Something from my wife's dayjob must have robbed-on to me, I find thus thread weirdly interesting: would the opinion of your trusted technician be swayed by suggestions from anonymous "audiophiles" like myself? I do not see myself asking for marital tips frim the strangers... $30 and even a new stylus is tooo pricey?!! Come on, just invite your friends for a listen and if TT sounds better then your CD player then u r set!!! ;-)
