The price ratio between table,arm, and cartridge


What should be the price ratio between a turntable, tonearm, and cartridge? Example: if the table is $1000, how much should you spend on a tonearm and how much should you spend on a cartridge, for everything to be a good match?
octuple
Matching the compliance of the cartridge to the effective mass of the tonearm has nothing to do with money and everything to do with the mechanical aspects of the system. Likewise, matching an arm to a suspended turntable can involve the optimization of physical parameters that belies cost.

If those aspects are satisfied, one still has some fluid decisions to make. I see arms like the Regas used on some multi-thousand dollar tables and likewise, I have seen some relatively inexpensive Shure and Grace cartridges hanging off of some frightfully expensive rigs. It's horses for courses, I suppose.
Viridian's post above is correct -- but you want a clear-cut, black or white, immediately applicable formula. No grey areas.
Here goes:
1: 1,41: 3,15 (cartridge to arm to TT). That's the optimum ratio. Seriously, it's not bad. Regards
Gregm,
Although you surely jest I think you got it about right."Seriously, it's not bad".
Octuple,

Before you give up on us, realize that this question has been tossed around repeatedly for years here. A search of the archives will turn up many old discussions on your topic - none of which will provide an authoritative answer!

One fairly non-controversial bit of advice: do not spend big dollars on a cartridge if you'd have to mount it on a relatively inexpensive tonearm or turntable or play it through a relatively inexpensive phono stage. You won't hear what the cartridge is capable of, so a limited budget is better spent on components that hold their value. You can get money for used tonearms, tables or phono stages. Getting money for a used cartridge is much more difficult.

Buying "too much" cartridge for an entry level rig is a classic error, and one that's less likely than most to satisfy.

PsychicConfucious' advice to establish system goals is good, very good, but you need some experience hearing different things to do that. However, the sooner you understand your own sonic goals the fewer expensive mistakes you'll make.

Our ratio? 6:7:4:8 - and of course it's perfect! ;-)