Looking to upgrade from a Marantz tt15 to something vpi?


Here is my current situation. I am trying to build a system that I will have for quite a while and stop trying to upgrade all the time. My current system is a pair of focal electra 1038 be speakers, primaluna DiaLogue premium HP amp and premium preamp, and a Fosgate signature phono preamp for my analog along with the Marantz tt15 and the clearaudio virtuoso cartridge. I have always liked the looks of the vpi tables and have considered them but always out of my reach. My Marantz tt15 just doesn't match all of my black gear and I know it's stupid, but it bugs me. So I was looking at a vpi aries black night with some upgrades and it would be about a grand more than I could sell mine for. I'm mainly just looking used to try and find as good of a deal as possible. I will be looking in the 3 grand or less range and just wondering how much I would notice in quality improvement over the Marantz table if I spent another grand or two trying to get a better one. I have a like new denon 103r cartridge sitting around that I could use on a new table until I could get an even better one. Any suggestions are more than welcome. Thanks 
aj1735

Showing 5 responses by aj1735

I have looked at those super prime scouts on the upscale audio website and they look pretty impressive. Does something like that get me the most performance for the money vs getting an older used one that was a "better" or at least more expensive when it was new? Would that be worth a grand more than like the aries black night with some upgrades? I know it's all relative but just trying to get the most performance out of the money and not have to worry about wanting to upgrade anytime soon. 
I'm not saying that I have to use the denon or that I'm in love with it, but it's just sitting on a shelf and could be used if needed to. 😊 I think that I have a couple others sitting around too but I think they are lower end yet. I think there is a grado gold, some shure, and maybe another but I can't remember for sure. 
Just so many options. Lol I just want to know that I'm going to notice a decent sized improvement over my current table if I spend an extra grand or two grand or so. I'm not limited to just vpi but they have been the main ones that I've been looking at. I want to be nice looking also and be preferably black too. 
I can't believe how similar our systems are. Lol what turntables did you use before the classic? I just don't know what direction to go. I had one person tell me that I should look at some of the other clearaudio tables like the performance DC table. Any opinions about other tables that might be options are welcome also. I just don't have a ton of experience with a lot of different turntables like these. The Marantz is the best one I've had. 
I'm definitely trying to look at all options available. The only dealers here around Des Moines have some lower end ones, the same Marantz and a McIntosh. That's about the extent of it. So my only way to learn anything is to read and hear from people with some experience with some other options that would be in the budget. So that's why I came here. 😁