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

They can get soundsmith too. My current preamp a Parasound Halo P7 has a switch for moving coil but that doesnt mean I might not try a very good MM. I am in a small condo with Martin logan Esl9 and 2 REL S5/10 SUBS. I moving a lot of air in a small place which is one of the reasons I chose the stability of a gimbaled arm over the VPI Unipivot. I may also consider the soundsmith MM because of its superior stability compared to a MC. The Hana is good but a REAL MC cartridge starts around 2 thousand bucks. 

Again Chakster its obvious you do your high end audio purchases at Best Buy.  A sincere good luck to you and a possible re-evaluation of your psych medication. 

Hana doesnt last. Reports are out that they burn out after 400 hrs. I want something that will do a 1000 hrs. 

It was a tough call. With the VPI you can do SO many upgrades to the table. You do have full adjustment of the arm. Plus it's a substantial table. Big and heavy. It looks and sounds expensive. The REGA RP10 is everything opposite the VPI. It's small and light. When in its skeleton plinth looks like a 500 dollar turntable. All you know that it's high end is the diamond machined ceramic platter. The ultra precision bearings are out of sight. I like it. It's very sleek, modern and very very quiet. I was offered a VPI HRX for 5 grand . It was tempting. But my digital is in need of a severe upgrade. AURELIC VEGA G2 DAC is next months purchase. 

I am thoroughly addicted to buying records. Cleaned out almost all the mobil fidelity vinyl at a local record store. Over 4 grand in vinyl purchased. 

No harm no foul goners. I have greatly appreciated all your input into this endeavor.  All your opinions are sound ones backed up by fact not fiction. This is not an inexpensive hobby and your inputs have helped me tremendously. High end Audio is and always will be full of opinions. There are hundreds of loudspeaker companies doing business and  hundreds of electronics companies doing business because we all like our music presented to us in different ways. Now, as I drop the needle on Steely Dan Aja I bid you farewell. 

I have forgotten more than all of you will ever know about high end audio. I started in the late 80's as a high end audio salesman for 2 different stores representing the names of VANDERSTEEN, KRELL, CONRAD JOHNSON, APPOGEE, AUDIO RESEARCH, MCINTOSH, B&W, SUMO, JEFF ROWLAND, MARK LEVINSON, VPI, REGA, LINN, ATMOSPHERE, ELECTRON KINETICS, CELESTION, DUNLAVY, QUICKSILVER, PSE, NAD, THORENS, BAT, ETC. Enough said. 

Love the old stuff!!! My Krell 400cx, Mark Levinson 23.5 and Jeff Rowland Model 1 all sound wonderful!!! All are serviced and might be as good as any solid state gear made today. 

I also heard the VPI DIRECT DRIVE. WHOOOAH!!! OK your are right direct drives CAN sound good. Take about dynamics!!! Better than HRX belt drive!!!

Bought the VPI as well and going back and forth the old VPI Scoutmaster SMOKES the REGA RP10. Going to see if I can exchange the Rega for a DAC. The VPI is WAY more quiet. NOW there is bass in the music. The arm sucks though. Very wobbly and unstable but the overall sound is amazing.  REGA is overrated. 

No way!!! Aren't used records beat up though? That's why I bought a 3 thousand record cleaner. I like my vinyl as quiet as digital. I got it right now pretty close. I have only been buying new records 

So now my 4 thousand dollar analog budget has come to the purchase of  2 turntables for 4500 bucks, 1 cartridge for 1200 a record cleaning machine for 3 thousand. I own 100 records now. 

Unfortunately that's the only arm that comes with the SCOUTMASTER.  JMW MEMORIAL TONEARM.  Unipivot offers less friction. Follows the grooves better. Superior sound. Bearings add friction and you lose detail. 

I was recommended a MC cartridge from Japan with a Japanese name starts with an S. Its 750 bucks. So using the phono stage in my Parasound P7 wont work? Lol. It's got a switch for MC. 

I also would add that I listen to digital through a 20 year old Linn Ikemi CD player. So 4 grand into a turntable or 4 grand into a DAC? Also wonder how that fire  that burned down a record plant in California will affect record production.  Ahhhhhh, but a record spinning on a big VPI table with a thick platter looks and sounds soooooo sexy!!! 

Only Linn product I ever liked is my 20 year old Linn Ikemi cd player. LP12 is all hype. VPI's blow them away. 

The table, arm and Hana cartridge is 2100 bucks. Figure a used phono stage for 900 and I'm in ar 3 grand. Not afraid to lose money if I get frustrated with it. My losses in stereo gear is in the thousands. If I am about to drop this amount, what other table/setup do you recommend?

Is the Scoutmaster with JMW memorual arm and a Hana SL a bad table or not? Preferences aside. Will this table blow away my Project debut carbon? 

Wow thanks for the recommendation millercarbon

rwortman that is what I am thinking. Ditch the whole thing. I have 300 bucks in a Project Debut Carbon table and about and maybe 600 bucks in Vinyl bought. I am headed in the direction of buying a good DAC and start streaming. 

