Does a record player make that much of a difference??

Cartridge is the most important.  Second is the phono pre. As long as the TT is not complete garbage it’s the least important. I don’t understand how one could argue otherwise. Unless one sells expensive TTs.

I can't help but wonder how beneficial a voltage VARIAC would be

Could be wrong, but my point is, I think the reason record-loving audiophiles put so much more attention and money on record players vs carts and phonostages is because there is more to look at.

@joshindc 

This seems a bit insulting. Your opening question is which has better “sonics”, then later assume we’re purchasing for “visual bling” instead of sonics.

The turntable is a vibration detection device.  As audio chains become more transparent like lowering the noise floor through better electronics, sonic differences in turntables become very noticeable including tonearm performance with specific, platter materials, platter speed, plinth material, motor noise, etc.  

Your Marantz TT16 is a fine turntable at it’s price point, but I’d expect noticeable positive sonic differences if you upgraded to a $3-5k turntable - at least better tonearms and better platter material like Delrin on MoFi turntables 

In my earlier post in this thread, it states the function of the Styli, which as a description is strongly suggesting the Styli and Armature are the components dedicated to dealing with produced vibration.

The Turntable will/can create energy that adulterates the information to become a electrical signal the Styli is capable of retrieving.

The Armature typically is not designed to be a filter, that stated, different Armature Materials will have their own unique impact on the sonic that is to be produced.

The Armature is a Link and part in use as a tool to transfer styli produced energy efficiently with a minimum of added adulteration, prior to the energy transferred becoming a electrical signal.  

Adulterated energies from Ambient or Mechanical sources, that are of the capacity that are influencing the Styli, will most likely result in certain frequencies being transferred and converted to a electrical signal, being amplified within the Phonostage, hence becoming a produced sonic at the Speaker end.

Not exactly the Highest of Fidelity those sent energies that are adulterated at the time of being processed into electrical signals, but in multiple cases the presence is accepted and enjoyed as part of the musical encounter being had.     

Tweak1, I’ll bite. What are you going to do with the Variac?