Table/Cartridge price ratio

>>I think good cartridges these days start in the $250 range or so for MCs, less for MMs<<

In this price range moving magnets almost always sound better than moving coils.

YMMV

The MCs I'm thinking of starting in the $250 price range are the Denons (hard to find) and Sumiko Blue Point line. MAybe Grados but never heard their MCs.

Other than these, yes, audiofeil, you are correct, you will probably have to spend more for a good MC to match a good system. I've tried various MMs I've accumulated over the years in the Linn Axis on my main system and either MC was to superior to any MM, though granted these were older MM cartridges that had seen prior use (grado, ortofo, Shure type IV, etc).

I have an older MM Goldring in my second, smaller system (Dual 1264), and that system is sounding the best ever now since I inserted a vintage Yamaha receiver that seems to have a very good phono stage. IT was not very spectacular with prior receivers tried, vintage NAD 7020 and Tandberg 2080. This revelation convinced me more than ever that all phono stages, even in higher end brands, are not created equal, so I think that has to be taken into consideration as well when matching tt and cartridge.

Haven't tried the Goldring on my Linn yet though.

Price is no indicator of good sound.

Then there's the further complication that how good your cartridge sounds also depends on how good the phono stage is. I just upgraded my phono stage from the one built into a 1980s Amber to a modestly priced outboard Cambridge Audio 640p, and I never imagined that my humble little Denon DL-160 was grabbing that much sound out of the groove.