I used an Aries 1 for about ten years and in that time I changed out everything but the plinth. I can agree with all the positive comments here and I’ll also add an anecdote. I ended up creating a bit of a ’Frankentable’ that couldn’t be compared to anything else so for that reason and others, I found myself wanting to start over with a clean slate. I sprang for a Kuzma Stabi R, partly inspired by the 4 point 11 tonearm I had installed on the Aries. When the Stabi came last spring, I transferred the 4 point tonearm to the new table. That gave me a controlled comparison of the Kuzma turntable and the VPI. The big surprise was that the difference wasn’t all that great. It was something an audiophile would hear, but I doubt my ’civilian’ friends would notice it. Kind of painful to admit that, given the cost of the Stabi R. I considered the upgrade process to be an exercise in learning about turntables and audio, so I didn’t mind that the value equation sort of went out the window.
a few points: a Teres Audio Verus II rim drive motor was a decisive upgrade. not sure if that’s available anymore but either way it’s expensive and changes the character of the turntable. (for the better IMHO).
classic platter with an upgraded (DIY) bearing was also key. I used a ceramic ball and optical lithic plate. there was a thread about this on the VPI forum but it may have been wiped. kind of gonzo but cheap and effective.
I went through the VPI tonearms from the original through the 3D to the Fatboy. I liked the latter but found the Kuzma 4 point to be another big jump up from there.
Mapleshade brass feet, powder coated black, screwed directly to the plinth, look and sound great. sitting on an HRS platform on top of a very sturdy rack.
peripheral ring, platter weight, mat, junction boxes, etc etc. all to taste.