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

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. 

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. 

@rauliruegas,

I will congradulate anyone who is passionate (or crazy 😎 ) enough to take on the challenge of vinyl which has so much "skin in game", and I respect that.  Sometime its more than the music, sometimes its also the experience, and today with so many options it really is Faithful to the Music Your Way.  Different strokes for different folks.  

Otherwise, the Rega has received near universal praise, and while the tonearm does not have the full compliment of adjustments, Jeff has the support of a local Dealer which can assist him, and of course today that is rare.  Otherwise, my TNT has two VPI tonearms the 10.5 and 12-3D, one with Soundsmith Carmen, the other a Soundsmith Paua.  But I am an engineer and experienced and have no problem setting each to my perfection, which is Faithful to the Music My Way.

You is a funny guy.......
But not in the sense you may think.
🤔🤔🤔

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. 

Dear @antinn  @artemus_5  : I understand your " congratulations" posts.

Now and I'm not talking of the TT it self but the tonearm and I know very well the philosophy of R.Gandy: knowing that and knowing that no single cartridge in the world ( and does not matters its price. ) comes with a perfect fit of the sylus tip to the cantilever and almost each cartridge comes with different rake angle.

Then, SRA/VTA and Azymuth tonearm mechanisms are a must to have no matters what if we want that each carrtridge can shows it at its best and the Rega tonearms has not SRA/VTA and Azymuth facilities.

So both of you already own tonearms with out those facilities? No? then why " congratulations " when Rega tonearms has a wide disadvantage for a precise cartridge set-up and we have to remember that it's the cartridge the one that pick-up the information on those recorded grooves and as better the tonearm/cartridge set-up as more recorded information we can get to enjoy it.

R.

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.

This is a proof how low is your knowledge about turntables, you have to learn something first. I’m afraid you’re living in parallel reality, brainwashed by audiophile press and "experts" in belt drives.

Do you know anything about records and how they are made ?

If you don’t know that Direct Drive is there from the start in process of vinyl production/manufacturing you’d better go back and learn from the start.

Every single lacquer for disc masters cut on DIRECT DRIVE, one of the most popular worldwide is Neumann Lathe. Of course you don’t know that Technics Direct Drive Motor SP-02 is what actually rotate Neumann Platter while a cutting stylus cut the groove on lacquer disc which is a source for disc master used for every vinyl release you ever heard/owned.

Reference Direct Cut LPs recorded on Direct Drive Lathe too, ever heard about it ? Those records are the finest quality, because there is no tape (or digital) between the musicians and vinyl master. Signal from the microphones goes to the mixing console and then direct to the cutter heard located over Direct Drive Lathe!

If Direct Drive motor could harm a signal coming from a cutter head, or could add any noise or whatever ... then no one in the industry would have to use Direct Drive Motors.

But there are NO cutting lathe with belt drive because this is inferior , cheap motor that can’t rotate on constant speed and only degrades in time, it is full or errors, very low torque motor.

And if you think that all those ugly belt drives cost so much because they are superior you’re so wrong, i’m sorry for you.

If you want to speak with the numbers looks for the prices for reference Direct Drive like Denon DP-100 for example. Don’t die of heart attack when you will see a price tag for this Direct Drive turntable. There are many other DD turntables that cost a lot more than you can even expect.  

Why did you post here ? Just to get approval from some users about your cheap low quality belt drive turntable ? Does it make sense for you ?

Many people tried to help you, but you just can’t hear anything.
Now you will do the same about cartridges.

@jeffvegas,  Congratulations. I'm sure it is a good table. I don't know about the BelCanto phono preamp cause I've not heard it. But I've never heard anyone speak of it either. Whatever the case, a good phono stage is a necessity in order to get the best from your TT. I'd rather spend the $$$ on a phono pre than the cartridge. Fact is that everything counts. Its only as good as the weakest link. But I suspect a lesser cartridge will give you more with a good preamp, verses high $$ cartridge on a lesser preamp.

From some of your posts, I sense some frustration on your part. Don't let that interfere with putting together a good vinyl playback system. There's a lot of good information on this board. Sorry if my earlier  post indicated different. You just have to learn to get to the info which is applicable to you. Anyway, enjoy the new TT 

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. 

jeffvegas,

Congradulations on your purchase, and your support of your local dealer, and your decision to buy based on what you saw and heard, better known as a very informed decision.

