Most important vinyl component to upgrade first ?

3/4, 1, 5, 2

If the table doesn't spin at the correct speed and induces rumble in the playback, do you really want to hear that reproduced precisely while you wait to upgrade the other pieces?

On the other hand, if you build a solid foundation on a good turntable, it will produce music and will only be diluted by the weak links in the chain.

Purchase the best you can afford at the beginning (research carefully, first). It will save you the cost of trading up later (involving time and money).

It's a system, guys, and everything interacts to some degree with everything else. So recommending the best upgrade is difficult without knowing the context. On top of that, many people have never examined specific changes scientifically. I had a direct drive turntable that sounded dynamic and one belt drive that sounded slow, so that becomes a way of characterizing all such units in the future?

The best upgrade might be moving from a rubber belt to a tape drive, to fix the microdynamics and leading notes of instruments.

The best upgrade is the one that makes every other part of the system work better! I would not throw a world-class unipivot on a suspended chassis design without doing my homework regarding interactions and spring rates. But if you get it right, you could make the whole thing MUCH better.

Most of us hobbyists never listen all that critically to all various combinations to find that optimum upgrade. I'm in the process now of trying to do that with plinth design. I have an unsuspended table with a 1" thick top plate, and I'm experimenting with plinth layers and materials (aluminum, steel, Panzerholz, MDF, EAR Isodamp, etc.). Make a change, then do comparative listening & take copious notes. Then change back and make more notes. Then change one other thing and make notes. Change back and make more notes. Eventually, I hope to learn what will be the best upgrade for my system.

But in a generic sense, the answer is too dependent on the context to be useful. Just my $.02.

Hi Everyone, and thanks for your responses!

My 1-5 list was in no particular order.

I admit to being indecisive and neurotic about which
gear I want to end my Search with, I want to make final
choices on the combo and be done (even happy), I don't
want to experiment with gear the rest of my life if for
no other reason than it costs so much. This is why I
truly value everyone's advice here.

Almarg, it's beginning to register in my head,
the point about first having a stable platter upon which
to experiment with a good cart. I'll keep the SP-10.

Syntax, your point on the preamp makes sense. Eventually
I'll have to decide where to stop on this. Currently I
have a Linn Linto and an Acoustech PH-1P. I guess I won't
rule out looking further, but at the moment, this will
have to do.

Viridian, I believe I agree with you, in fact your point
makes me the most nervous. Where to stop in pursuing
arm/cart Magic ?

Raul, you are correct in listing my current gear, plus
my second phono pre above. I suppose I will reveal the
crux of my dilemma here. I have the SP-10 with the factory
obsidian plinth, and the SME-V arm. The arm is new and
not yet set up in the plinth. I will probably take one of
three directions here:
1. Stop buying anything and just be happy.
2. Only seek additional magic by trying different carts
on the V arm. The Clearaudio Accurate needs to go ?
3. Sell the obsidian plinth and the V arm, get a V-12 arm
and then figure out what to do plinth-wise. (V-12 won't
fit on the obsidian plinth.) I think this would be
the end of the line for me (with the possible exception
of a better pre, maybe......)

Again, I humbly thank you for guiding this old HiFi nut....