What is the chain of importance in analog system ?

Swampwalker, I clearly shortchanged my former phonostage. Yes, there was a "SuperIt" (itself modded) at the center of a large box -- as large as the Rhea --fed by a tubed power supply the size of a power amp. So beating it is not a casual feat, and the Rhea is not going anywhere soon. Especially after the last rounds of tube- and cable-rolling (balanced HMS Gran Finale between Rhea and Calypso).

Cheap= inexpensive in my book. Sorry about that :-)

Such a tiny fragile signal that can be so easily corrupt in so many ways, though more so going through the phono stage.

I said good by to a two year old ASR Exclusive phono stage recently.
My focus to replace it certainly will not be anything the audio media slobber over and that includes just about everything else they rave about in this hobby...I couldn't help myself, I had to throw that in.

Yes, the music you listen to and how YOU like it served up ,room, speakers , set up and all the way to wire.

Analogue play back is not easy at the best of times however when everything is 100% all the head aches are quickly forgotten.

Yes, this tiny fragile signal needs to get to your ears unmolested as possible.

Great discussion. I agree that one cannot really approach this without thinking holistically... the entire analog playback chain should be considered a single, musical biosystem.

That said, I do believe that one should start from the foundation of the analog chain, which is the turntable. Cartridges and tonearms should really be considered inseparable, but they are variables more easily accommodated and changed physically. The turntable, less so. Once you have a solid foundation (a TT that you are satisfied with), it becomes a bit easier to discern among many tonearms and cartridges to match with the TT via a natural process of elimination.

Yes, a great phono stage is crucial, but again, selecting the right phono stage to the turntable/tonearm/cart seems a more natural process to me than the other way around. More often than not, people would look for a great phono stage which would bring their TT to greater heights... I've never personally met someone who told me, "I have a killer phono stage and now I must find a suitable turntable to match it"; it's often the other way around.

So for me, this isn't a chain of importance, but of PRACTICAL consideration, which was my personal course:

1. Turntable
2. Tonearm/Cartridge
3. Phono stage/SUT

Everyones opinion here deserves consideration.For once a thread with over 20 posts and not one argument.There is hope for us yet.Now to the question:
I feel that in order to hear what is possible with a great analog front end (turntable,tonearm,cartridge)it must be played though a top flight Phono Stage.
Therefore for me its
Phono Stage
Arm /Cartridge
Turntable
Of course along with your preamp,amp,speakers and wires,
your room and ears must be up to the task.
In other words everything is as important as the component it is connected to.

Remember many phono stages require matching to the cartridge in use. This can include gain, load (if fixed or not), SUT gain & impedance matching, and in some cases tube or SS in design. I just don't think we can separate everything. If you upgrade one component then you must make sure whatever you replace it with is synergistic with the remainder of your system.