I will make one last recommendation for the Soundsmith Carmen MKII on sale for $699. This is a very easy cartridge to drive, your current preamp MM will drive it fine, no need to go buy a new phono preamp right away, and this cartridge is very forgiving, and has been well reviewed.   The hype-elliptical sylus is not exotic like a shibata, but nor is it as critical of vertical tracking angle, and the latest best documented stylus life puts them both at about 750-1000 hrs, https://thevinylpress.com/the-finish-line-for-your-phonograph-stylus/.   And, the Soundsmith cartridges are known to be quiet, they tend not to emphasize clicks and pops.  Also, you can send the cartridge back to Soundsmith and they will rebuild it for $199, and when they rebuild, they also replace/upgrade the suspension, so you get back effectively a like-new cartridge.  For moving coils, the best you can get without paying about 80% of the original cost is a re-tip with a partial cantilever replacement, but the suspension is not replaced.  However, if your dealer is selling the Hana and they will install, then that needs to be serious consideration as a 1st cartridge.

Dear @jeffvegas : """ Technics was always my favorite at Radio Shack. But I never spotted Mark Levinson gear next to it. """

from where or why do you posted that kind of no sense statement?

No sense because is coming for a not so smart/wise true analog/digital rookie.

Things are that I owned/own 3 Technics, 2 Denon and one JVC DD TTs 1 BD Micro Seiki and  2 BD Acoustic Signature and I own a pair of Levinson monobloks amplifiers.

Certainly not only a roockie but a " troller " too: very bad/terrible combination for your self because what you did or do it do not cares any one in this thread or every where. Got it?

R.

Dear @tomwh : First I can’t understand why instead to made a reference to me in an indirect way did not do it directly because as you I have a name too.

Now, """ have not built anything themselves so have no first hand knowledge of what is going on....""

way wrong: along a friend I designed/builded a first rate SS phonolinepreamp Essentiakl 3150 and 3160. ) that even today is a challenge even for the CH items and exist at least seven proudly owners to attest my statement.
In the other side I designed/builded too several tonearms and today I use a unique tonearm prototype that you can’t ever dream its quality performance levels and certainly is not unipivot for very good reasons/. In other time I let you know why not unipivots and I still owned at least two unipivots. No you have to learn by your self why no unipivots.
I always post first hand experiences nothing is just bla, bla,etc.

This has no sense when posted:

""" ask you what you wanted from vinyl. Notic .."""

yes you are " rigth " because maybe the OP wants to use the Vinyl as dinner table plates/dishes. " Agreee with you " ?????


But you as the OP showed through what you posted that your true knowledge levels are very low too:

""" The 3-5 grand cartridge statement is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard ..""


ridiculous? why? because you prefer the 103 or the cartridge mediocrity market niche?

Don’t tell me that you belongs too to that mediocrity/average audiophile. Could be that way, I really don’t care.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.


more: """ If hip hop, rap, punk, or electronic stuff is your thing maybe digital would be the way to go. ""


who told you is not for the analog alternative? " crazy " statements for say the least.

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. 

I'm wary of Scoutmasters as they can force you to tie knots and wear sketchy military style uniforms...I prefer my Linn as it doesn't "ask" me to do anything but listen 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. 

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

Jeffvegas,

If your talking a total of $10K, go big, this table VPI HRX will not last long at $5999, with free shipping from a dealer, www.ebay.com/itm/VPI-HR-X-Turntable-with-12-Tonearm-with-SDS/324081088366?hash=item4b74bcf76e:g:ORMA....  Add a nice cartridge later.

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.

But your missing the real savings in buying one of those mid fi Technics DD tables.
You won't have anymore need for anything digital, all the money saved on Cd's, Dacs, Streamers, Transports,.....etc etc....Just buy more records cause they're all going to sound like a 1990 vintage cd player anyway on the Technics. And...you can come on here and be superior to anyone...even with a mid fi unit that fewer want and fewer own. Pretend it's rare and be firm in knowing everyone else is wrong and even when it's obvious your driving people off the forums...keep shouting down at their cheap choices...take charge of the school yard...
😒

"pandora on a cell phone"
What doe's that even mean?
This is an odd thread. The OP's responses throughout the thread are not consistent with someone who looking to seriously purchase a substantial turntable.

