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

There is some good description of what makes a difference here, from the founder of Soundsmith: https://youtu.be/F65mODzn4Gk?si=chNaLUA7EOkvrW6s

@inna @rauliruegas  and @lewm both make good points. I have two more to offer that are in the same vein:

1) the ability of the arm to properly track the cartridge is far more important than what cartridge you have.

2) there is something called the Veblen Effect where there is abnormal market behavior where consumers purchase the higher-priced goods whereas similar low-priced (but not identical) substitutes are available. It is caused either by the belief that higher price means higher quality, or by the desire for conspicuous consumption. 

The thing to keep in mind here is that a more expensive item might only be more expensive for that reason alone.  High end audio is driven be intention rather than price; this means that there is often a less expensive device that can perform and sound better for less (sometimes a lot less) money.

$30k table, $15k arm, $25k phono stage

Agree with others - it’s a mistake to think like this. For example, the top-range Koetsu cartridges match brilliantly to Fidelity Research arms that can be found quite easily under $2K (used). There are other affordable arms they’ll sound great with too. You actually DON’T want to put them on a modern high-end straight, low mass, highly damped arm. That's not their sonic partner. It will sound dull and boring. 

$25k phono is gratuitous. Go for it, if you can and have the desire. But much more moderate stages can do wonderfully. The match of MC cartridge to MC stage is crucial (especially as lo-MC’s have lower output levels), but it’s not necessary to shovel anywhere near that much money in.

Same with the table. You can have well less than $10K total in arm, cartridge, phono - and still get the "full Koetsu" experience out of whatever stone you put on it.

Someone else said you can sometimes be pleasantly surprised by placing a very high-end component into a more modest system, and vice versa: placing a very budget component into a very high-end system. I’ve certainly found that can be true, in both cases.

mulveling, you just seem to like cartridges more than the rest of analogue front end! And I like the table more than others.

It is not a mistake to think like I do - it is a different approach. And I follow it.

@atmasphere 

Thanks for the post, which is a good example of why I like this forum.  It's an excellent opportunity to learn more than just about the underlying audio issue.