Where's the next weak link in my analog chain?

Bang for buck? The new Hana SL MkII. For $850 it is hands down the best under $1000 cart on the market, and maybe even $2000. It carries a lot of features of their higher end Umami carts and leaves enough money in your wallet for cables, if you are so inclined. The move from even a great MM cart to a MC has always been a major improvement in my systems, starting with an upgrade from an Ortofon VMS20  to an MC-20 almost 50 years ago. Fast forward, and the Hanas shocked a lot of people, providing the SQ of multi-kilobuck MCs for a fraction of the price. 

I went from a Goldring 1042 MM cartridge paired with a Sutherland KC Vibe to a Hana ML moving coil cartridge and Sutherland TZ Vibe.  Huge difference.  Some of the improvement is likely from the phono stage upgrade.

The Goldring 1042 is a nice cartridge for the money. Perhaps comparable to what you have now. 

Also wanting that cart! On the fence about it, or getting a phono preamp. 

Cables are a tweak, not so much an upgrade. IMHO, lots of cost for minimum  return. Cart upgrade are usually much bigger steps. 

On the flip side, the more you spend on a cart, the most the needle replacement will cost! Got a new cart 6mo ago, a couple weeks into having it, was cleaning my TT, when finished caught the needle with the MF towel. Pulled the needle out!! Cost $500 to replace the needle. That really hurt! That's my dilemma with a $1k cart is the almost yearly needle replacement cost. 

What is the TT placed on?

This makes a difference in bass/balance/detail with my old Thorens and it uses a sprung suspension.

I use a specialty shelf that was discontinued ages ago (use one under the CD deck as well), but I’m not familiar with the MoFi (looks interesting though).

Anyway, aside from that I would try a different cartridge.

DeKay

@mswale 

That's my dilemma with a $1k cart is the almost yearly needle replacement cost. 

Yearly? How much are you spinning? Over 4 full albums per day?