe a new Prima Luna)  will leave ample funds for a higher end phono stage, cabling, turntable, cartridge and arm.  Again, one can purchase really good quality used analog as well such as a used Jelco or SME arm, used VPI 19 or SuperScout, Aries or Classic.  I would only buy a new cartridge unless the cartridge came from a reviewer who never wears out cartridges as they go through so many.  There are many very fine high output moving coils like Dynavector which gives up little or nothing for their 20X2 (I've heard it on a higher end system and it sounded wonderful).  So, don't box yourself into a rigid percentage guideline.  It's best to mix and match the best equipment for the price (but match the cartridge to the arm and the amp to the speakers).

The Rohloff hubs are very cool but heavy.

@mijostyn If you run belt drive its as light as any other system unless you run a single speed...