Is there usually a dramatic difference between $5k and $10k cartridges ?

+1 Transfiguration Proteus rebuilt.

I think more importantly than simply the value difference of going from $5000-$10,000 is the design and the brand. Speaking retail, I have a $3200 Kiseki Purple Heart and went to a $5500 Koetsu rosewood signature. I preferred the Kiseki. I haven’t experimented a lot but I suspect once you find a mfg that you like then climb their ladder.  I tried another $5000 cartridge, the Soundsmith Sussuro MkIi ES and I did not care for that or the support they provided. 

Kiseki Purple Heart is highly thought of cartridge among those in the know. Beyond my reach, or the capability of my phono stage.

I started out with a Pickering in a Garard when I was in high school. That was $50.

I moved up to a Stanton on a Dual 1229 in college.

Next was a Koetsu on a Sumiko MMT on a VPI HW MK II. This retailed at the time for about $900 at the time I believe.

I bought a Benz Micro as an alternate and back up. About $800. I’m selling it if anyone is interested.

I believed in the law of diminishing returns and thought that was it. But I was gifted a Koetsu Onyx, and that was a big jump. That’s $9,900 retail.

I bought a rosewood signature second hand for $1,100.00 as a backup. Very silky, not as much oomph on the bottom, great for solo and concerto classical. 

I bought a Koetsu Leopard. $11,000 retail. I paid nowhere near that. It sounds different from the Onyx. It does the bottom end better than the onyx, and it has more of an excitingly dynamic sound. The Onyx does most everything else better, it’s a smoother more natural sound.

So the answer is, overall, yes.

The answer is yes but usually with a highly transparent audio chain.