Jrod68, I actually really enjoy going to record stores. I like that records are big. I can see the artwork on the album's, I am PHYSICALLY buying something. I just have a little Project debut carbon with a cheap grado cart but on some albums it sounds really good. That's what has brought me to this decision.  Maybe just upgrading my platter and a better cartridge on the Project will do the trick instead of spending 3 grand.  Worried though about the future of record production with that record plant that was destroyed by fire in Cali. 

I had a budget of about 4 grand to put into an analog setup. I think I am still going to do it but I am going to buy a used table for 2 grand and a used DAC for 2. Anyone heard of a Acoustic signature primus table? I can get one used for 1200 bucks. Then throw a 800 dollar Cartridge on it and call it a day. Anyone heard of Berkeley DAC's? BEL CANTO DAC? Can get those used for 2 grand. 

Everyone talking me out of getting the VPI SCOUTMASTER because of the unipivot arm. Anyone come to the defense of this arm and table. Mind you, I can pick it up used for 1500 bucks. 

I have a project debut carbon with a grado cartridge.  It sucks. Lots of background noise. Dull, lifeless, muddy sound. I am looking at this German table called Acoustic signature primus. Anyone heard of this table? I can get one used for 1200 bucks with a ortofon red. I figure I would throw on a 800 dollar cartridge and call it a day. 

Everyone here has poisoned me on VPI. Guess they suck. Now I am looking at a new Acoustic Signature primus or a Rega RP8. Any thoughts on those tables?

I have kicked VPI to the curb unless someone on here gives me a compelling reason to grab this SCOUTMASTER with JMW VALHALLA UNIPIVOT ARM for 1500 bucks without a cartridge.  The Acosutic signature primus at 2300 bucks comes with a bad cartridge but I can upgrade it in time. The REGA RP8 for 2 grand is a contender now but didnt know they used foam in the plinth. That may be a big issue. Once I get a setup I can just see myself immediately running to the record store and dropping 2 grand on new vinyl.  Oh wait, that will only buy me 50 records. Lol

Porsche, there is no substitute.  

 Yeah, just saw Music Direct advertising REGA RP8 FOR 2 GRAND!!! Just read about this table. Wow!!! Haven't heard it but everyone raves about it. This might be it!!!!

Totally forgot about the stylus!!! Ok, so if I get a Hana SL how long will it last vs say a 500 dollar moving magnet? 

Appreciate all the great advice goners!!!! You guys know  your stuff!!!

I am so pumped up about VINYL!!! I am driven to do this!!! It's the old VPI SCOUTMASTER  VS REGA RP8. Which one would you goners get?

Thank you rauliruegas I have decided to sell off everything and not pursue the hobby. Cant get good sound unless I spend about a hundred grand. 

Dealer demo Rega RP10 with a Benz Micro and a used BAT PHONO PREAMP. 

I am taking the plunge!!! Love it!! If it takes 10 grand to sound good I will do it!!!

I am pretty much done with VPI after hearing all the feedback on here and the design aspects of the arm. I am going REGA.  A stereo store local to me has a demo  Rega RP10 for 3 grand, I will put a 2 thousand dollar cartridge on it but a used phono stage for 2 grand and I will be doing just fine. As far as the DAC goes, I am looking at a Berkeley Dac or an AURELIC VEGA G2. State of the art is out of my budget but achieving a musical good sounding 2 channell system is in reach. 

 Lol!!! Now you got me back on this used SCOUTMASTER  I can get for 1500 bucks. The REGA RP8 on music direct is 2 grand. Can get a RP10 for 3 grand used.  Cartridge and phono stage will come later. I am focusing on a solid table to build a analog foundation on. Chime in goners which one should I get and why? 

STREAMING IS FOR PUNKS. LIKE GENERATION Y PLAYING THEIR PS3 AND XBOX's buying a boombox from best buy and saying they are an audiophile. 

REGA RP10 LOW QUALITY BELT DRIVE? CHAKSTER YOU DONT KNOW AUDIO GEAR TOO WELL AND SHOULDNT BE ON AUDIOGON. 

Artemus , NOW that sounds like good advice. 

Direct drives are junk. You never connect a motor to the deck and platter. Vibration. Direct drive is for low end record players. Virtually every 100k dollar table is BELT.  Technics is not EVEN close to same league as VPI or REGA. Unless YOU ARE A DISC JOCKEY. 

The Rega RP10 I bought was a demo and had a ORTOFON ANNA CARTRIDGE and a 10k dollar Audio research phono stage hooked up to it at the store. It was also on a 10k dollar audio rack. I wont be getting the performance I heard but at least it's possible since I have a good table to build upon.  Thoroughly satisfied.  Next up is a digital overhaul. 

Uberwaltz just because your system sounds like pandora on a cell phone doesnt mean you have to recommend it. 

Technics was always my favorite at Radio Shack. But I never spotted Mark Levinson gear next to it. 

I just bought the REGA RP10. Demo unit at a dealer for 3 grand out the door. Next is the cartridge. Probably going to be something inexpensive to start like a Hana SL for 750 bucks. I am looking at phono preamps. Not going to go expensive either. Looking at a BEL CANTO PHONO STAGE used for 800 bucks. . At least it will match my BEL CANTO DAC. We will see how this turns out. I can always upgrade cartridge and phono later.