Should I try a MC cartridge and phono pre?

I'm not an analog guru by any stretch, but when I phoned Music Hall to inquire about the appropriateness of mounting a Sumiko BPS (MC) cart to a Music Hall MMF 2.1, I was told that it would not be a good idea because the bearings in the tonearm aren't made to high enough tolerance to bring out the best performance from a MC cartridge. The MMF 2.1 is a current entry-level audiophile belt-drive turntable, and while it's an unrelated comparison to what you're asking, it does speak to the suggestion of using a better MM cartridge on your table, or scrapping the lot and heading for higher ground.

As an aside, I've since redone my analog system and went to a better 'table (Michell Gyro SE), but I chose to stay with a MM cart (Shure V15 IV) just because I can replace the stylus - a re-tip job is too likely with the fumbling hands around my household (mine included!)

MC cartridge picks up much less EM noise than MM, has wider freequency bandwidth and can improve ANY turntable setup. Going with high-output version of MC cartridge is also benefit to MM in many cases.

Why not try it, and then if you don't like it, try another TT.

I agree with Plato, Elizabeth, MWilson and the people at MMF (who are to be commended for offering such honest advice). Putting a high end cartridge on a low end TT and arm is probably a misallocation of your resources. We're not saying you won't hear an improvement, you certainly will, but you won't hear anywhere near what the cartridge is capable of. IOW, you'll have paid for performance you cannot hear.

I upgraded my entire front end last year. By chance, my new cartridge showed up before my new TT and arm. Being as impatient as anyone, I naturally tried it in my old, low/mid-fi rig. It made a nice improvement, but when the new TT and arm arrived I entered a whole new universe.

Another point, if you choose a cartridge first you may restrict your choice of tonearms, phono stages and even turntables. The higher up the chain you go the more critical component-matching becomes. If you have no first hand experience with higher end vinyl playback, choosing the cartridge first might restrict your choice of related components in ways you don't understand until it's too late.

The upgrade path recommended by the most experienced vinyl guru's I know is: TT >> arm >> cart >> phono stage. My limited experience confirms that this is probably best. I recommend you review your budget with the goal of upgrading TT and arm first, with the cartridge to follow. If you decide to go this way and need TT/arm advice, search the threads or start a new one for ideas in your budget range.

Good luck whatever you decide!