..Rustyandi has both a very high cost MC cartridge and a really high tech laser based cartridge. In both instances you would expect very good separation and so he has not had noticeable problems with front to rear leakage on SQ (Rustiandi please correct me if this is a false statement).
My original table for quad was a '72 Dual 1229 with Audio Technica AT14Sa shibata stylus MM cart, rated separation 25-27 dB at 1Khz. Still have cart, with OEM replacement stylus in great shape. About 5 yrs ago, I replaced the 1229 with another Dual I owned since the early 80's, a 505. Both are now retired. Current TT for quad is a Music Hall MMF-7 with ~$500 Goldring hi output MC cart with line contact stylus that I had for 2 ch use. It plays CD4 just fine so there was no need to put the Audio Technica on it. The Goldring's rated separation is also 25 dB at 1Khz.
Last yr I bought a Rega RP6 TT & $900 Dynavector 20XL hi output MC cart with their own proprietary version of line contact stylus for the 2 ch setup.
I replaced 2 old Duals that were getting tired and quirky with modern belt driven decks. and while my cartridges are not ultra hi $ exotica, none of them were budget cartridges not even the one I started out with on the 1229, the venerable Shure V15 type 3. All are or were very good for the money spent.
so I've always had 12 dB beat
like Rusty, I'm strictly moving coil now, and no elliptical styli since about '74 whenever I got into CD4.
I know I'm fortunate to have had good TT's & cartridges. not ultra hi end but good values.