Apologies for being very late to the party here! Had seen this back when the thread started and never got a chance to respond (that pesky work thing).
I feel you’re on the right track focusing on a VPI table and JMW unipivot tonearm combo with VTA on the fly as a strong contender. It’s a better system than most others out there, is tightly integrated as a unit and will handle pretty much any cartridge you wish. If you go with a newer second-hand set, you’re going to be in a good resale position as well should you find that vinyl just doesn’t do it for you.
If you do decide to take the plunge, consider a better MM or MC cartridge in the same price class as the table investment and go with a reasonable phono pre-amp that has both MC and MM capacity. I prefer Dynavector MC carts, but there are so many choices out there you’ll want to do your research, read reviews and audition first if at all possible. The Pro-Ject Phono Tube Box is inexpensive, flexible and will allow you to experiment easily. Again, there are lots of others, but things can get pricey very fast and changing out a phono pre-amp is much easier than changing a cartridge.
FWIW, I consider VTA-OTF essential. Vinyl pressings all vary in thickness and cut angle, and even minor adjustments make an audible difference. More often than not, the correct tracking angle produces a remarkable improvement in transcription with better cartridges. You can only find it by experimenting, however. Some folks aren’t interested or don’t have the patience to futz with the adjustment but like everything audio, only you can decide what’s right for you.
Good luck & happy listening!
