Best investment; cartridge or line stage?

@thecarpathian i would suggest that and a stiff shot of something else…. anytime vinyl is involved….

@dogberry With my cash on the line, I did. In fact, since I couldn’t afford the best, I made it myself: turntable, tonearm, phono stage. Not the cartridges (Koetsu, Grado).

Don’t see why someone else shouldn’t benefit from my mistakes. Or from the wisdom of a legend in the field (atmosphere).

@terry9 ,

You made those tonearms??!

Extremely impressive. Do you have a background in materials engineering?

I wouldn’t have a clue where to start...

The Rega P6 has a very acceptable arm. I think you have to think of this differently. A phono stage is a long term investment and can easily last decades. Cartridges are expendable devices, they wear out. If your cartridges still has some life in it go for the phono stage. The Sutherland Locos are fine stages. When the cartridge wears out change it. 

@thecarpathian 

Thank you for the kind words. Most courteous.

Made some parts, subcontracted others. Turntable and tonearm, all my designs, my fabrication, subcontract much of the woodwork. The latest wands are natural fibre composites, for which I make the cores and subcontract the epoxy work. Off-the-shelf whenever possible: e.g. New Way air bearings and shafting, Igus carriages. Battery power supply is more complex than it looks, my design, layout, and fabricating. Same with power supply for the main monoblocks. Other electronics, mainly my layouts, parts selection, fabricating, and a better man's amplification schematics.

Not engineering - math and science. Now retired and learning some of the stuff my more practical father could have taught me.