How good does a TT have to be for a good cartridge


I have often wondered would you get good sound from a really good cartridge on a decent but not super good table. I am not an analog fanatic. I do own two fairly basic modern tables. One is a plain VPI Scout and the other a Music Hall MMF 5. Could I expect great sound from either one with a very high caliber cartridge that might cost lets say $3-5K . Is this an example of not being able to put lipstick on a pig?
mechans
Your vinyl set up is only as good as the weakest link. Instead of focusing on a $3k+ cartridge, work on isolation-cables and synergy between the cartridge and phono preamp.
You need a good tonearm. I had 2 10x5's that sounded good but are junk as far as construction goes. A highend cart won't do as well as it should without a good arm.
I had 2 10x5's on my Sondek 12. They sounded good, but are junk as far as construction goes. If the tonearm is not good the cart. won't be of much help.
The JMW-9 will never optimize the XV-1s.

"A tonearm's gotta know its' limitations".

-credit to Inspector Callahan
The XV-1s is a GREAT CARTRIDGE. It could be your preference to the Blackbird but you might think differently about the XV-1s with a different setup. Maybe the Blackbird is a better match with the JMW 9.