Is table really more importsnt than cartridge?

I have no experience in TT/cart combos that could directly answer the question.
However, in CD reproduction, I HAVE realized the value of a solid transport. No DAC no matter how good can make up for a cheap transport. I have a Sony SCD777ES, and as a redbook transport it is far superior to any $1,000 transport.
The comparison is perhaps wrong, but I would say the TT is the foundation and needs to be the best possible.
Also I agree that the small incremental improvement you want to make is NOT the best thing to do.
Save your money and get a substantially better table.

That is an anecdotal experience unless verified by solid empirical data. What would do it for me is an extreme magnified view of the groove showing damage to the groove reulting from the offending substance. Certainly records must be kept clean....as are mine....I just feel the real damage done to records is done through an improperly set up rig that exposes to the groove to improper physical forces that will alter the groove over time. IMO. But you are right to play things safe.

Dear friends: In these part of the anolog chain: TT/tonearm/cartrdige, everything is important. My experience told me that the tonearm/cartridge combo is the more important link on the subject: if you have, for example, and SME 10 and you compare to the SME 20 with the same tonearm/combo, it will be very hard to hear any difference: now with the same turntables, if you change for a better cartridge the combo on the SME 10 and leave the same ( first ) combo on the SME 20: now you can hear very easy the difference.
If we have a decent TT a change in the cartridge makes a huge difference ( this cartridge has to macht with the tonearm), but if we have a decent cartridge and change for a better turntable the differences will be minimal.
Even, with a bad TT the cartridge will be a huge difference.
When I speak of " my experience ", it is because I already try these kind of experiment.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.

Raul, IF you have a good turntable and the arm you have attached to it is properly matched to the type of turntable you have selected, even though the arm and turntable are not of the highest quality, then I would agree with you that changing the cartridge would give you the most apparent change in the system.
However, for some one with a turntable/arm/cartridge who wants to improve what they are hearing its not that simple. Tonearms and turntables are not all interchangeable - the design criteria of each narrows down the possible choices. Some arms work better on suspended tables, some better of unsuspended tables. Of the tonearms that can be used on suspended tables one has to be sure that the weight of the arm is within the capacity of the spring suspension otherwise you will never get a good set up. The same can be said for cartridges and tonearms. Its all about matching tone arm mass and cartridge compliance. And as to the phono pre, its all about selecting the one which can deal with resistence or compliance issues presented by the cartridge. Ditto I/C's. To change any single one of the basic components requires some research to get it done right. Thats why I recommended that the poster do some reading on the subject.
In passing, I find it interesting that the poster never stated what he found objectionable about his present system, just that he wanted to improve it. Personally, I don't think he will get the improvement he is seeking by just changing his cartridge (which is a fairly good cartridge), in the dark so to speak, unless he can articulate how he wants to improve his system and what he finds lacking in his present set up.

Both of your examples are extreme mismatch. Playing a $2000 cart on a $200 table will not be acceptable. A $2000 cart will most likely be a mc or a high-end mm, they will require a precision arm and careful setup to sound good. A $200 table just doesn’t have the precision they need. It is a waste of cart and money.

Playing a $200 cart on a $2000 table is a more acceptable mismatch although I wouldn't do that either. If I had $2200 to spend, I would have bought a $1500 table and arm with a $700 cart.

In your case, the Shure actually is a very good cart (I have one) and it certainly desires a better table and arm to show its stuff. But for $450, I doubt you can buy anything significantly better than the Thorens you already have. If I were you, I wouldn’t do anything right now but save more money toward a better table and arm, probably a used set in the range of $700 to $900.