Some responses seem like a kid  in junior high is answering.

Oh well, it's the internet. Enjoy whatever you buy.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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

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


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.


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.

Just woah!

Those three statements right there show me your total ignorance of the reality of music equipment and your tolerance of members on this forum and possibly life in general.

My advice now is to save your money and buy a $20 pair of IEM,s and listen to Pandora on your phone.

Ciao.

Jeff notice how not one of the people who talk in absolutes,  ask you what you wanted from vinyl.  Notice how the ones who talk in absolutes  have not built anything themselves so have no first hand knowledge of what is going on.  The 3-5 grand cartridge statement  is the most ridiculous  thing I have ever heard.   

If  I where in your shoes and going belt drive I would look at the heaviest  platter available , in your price range.  Then you can play with different  motors and controllers  down the road.  Maybe get a old aluminum  platter vpi and buy the new motor / controller , that Phoenix made for Sota.   Unipivots can sound glorious. How many  people who tell  you that all unipivots are garbage , have  built any,  or even remotely  understand the principles. 

If you are looking for what real acoustical  music can sound like, then your vinyl pursue should be worth  the effort.  If hip hop,  rap,  punk, or  electronic  stuff is your thing  maybe  digital  would be the way to go.

Enjoy the ride
Tom

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?

 My choice of those three would be the RP10. 

That said, this thread needs a little balance. Some here are claiming nothing under $10K competes with direct-drive, another is claiming direct-drive is just DJ junk. Both of these assertions are unequivocally false. Anyone with ample experience with reference examples of both should know that either can sound excellent, with any measurement imperfections far below the threshold of the media  (the noise floor that's literally cut/pressed into the grooves). And no, it doesn't take a $15K investment to get reference quality sound from either design type. I have a $3K belt-drive table (sans arm) that maintains speed within .03% of perfect according to a KAB Speedstrobe. Most listeners can't detect a pitch change under 1%.  

If direct drive were so inferior, VPI wouldn't be charging $30K for their DD model. If belt-drive is so inferior, Mikey Fremer would just use a 1200G, sell his Caliburn and pocket five figures. Further, if direct-drive was so inherently superior, the DD behemoth, Micro-Seiki, wouldn't have bothered to produce flagship models like the SX-8000.  

I do. It’s not that simple if your LOMC cartridge cost $4500 and to replace it (when the stylus is worn) you will have to pay 60% of the new cart again. It not always 80%, but even 60% from $4500 is $2700 ! In the MC world even $4500 is not the highest price and i had those cartridges before (never again).

If one can't afford the replacement/retip cost, then it's stupid to purchase that cartridge in the first place. I would agree with you if your argument were that anyone on a tight budget should stick with MMs. Replacement cost is  irrelevant, as it costs approximately 66 to 80% of the whole assembly to fit nearly any CURRENTLY-produced cartridge with a new stylus. Cartridge affordability really comes down to "act your wage." 

Dear @jeffvegas: Please take a look to this gentleman system and due that he is using streaming digital alternative could be according you a Punk. Observe too that he does not use a BD TT and certainly no unipivot tonearm and his room/system is over 300K and a reference for any audiophile for its quality performance levels:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/615

Problem you have is that you have very low knowledge levels not only in analog but in the digital alternative too and you showed that low knowledge levels through all your posts.

That’s the problem you have and it’s a problem for almost any one of us trying to help you because through your posts you said " things " as if you be a true expert in what you say when you are not.

From where did you took all those " crazy " things you posted? when you have no first hand experiences. LOL!

I think that you are not a PUNK but: did you already listened to a native DSD512 streaming? I know for sure you did not but you are an " expert ". How is that?

" Direct drive are junks.. "" who told you? the Technics I liked you is only the Technics entry level but seems to me that you tal just for talk understanding nothing in the main subjects.

A TT always is important but more important is the tonearm that will be mated with the cartridges and you just don’t care about. Go figure!

@helomech , elitist? wrong way wrong. That I put the nail where its hurt does not means I’m elitist because I’m not.
Look in a " poblation "/mix or conglomeration of people the 70-80% of them stay in the average/mediocrity range, 10% in the worst/very poor range and 10% in the excellence range. Where are you? you don’t need to have the mikelavigne room/system to put you feets in the top 10% range. First you need knoledge/skill high levels and then a little money to use that knowledge levels you have.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@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.   

