Should I buy a VPI SCOUTMASTER. I OWN 25 RECORDS.

cackster-I fully agree with you.  DD is a standard in disc cutting and DD can be equal to BD.  

As to the $5000 HRX, if it is sold with the upgraded platter and an SDS unit, yes, it's still a great TT.  If it includes a decent arm such as my SME IV, it's a steal.  Just get a good isolation platform like my Townsend Seismic Sink to obtain maximum sound quality (my VPI TNT VI is very similar to an HRX).

@chakster  I agree with all you wrote concerning DD tables except for the last statement.  Note that VPI makes belt, rim and DD driven tables, all with noteworthy, high quality sound potential. It's not a matter of quality, only the end result that a buyer should consider.

Or get a nice Jelco or used SME IV or V arm. You will have bass with it and a VPI table like you wouldn’t believe. I never had a bass issue even with the SME IV and VPI 19-4 until 2005. It smokes Project and Rega tables and with the SDS, is truly running at the correct speed.

I've heard one of Donald Fagen's solo albums on LP on an $850,000 system which included Avante Garde Trios, 3 pairs of Basshorns and 2 Rel Subwoofers.  The deep bass was phenomenal (about the only thing I appreciated in that system).  Sure it was summed mono below 50 Hz but wow was it deep below that.  Yes, digital can have superior deep bass in stereo.  My own system has bass down to 25 Hz with 6-12" woofers (room doesn't support the 13 Hz claim of the manufacturer).  This is with either analog or digital.  The OP shouldn't worry about bass quality with a VPI/SME combination.

I have 25,000 LPs.  About 15,000 are in mint condition and of adequate pressing quality as to exhibit no clicks or pops.  One cannot determine whether a CD or an LP is playing other than the additional ambiance of the LP over a CD is often present.  As to the other LPs with clicks and pops, my higher end analog system negates the interference of those sounds (minimizes their impact) relative to the dynamic sound of the music.  

You can double your collection for $20 at the Record Parlour store in Hollywood, CA.   The Record Parlour@RecordParlour

#FREE #VINYLRECORDS! Take up to 100 #Records w/ any $20 purchase. 40,000+ overstock #LPs #Cassettes and #DJ #Vinyl liquidated at The @RecordParlour Jan 19-21, 2019.  The last time I was there in 2019, I got 155 excellent classical and some pop records for $28 in the store purchase.  The store purchases were four very good condition Ramsey Lewis Jazz ARGO LPs and I forgot what else.  Spend $100 and get 500 free records.  

The $28 were for 4 VG+ condition Ramsey Lewis ARGOs.  The free records are a mix of classical, pop and country.  Virtually no jazz or classic rock.  However, the condition of 75% of the 155 LPs were in excellent or mint condition.  I chose some rare 50s classical and pop in VG+ condition with only 8 clunkers.  That's a fantastic ratio for free LPs.  Hey, don't go there and leave more good LPs for me.  P.S. Some genres of music on LPs have very low market value such as opera.  Difficult to give away.  The store has a very good selection of mostly pop, rock and jazz at very reasonable prices.  I'm not about to wreck a Benz Ruby 3 $3000 cartridge on dreck condition LPs.

I own a VPI 19-4 and a VPI TNT 6, both tricked out.  The 19-4 has an Ultracraft unipivot and the TNT has a tricked out SME IV and Benz Ruby 3.  The unipivot was not my favorite for LPs (bought the SME 7 years later) but it does sound great with a Grado 78e cartridge.  Also, the 19-4 has a sprung chassis and rubber feet.  Very quiet table.  The TNT 6 on the other hand, I was thinking of dumping it when I first bought it in 2005.  A month later, the dealer sold me the Townsend Seismic Sink. The TNT 6 became an award winner table for the price with the Sink.  I would have to spend at least $10K+ to get a better table now.  Plus the VPIs share an SDS speed controller as well.  Great 78 and LP sound.  I've heard half a dozen other TTs that I would like but they are much more expensive (and usually have superior isolation-what's with VPI back in the 2000s)?   

I would recommend a VPI 19-4 first for the price, then a Scoutmaster or Aries on the used market. I do not like the Project tables at the same price as used VPIs and read that Rega tables under $2,000 have speed problems (too fast). One problem mentioned is clicks and pops. A non-hyperesolution or tipped up sounding analog frontend/pre-amp will have surface noise diminish with better quality equipment. The SugarCube is one way to ameliorate the problem (I’d like to buy one for my 78s though the same thing-higher quality TT resulted in reduced surface noise). The remaining problem for my 25,000 LP and 7,000 78 record are record wear. Buying used records is a crapshoot more often when the records are worn. Worn record sound is a problem and can be aggravating. Different stylus tips can help to reduce the problem by seeking less worn groove areas. Luckily, more of my LPs have seen nominal play, often just a few times prior to my purchasing them. Once purchased, I may play them 100+ times with no deleterious effect (keep the stylus clean and correctly installed and keep the record clean).  Once played, the vinyl, snaps back to it's original groove form within 24 hours-it is a durable medium.

@jeffvegas I also suggest the new Technics SL1200G as a sound audiophile TT.  It is reasonably priced, durable and is superior to the prior DJ iterations.  There are several very high end DD TTs now including VPI.  Technics made some great DD TTs that sell for more than you are looking to purchase.