Best way to spend $2k on a used Turntable & Arm?

In order to make a good decision, and get good recommendations, try to define what it was that you did not like about the sound of the MMF5, and what it was about the others that you mentioned that you did like. That would make a good starting point. Was the sound lean, or too full? A little slow and boring, or nervous sounding? Did you get the sense that the bass player was actually contributing to the rhythmic thrust of the music, or simply adding low frequency grunt? Could you hear actual pitches from the bass?

Keep the Grado unless you get a particularly good deal on a package, and perhaps use the money saved for a really good phono stage. Remember that the Grado is a full bodied sounding cartridge, with a generous midrange and bass, as you plan the ingredients list of your sonic recipe :-)

Good luck.

I used the cartridge that came w/ the MMF5. I think it was a Benz cartridge actually. That was in 2003. I appreciate Frogman's suggestion of stating what I liked about the Sota. It did have a vacuum platter w/ a FFT? arm and a $2000.00 Ortofon cartridge. I'm sure it was a $6000 outfit new. I liked it's ability to extract information from the record. It seemed to have a bass that I liked better than the LP12s. We did use a VPI cleaning machine with the Sota. I'm sure that 2k used won't get me quite to that sound but I'm hoping to find what would get me the closest at that price range. I will probably need to think about the cost of a phono and a good stand. I agree that it would not be great to use the Grado with a nice deck. In fact, I think that I want a MC cart. don't I? Thanks again for the great suggestions so far.

"For $2,000 you could have a used Rega P-5 with a brand new Benz Glider!" (Elizabeth)

For a lot of us, $2k would not be a "limited" TT + cartridge budget. About 12 years ago, I bought a slightly used Rega P25 w/a new Benz Glider for about $1275, & loved it. Later I bought a lightly used C-J phono pre for maybe $700. After that I briefly had a Rega P-5 used that I paid $1100 for, was a really high quality beautiful TT.

You can do a LOT w/a $2k TT/cartridge + even a phono pre budget......

Don't be too quick to give up on the Grado. It is a decent cartridge. If you buy a used package of tt/arm/cart as you suggested, your choices will be more limited. That Grado in a good arm, on a good tt, will sound a lot better than it did on your MMF5. Then decide on a phono pre, and that choice will determine to a great extent your choice for a better cartridge.