Dear @jeffvegas : I don't know you but I don't like mediocrity/average audio items, digital or analog.

All the advises here for analog and what you are asking for are in the mediocrity land, belongs to this territory.

In the digital domain the advises are in the mediocrity level too as that Benchmark.

If you like the mediocrity then go for what ever you think you need.

If you don't like and don't want stay in that mediocrity then you need to make a wise decision. In the analog alternative you need a phono cartridge in the 3K-5k  price range and only for the cartridge. You need that cartridge along a TT, a tonearm ( not unipivot, no matters what. ) and a first rate phono stage and you can't do it for less than 10K.

In the digital alternative you can go out of the mediocrity starting at your budget of 4K and up for the DAC.

Everything can " sounds " but not everything can sounds out of the mediocrity. Is up to you not the other gentlemans ( including me. ) in this thread.

Typical hogwash from an audiophile elitist -- ignorance on par with a flat-earther.

Artemus , NOW that sounds like good advice. 

@jeffvegas
The problem with asking questions here anymore is that you will get 50 different answers from people who’s knowledge is questionable but their bias is not. Direct drive, belt drive, idler drive, gumball arm, uni pivot and now DJ tables which came into vogue when the cheap idler drive TT became all the rage, 7-8s ago.  AAMOF, CHEAP seems to be the criterion for all things audiophool today. I’ve tried to stay away from endorsing my bias (VPI) But IMO, the Scoutmaster is a good start and will serve you well as a base of knowledge. Especially at $1500. The uni pivot arm is different and wobbles because its on a uni-pivot point. But its no problem if you use the cue lever which you should do with any arm. Use the SM and then if you want to upgrade, sell it for little (if any) loss and move on. By that time you will have zeroed in on whatever path you want to go. The key is research and knowing the players and learning what you like

Forget the streaming for the time. You will need to focus on one thing at a time. get your vinyl established & the go for the streaming.Never upgrade 2 components at a time. Too many variables to make a proper assessment. So now you have 51 opinions. Enjoy whatever route you take. Just take one. If you don’t like it, try again.That too is education.

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. 

CHAKSTER YOU DONT KNOW AUDIO GEAR TOO WELL AND SHOULDNT BE ON AUDIOGON.

Why do you use capslock ?

Even Raul advised you a brand new Technics SL1200G, our Uberwaltz did the same and advised you Direct Drive turntables, you just wasting your time with all those Belt Drives, i’m afraid you just don’t understand what is a turntable/tonearm and your thread is pointless. You just asking same question ignoring what people telling you, those who tried to help (like myself).

If you think i don’t know audio gear very well then look at my system or on my second system., or more. Not to mention many other turntables, all tonearms and cartridges i have on hands.

Look for serious Japanese Direct Drive, not your Rega and other funny looking overpriced bad quality belt drive crap that can’t even rotate on constant speed.

Use the belt on your pants, it is much better there, not on a turntable.

Dear @jeffvegas : """  I am focusing on a solid table to build a analog foundation on. """

I agree with @fleschler  VPI as TT is better than the Project or Rega as BD TTs and agree with him that unipivots are not for LPs.

The Technics I liked to you is really inexpensive but it can challenge any TT over 10K. Technics was in the audio several years before VPI or other BD manufacturers and Technics is member of the gigant Matushita japanese enterprice with all its resources for research and manufacturer qualuity second to none.

Technics is not only a first rate DD TT but comes with very good gimbal ( low friction bearings. ) bearing and uses magnesium as build material that is self dampened and this tonearm is a true cartridge foundation. We have to remember that cartridge/tonearm combination is one audio item due to extremely dependent/relationship in between cartridge and tonearm.
The Technics removable headshel tonearm design permits to mate every single cartridge with the tonearms because you can have several different weigth, different build material and different building shape headshells to mate any cartridge characteristics. Along all those you can change the headshell wires  for better ones ( this is really a critical point. ) and latter on you can rewire the tonearm with a silver wire that's really good.

No one can't go wrong with Technics.

