Rega P3-24 Vs VPI Scout.

Well, not just a Technics - a KAB mod'd Technics. Although the stock SL-1200 is shockingly good stock. With KABs tonearm rewire and the KAB fluid damper there's no question I'd choose it over either the Scout or Rega.

As far as one table working better for one genre versus another. No matter what you spend, analog is a game of compromises. The type of music is going to determine, in my opinion, what compromises are going to work best. Classical music is going to demand a very quiet background. Rock is going to demand PRAT and drive. Piano jazz, rock solid speed stability, etc. You get the point I'm sure.

The Rega has great PRAT and the Scout very black background and they both have pretty good speed stability for a belt drive in this price range. The reason I love the KAB SL-1200 is that I mostly listen to rock and jazz. The KAB has unbeatable speed stability - world class at this price point - and it has fantastic PRAT too. It's not quite as quiet as the Scout in my opinion but damn close.

Let me put it this way. I've owned Rega, VPI, JA Michell, Roksan, etc and I still have the KAB in my main system. I'm sure that there will be many who disagree but I'd give Kevin at KAB USA a call before I spent a dime.

Just my 2 cents!

As insulting and naive as I find Viridian's comments, he is correct about Rega's engineering. They do take the "less is more" approach. However, there are varying effective routes to dealing with vibration - as is evidenced by the quite heavy Technics.

But, hey what do I know - I'm too busy filling up my 10,000 square foot McMansion and building a garage big enough to hold my fleet of Hummers.... yeah, right!

Man, I could go for a cheeseburger - haven't had one in a couple of hours.

Im a P3 owner. And if i would have paid the full price new i would be disapointed, but fortunately i got one used at a very good price. I say that because the P3 is very cheap in many way. BUT, what make the P3 so attractive is it's simplicity and ease to play music. The P3 is like an HOT ROD once customized you can get a very high performance TT for a real bargain.

I dont know for the VPI Scout but this one look very nice and the quality seem there. Price to price i would get the VPI without any esitation.

Or get a used P3 and mod it to get a killer TT for the same price.

I had a Scout and a Technics SL1200 and now a Rega P9. If you can stretch your budget, pick up a used Rega P9. it has every option so that you will not be tempted to modify it, which will cost more in the long run with the Scout or P3 24.