Audio Asylum Thread Printer

I am debating on a new turntable but if I can;t afford to go that route I may buy a better cartridge for my NAD 533(Rega 2 Clone).
I currently have the Shure M97Xe which seems to lack sparkle -- it sounds "safe" tracks well but sounds uninvolving and I can't put my finger on what it is lacking so I just say it lacks "LIFE."
Of course it could be the entire player but before I take a huge hit dumping the player I want to try a better cartirdge.
I will likely go for the Audio Note IQ1 because it is upgradeable and If the player turns out to be the culprit then I will eventually move to the AN table(upgraded Systemdek).
But the dealer who put the Shure cart on had a whole bunch of steel contraptions and measuring devices which I do not own.
So what do I need so that I don't damage anything and get the best sound out of it. I know what I like but I grew up on CD and the NAD was/is plug and play more or less.
Also I know the cart goes with this arm. This is all a tide-me over measure -- the NAD/Shure is pleasant enough and I detect no rumbles or anything so I would presume the table is competant enough -- The Cart is pretty cheap in this industry and when one considers that a cartridge is kind of a mini cdplayer(in terms of a pick-up) and a very sensitive preamp then a $100.00 is probably pretty weak.
The AN Cart is not cheap at about $450.00cdn. What I'm worried about is too much cartridge for the NAD to handle -- if that's possible.

Vinyl Asylum

Instruction kit for setting up a new cartridge?