Forum admiration and requested guidance

"it’s an office that is dedicated to 2 channel listening."

vette5451,

This doesn't cost a thing except room real estate
http://www.cardas.com/room_setup_calculators.php
It's not for everyone, but gives perspective and it's FREE!

Getting your existing and possibly future speakers out in the room to breath will be game changing. 4-6 feet out from the back wall, 3-4 from sides.

Consider  at least another sub. 4 is game over. Study the room treatment websites. Speaker placement, subs and room considerations are paramount.

Upgrading the existing VPI use can be  pushed out getting the $3-5K phonostage upgrade. It will make your Hana and future carts sing even more. I'm sure the Elac is a good unit, but the suggested  price point is entry into the next level. 

The Scout will sound like a new table.

I'm avoiding brand suggestion on anything. That's a new thread subject.
Tweaky doodads, additional cable madness and all the rest included.

I agree with spending most or all of this years budget on speakers. I recently stepped up to a brand new pair of Vandersteen Treo CT’s, which when I first got into this hobby around 4 years ago, was much more than I thought I ever wanted to spend. But it’s really paid off. The joy I get from them is immeasurable and they are sounding better every day. 
Seize the day my friend.  

VPI Scout with JMW 9” arm and Hana SL cartridge

Anyone who’s serious about vinyl must have several different cartridges.
Your Hana is an MC with aluminum cantilever and Shibata stylus, you can always find a better cartridge, especially if you did not try many (yet). Cartridge is the most important component in an analog chain and this is where you can hear the most noticeable changes in sound that primarily depend on a cartridge.

Cartridge design is very important, if you will look at some other cartridges you will see the obvious difference in Cantilever and Stylus tip, not to mention some other types of cartridges like Moving Iron or Moving Magnet.

Your Shibata stylus will be worn out after 1500 hrs, so you will have to change your MC cartridge anyway.

With MM or MI you can change the stylus yourself and keep using your cartridge forever.

My advice is to buy a different cartridge, not a LOMC.
It will not cost you much, probably $1k for something (MM or MI) much better than your Hana MC.

The upgrade will be in Cantilever (stiffness and weight) and in Stylus Profile (accuracy and life span), an MM cartridge is easier to drive by any phono stage and the output is high.

I use all types of cartridges (MM, MI, MF, LOMC, HOMC) check in my system. 

@chakster
What modern MM cartridges under $1000, if any, do you recommend?

@chakster 

thank you for the advise pertaining to cartridges. I have used several different types and brands throughout the years. Prior to the Hana I had a Nagaoka MP-300 and various Ortofon and Grado cartilages. To my ears the Hana sounds best, although I am curious to advance up the cartridge chain.