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

What about a record cleaning machine? Some says that a good ultrasonic reveals much more information from the records. Even from new ones due to residue from the pressing.

It helps to have actually done this a few times. I can tell you that for sure a more expensive cart like my Koetsu is a lot better than the half the price Benz it replaced. But comparing the difference in cost with performance the improvement from phono stage and arm upgrades was far, far greater.    

In other words say you have $5k for arm and cart. $4k arm $1k cart will be way better than a more even split. Of course this is all based on your having done your homework in finding the very best value you can for each. If you spend $4k on the arm just because you dogmatically follow the rule and found one for $4k then all bets are off. But if you are doing your due diligence and finding the very best arm you can for around that spend level then yes that is the way to go. 

Also do not lightly dismiss little details like the hardwired phono leads. This one thing alone not only improves performance a great deal it also saves a tremendous amount of money - and time, and headaches - looking for a good interconnect. All these little things go together. 

One other thing, what you notice about cartridge prices is not only anecdotal, it is absent any experience with what those carts deliver for the money. It could just as easily be that there are more expensive carts because so many people have been misguided into thinking they matter so much that money is chasing carts instead of arms. Lotta superficial advice out there. DYODD.

Dear @spatialking : I think the overall issue is not about %%%% but the importance of each system link trying to achieve the " best " compromise/trade-offs we can do for a decent/good quality system performance levels.

The first question we have to ask our self is: which is the sounds source? because it’s from/bythe source link where all the sound information is developed/pick-up, so nothing is more important/critical that the cartridge in an analog rig..
Next could be the link item that will hold and helps the cartridge ( it has to mate it: to mate it well. ) to ride the LP recorded grooves: the tonearm.
After those links we have to think in other two important items: the TT and the phonolinepreamps and as important as is the TT normally where exist more " problems " is in the phonolinepreamp electronic item that’s the one that will handled all the hard task to not only amplify the cartridge signal but it has to do it with very low noise and low distortions and additional to all those it is in the phonolinepreamp where the recorded RIAA eq. must be mimc in inverted whole RIAA eq. with way lower deviation to achieve or be near to what the cartridge pick-up from the LP grooves.
After that and for me will comes the critical TT and platfform if any.

That’s only an opinion and my choice and I’m sure that every one of you have your own choice and way of thinking about.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@millercarbon

It could just as easily be that there are more expensive carts because so many people have been misguided into thinking they matter so much that money is chasing carts instead of arms.

This is so true - It started with Joe Grado back in the day realizing he could charge $1000 for a cartridge when the rest of the world was getting a few hundred at best and the majority of carts was getting 1 to 3 hundred.  And he went up from there, too!   Back then, TAS was giving glowing reviews on his cart's and he was no dummy, that is for sure.   It's also a lot easier to replace a cartridge than a tonearm, something of which Joe Grado was well aware.Thanks for your advice, it helps sort things out.  I am looking to upgrade my  the system with another tonearm and cartridge.