Now, I don't know why you are sticked with BD TT maybe because you could think that a external motor can give you lower noise/distortion levels but things are not in that way not with Technics DD TT or other DD units.
Example the Technics  vintage SP10MK3 came with a SN figure of -92db and the vintage Pioneer Exclusive P3a with an outstanding -95db !! no single vintage or today BD can compare it, all BD are far away of those real DD specs.  As many of us I think that you need to learn by your self with less imagination by your self. You need to " work " with facts.

@helomech  that DAC with the latest AKM device for only 700.00 is a state of the art bargain today. Thank's for the link.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

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. 

If you have to ask that question no doubt you are better off focusing on nailing your digital. Focus on streaming.  It’s the 21st century now dude. 

A solid turntable is a DIRECT DRIVE turntable, not a belt drive at your price range. Several people advised you a Direct Drive earlier, but you are still talking about low quality belt drives. If you want to spend your money on quality then look for Direct Drive (new or vintage), you can’t get anything better than DD with your budget even if you think you can.

 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? 

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.

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)?   

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

State-of-the-art in digital can be had for a mere $700:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-d90-balanced-usb-dac-review.10519/

I’m sorry that you were turned off the VPI. You can take solace in knowing that the Rega is a S’Phile Class A. Then too, 3 VPI tables are in the Class A., all w/ unipivot arms. Both tables/arm have their adherents and their detractors. Another item you will need (or really want) is a Pete Riggle VTAF which when used with the Rega arm will allow easier  VTA adjustment. The stock Rega requires shims to adjust VTA which is a PITA. This is for SME but I'm pretty sure he makes them for Regas also. Good luck and enjoy.

https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Tone-Arms/Pete-Riggle-Engineering-and-Audio/VTAF/For-All-SME-Tonearm-Models/10675

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. 

Dear @uberwalts : You are almost rigth and agree with you.

Yes, more important than money ( that always is welcomed. ) is our knowledge and skills levels and this knowledge/skills are not achieved through audio forums but by first hand experiences over several years with a self training through tests and errors.

The  true sound quality differences between any $  audio system is the knowledge/skills levels of the system owners.

As I said I'm against mediocrity/average sound and that's why my advise is that the OP try to start ( first step ) at an excellence land with a 4K DAC  that with help him to know if his systems can honor that DAC quality level performaNCE OR HE NEEDS TO CHANGE ANOTHER OR OTHERS SYSTEM LINKS IN HIS SYSTEM CHAIN.
At the end I don't care what the OP can decide I'm just posting an opinion and that's all.

@dimora , I'm not against VPI other than its unipivot tonearms that can't honor  the quality sound of any cartridge but that does not means is the best at its level price because something almost unexpensive like this DD TT outperforms any VPI rig but the VPI DD model:

https://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1200g.html

and this Technics TT comes with very good tonearm too with that advantage of its removable headshell to mate easily any cartridge to it.

In the other side, there are differences between cartridges in different range price and in the rigth audio rystem a 5K cartridge always will outperforma a 2K-3K ones.
Btw, in the rigth system do you already listen ( example ) the Lyra Etna cartridge?

Yes, I agree with you that exist several 40K-50K audio systems that outperforms 300K + systems and outperforms it because a very low knowledge/skills levels of the owner.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I’ve got ~2000 records and also have a nice Roon server with TIDAL and Qobuz and a bunch of DACs...so I hope my advice is helpful here. I went to Axpona and listened to $300,000 systems two years ago that sounded like crap and heard some $5,000 systems that sounded very, very nice. The amount you spend does NOT correlate to sound quality; picking the right components DOES MATTER, so ignore the guy above that says you need to drop a minimum of $5,000 on a cartridge.

Vinyl first, since you asked. The three most important things are:

Clean, un-scratched records (so you don’t have clicks and pops)
A good cartridge
A phone stage that matches the cartridge

So...first get a record cleaning machine if you are seriously pursuing vinyl listening. I have a Nitty Gritty, but there are many great ones (VPI, Record Doctor, Pro-Ject Audio Desk, etc.). You can get a Record Doctor VI from Audio Advisor for $300 bucks.

Cartridge next. I personally prefer moving coil (MC) after listening to many. I’ve tried Grado MM and Ortofon (MC Quintet Blue), Benz Micro and Goldring (Eroica LX). Denon also makes a killer cartridge (DL-103R) that is legendary which is a nice value if it matches your tonearm.

