What is the chain of importance in analog system ?

Look on the used market.
A suggestion of a great combo in that price range ?
Well - put (buy...) together the following on Audiogon (will take you 1-2 months only):

- Phonostage: Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 signature or Phono One - $700-1k
- tonearm: Graham Phantom - approx: $2k - 2.5k
- TT: used VPI TNT w/suspension - approx: $2k - 3.5k
or used Platine Verdier 3.5k to 4.5k
- cartridge: Dynavector 17D3 - approx: $500
- tonearm cable: AQ Leopard $500

Cartridge and cable can easily bought new. This is a combination which will work great and with almost ANY cartridge. Room for upgrade in the future, but already CLASS A if carefully set-up.

You can not get wrong with the above combo. It will outperform each and everything available new for double the price.

Nolitan...i quoted your comment...that's what I understood you were after...if I misunderstood, I apologize.

Hi Cmalak,

No apologies not needed. Yes, that's what i meant.

Thanks.
Noli

Here's another suggestion, all used and fairly easily found on Audiogon for a total under $8000:

Table: SME 10/A includes 309 arm, $4500
Cartridge: Sumiko Celebation $700 or lower model Dynavector $500-$700
Hovland Music Groove 2 cable: $500
Pass Xono phono: $2200

Back to the topic.

I personally think it is the pick up, pick up and pick up. (analogy to digital would be the Transport)Turntable is where the information is 'measured dynamically. The closest it comes to when and how it was 'written' makes the magic happen. This includes the type of tone arm. Tangential arm does the best job on what the well designed TT offers.

With that said, up stream components in the chain does matter, the phono being the key second component.