Cartridges really do make a difference! I swapped out the Sumiko Pearl for the Blue Point on my Thorens mk166 table and heard it for myself. The Point's tone is silkier, smoother, and the mid-range wider. I got the Blue Point on Ebay used (albeit lightly) for $115, saving myself the $135 more a new one would cost retail. The Pearl sounded so bad compared with the Denon mc I had before that I stopped listening to my record collection. A newbie wouldn't know the difference, which is the curse of being exposed to any high-end product - you want it and you won't be content without it. But now I'm content, and that weak link is no more.