How does the VPI Aries II stand up to current mid priced tables?

The Aires has always been an elegant TT. Just for reference I run an original TNT with an acrylic-lead platter and a TNT V bearing with an upgrade that includes a ceramic bearing and sapphire thrust plate. Also a Roadrunner and Eagle, and a flywheel.

I don’t think there was ever an aluminum/lead/Delrin platter. The originals for the TNT and Aires were as I still have, acrylic-lead. IMO acrylic was dropped, not because of SQ reasons, but for reasons of price in the raw goods and in the fabrication. Aluminum is much easier, and less expensive. Of course, that’s not what they say.

If I were in your place I would do three things. I would get the motor, speed control and Roadrunner from SOTA. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it combo with real performance. It beats anything VPI has ever made available. They have promised more, but that turned out to be vaporware. I would get the VPI second pivot for your arm. It will then behave more like a bearing arm. That’s not particularly important to me, but it will then be very easy to control azimuth, perhaps the most important setting on a cartridge, and probably improve bass. Finally, the problem with the all acrylic platter IIRC was said to be that it lacks the weight of other VPI platters. Which is why VPI went to the Superplatter. The weight contributes to the all important speed stability, the flywheel, of the platter. Before giving up on it and looking at other possibilities, I would glue lead sheeting to its underside to the extent that clearance with the TT base allows.

@bdp24 
Well, you have jogged my memory and there was indeed a short-lived 3 part platter initially introduced in the TNT II and no doubt carried over to the Aires.  I do, though, remember the black plastic as acrylic including for the base of my TNT which is entirely of the black acrylic.  At least, the platter was always referred to as acrylic in the reviews and they could only have gotten that from HW.  The acrylic and lead platter was first introduced in the HW-19 as an upgrade to the original aluminum-lead platter.  That platter was very well received for its SQ in TAS.  In any event they stopped using lead shortly after the first Aires IIRC.  Perhaps I misunderstand something you wrote about the TNT V.  The platters in the TNT V used a non-inverted bearing so they could not be used in the Aires 2 if it is set up for inverted.  Or are you saying that the TNT-5 was changed to an inverted?

I believe there was a period during which they used the all acrylic (clear) platter on the TNT V and later offered the stainless-acrylic (black) as an upgrade.

As I wrote, I think they dropped acrylic for its cost and the original bearings for the same reason.

@bdp24
I don’t think the finish is determinative of the plastic content. What you acknowledge to be a clear acrylic platter also had a matte finish. The finish on the platters was likely due to the machining of them. They were machined for precision. They had to be more precise than the plinth. I also think that what you refer to as the "solid delrin" platter was acrylic with a lead insert at the bottom. HW commented on some of these reviews (especially on the superiority of the original acrylic-lead platter) and likely would have corrected the review if it were really Delrin, as that is a more expensive plastic, I think.

Finally, in an exchange on the Asylum HW wrote, "Changed to acrylic because I fell for the BS that the acrylic would work well with the vinyl as the impedence is similar and the vibrations would be grounded faster, quicker, and more effectively. Must admit it worked with the lead in the acrylic platter and we produced it. Made it for 18 years." and

"It is a series of compromises when making anything today. In an ideal world I would make lead filled acrylic platters from acrylic made by US manufacturers. Sadfully that is not the case and never will be again."

This is not to deny that VPI continues to make excellent products and support them as few other companies do. It does, however explain why I would not exchange my platter for anything that came later. And that’s why I made the platter recommendation to the OP.

@bdp24

You write, "I know Harry . . . used the term Acrylic interchangeably with Delrin" And just how do you know this? He definitely knew the difference. His clamps were made of Delrin. He writes repeatedly and consistently of his acrylic lead platters as do all the reviewers. But for color his clear platters look just like the black ones. A review of his super platter here refers to its acrylic/stainless/acrylic sandwich. Where do you suppose they got that information from?

Has the rest of the world got it wrong? Believe what you wish. I’m done here.