High Performance & Low Cost

I have recently bought my first audio device from a modern era production, which, even though purchased as a used item. Is from a production era from very recent times.

As a New Purchase Item, the price suggests that robotics is included in the production process. I would like to assume that hands-on labour is limited during production, as this being the case could suggest that there are not very attractive conditions present for the labour being used.

From certain production regions throughout the World in all countries, there does seem to be the idea that when a product is very affordable as a production, there are children hidden somewhere and are included in being a hands-on labour.

Affordable has its downsides, as do goods with uber markups to create a retail price, and goods with a much more attractive retail price. When cleverly investigated, have discovered that children are included in the production process.

Regarding audio purchases, robotics used for production processes is the norm. A broad range of markups added to create a retail price for similar-priced basic designs for products is the norm.

Do audio purchases made in the mainstream markets bypass this well-known aspect of reality, regarding the usage of hands-on labour, unfavourable conditions for labour and even the use of children? 

High Performance & Low Cost, as per the Thread's Title - Does put a spotlight on how Ethics are very much attached and do need to be considered when making a decision to purchase.     

Should we dump our iPhones? Probably yes,  but no one will.

An analog chain is only as good as its weakest link.

Cartridge -> Tonearm / Table -> Preamp -> Amp -> Speakers

A good cartridge costs $$.  MC is your best bet because lower moving mass = greater agility.  Or optical, but that technology is still new (well, actually 40+ years old but new in the sense of modern production) and therefore expensive.

A good cartridge needs a good TT and tonearm: low mechanical noise, low resonance, low EMI from the motor.  This is where the money comes in in these components.

You might look beyond the obvious mass-produced stuff (Pro-Ject, etc.) to some of the smaller boutique makers: are you a consumer buying a product or an audiophile buying an engineering philosophy?  Only you can answer that question.

I will say this, with a background in electrical engineering and decades of life experience: ethics has degraded significantly in the past 20 or so years.  In an age of "phones", autotune, people unable to look other people in the eye, and fake everything, it is easy to get caught in the trap and swindled these days with the consumer mindset.

And here is why I have 60 posts in 20 years of being here... There are a couple bullies that are fast to post vile replies. You ever consider some of these folks are new to this?  Pathetic.

I now use a $500 tube Schiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL preamp. I made a A'gon thread on this unit, and it is the best preamp I have ever owned. This includes a few in the $7k range. The V3 is a bit of a pain to use but I describe how I overcame those usability issues on the thread,