I would suggest the Ortofon MC Quintet lineup as I have a "Blue" that sounds absolutely fantastic for the money...but you need to match the mass of the cartridge to the tonearm you choose. That is where a dealer can help you choose unless you want to do a lot of research.

You may be able to use your existing phono stage if the cartridge you choose works with your stage. If not, you can go solid state or tube phono stage. A great bang for the buck is the Pro-Ject lineup. I run a tube Pro-Ject Tube Box S at around $600, but you can nuts there as well and get into the thousands. Parasound is a great brand for a high-end dedicated phono pre.

On to the table. It spins the record and you don’t want it to pick up vibration from your environment or from the motor. It’s a simple thing...but there are audible differences. I’m not knocking direct drive like a Technics, but I personally have listened to a lot of setups and I prefer something with an outboard motor...which gets the motor noise AWAY from the cartridge. VPI makes fine turntables...don’t listen to these folks that obviously cannot hear and are on the internet bandwagon of hating VPI for some strange reason. I’ve heard plenty of amazing sounding VPI setups.

I run a Music Hall MMF9.1 with an upgraded tonearm (Pro-Ject 9C evolution). I listened to a lot of tables...and I love the Sorbothane isolaters and multiple plinths that the Music Hall offers which kill any vibration from your dwelling quite nicely. I also like the separate motor and belt drive. Bang for the buck is huge as well. Music Hall tables are made by Pro-Ject...another great table is the Pro-Ject RPM 9 carbon. It’s a killer value. I own both; I prefer the Music Hall as it is better isolated, but the RPM 9 is no slouch. Also check our EAT which is made by Pro-Ject.

The above will get you spinning your vinyl...and then as your knowledge grows, you can decide on upgrades that cost a LOT more but offer only small improvements. You can also see if you "stick with" vinyl.

If you want to stream, I like the cheap Pro-Ject Pre-Box S2 digital to get you started along with a TIDAL and QOBUZ subscription. I use a Roon server and think the lifetime license is worth every penny; you can run it on a NAS or a PC or a dedicated high dollar device. A modern PC with an SSD is sufficient.

For step-up DAC’s, buy a Schiit Gungnir with Multibit or a Schiit Yggdrasil...or if you want MQA, buy a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, a Schiit EITR to feed it from a PC and an SBooster BOTW power conditioner to clean up the power feed if you want reference level modern DAC conversion. Also check out Denafrips.

Opinions are like you-know-what. I tried to offer actual shopping lists in the above without breaking the bank and getting you going...and then you can upgrade items one-by-one as your knowledge and experimentation allows.

I would not hesitate to buy that VPI you are looking at...get it a new cartridge...plug it into your existing phono stage (if it is a match)...buy a record cleaning machine and ENJOY! Why not get a streaming setup going at the same time? It’s all about the music!

You have to use your ears and not just go by what you read on the internet. I built this setup with an analog A:B XLR switchbox and identical amps just so I can A:B stuff and find out what stuff REALLY sounds like:

https://images42.fotki.com/v905/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_4040-vi.jpg

https://images40.fotki.com/v381/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_3566-vi.jpg

Records are awesome:

https://images46.fotki.com/v678/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_1565-vi.jpg

Should I buy a VPI SCOUTMASTER? No. Buy the Super Scoutmaster Reference. Thereby skipping past a couple of upgrade bugs in the future. 

a vintage thorens td125 mk 2 with an SME S2 **UN IMPROVED** arm fitted with a nagaoka mp 300 would be perfect. Get a mm cartridge since it has changable stylus and it does not need a 2 k phono stage. A used avid pellari or a schiit mani is perfect. 
To me the most important thing is that altho they are not as good as line contact styli, ellipticals are MUCH easier to align and not as fiddly to set up. So if u want to spend more time listening to music than setting up the table stick with elliptical styli. 

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

RP8 + Apheta2 + PS Audio NuWave preamp.  I love vinyl, but the ritual...not so much.  Lately, I’ve been using the NuWave to archive LPs at DSD double, or I’d go back to the Rega Aria.  A clean record played on good gear is still quality listening, and a well matched setup needn’t go more than $4K if you’re willing to shop around. FWIW.  Best of luck with your system!

No

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