Looking for a entry level audiophile turntable

Congrats.

I'll bet the Soundsmith modded Shure will easily dust the Sumiko Blackbird which is quite ordinary considering its' price.

Save your money for something special.

Dollar for dollar and with regards to value, the Music Hall MMF-5 smokes the VPI Scout.

So does the KAB.

So does the Marantz.

Regas are decent values but VPI is overpriced for almost every model. And in the Scout series you're stuck with the JMW-9 tonearm. A notorious underachiever.