New turntable/tonearm combo from VPI

I don't know if anyone has already made a post about the new turntable/tonearm combination that VPI is now selling, but I thought making this post might prove useful to the many readers who are contemplating the purchase of an analog front end.

Yesterday's mail brought a promo flyer from Music Direct, which is now selling VPI's new turntable/tonearm combination, called the VPI Scout. The turntable is essentially a scaled-down version of the Aries, with a new 9" version of the JMW tonearm, the JMW-9. The Scout turntable, despite its smaller overall footprint, still offers an outboard stand-alone motor assembly, heavy acrylic platter (from the picture, it appears to be 1" thick), Delrin clamp, and fixed suspension chassis with isolating cone point feet. The JMW-9 tonearm looks virtually identical to the JMW-10/10.5, and comes with a VTA device that can be upgraded to the "on the fly" adjustable VTA base. The platter and bearing assembly are also upgradable.

Music Direct's retail price for the Scout TT and the JMW-9 tonearm combo is $1500.

This TT/tonearm combo should offer a LOT of performance for the price, and is certainly worth consideration by anyone wanting to acquire a modestly priced but good analog front end. If any of our readers already have first-hand experience with this combo, please share your comments with the rest of us.