What are the optimal percentages for analog system

i agree with Microstrip....it depends.

it might be easier to offer helpful assistance if you shared a little about what particular gear you have in mind and an overall budget. as this is your first post and there is no posting history to look at to get an idea of where you are at, your question is very open ended for more specific answers.

OK, let's change the question. Where should most of the money go...cartridge, phonostage, or table? BTW I have a Rega P3, Grado gold and Bellari VP129. All budget gear. What is the right first step for an upgrade so I can get a bump in performance and not have to wait for an upgrade to everything...which will happen but it might take me a year for the overhaul. The rest of the system is Thiel 3.5 and a Cary sli80.

I would start with the best table you can afford. Usually you can get the arm in a package deal. Putting on an arm of your choice is something you might do once you have more experience with the gear.

Cartridges are small, fragile things, and unfortunately they do not get more robust as the prices go up. They also need to be retipped or replaced every few years, and even replaceable styli on moving magnets can cost half the initial cartridge outlay. So don't forget to figure in these replacement costs and your pain level for breakage.

A good phono preamp can make a huge difference, but doesn't have to be expensive. It's also the easiest analog component to change when you're looking for a different sound.

Figure out what cartridge you want, then find a table/tonearm that can handle it. Get the table first. When you have the money, get the cartridge. And when you really want to hear it sing, get the phonostage. Spend as much as you can on the table, it's the foundation of your system, everything else can be built around it.

I moved the RB300 arm from my Planar 3 to a Gyro SE, which was a huge upgrade in quietness (both less mechanical noise and less surface noise retrieval) and soundstage stability. The Rega arms are good enough to keep if you can get a good deal on an armless table (figuring in the loss of resale value of the whole table + arm).