VPI Analogue Drive System

I just got through reading the whole thread on the VPI forum about this unit...the one that closed down May 5.  All I can say is WOW.  Such invective! 
I missed out on the Eagle/Roadrunner units because I wasn't really interested in this until now.  I would only get the ADS if it made a difference in sound quality and there seems to be surprisingly little comment about this.  I'm also concerned about the on/off switch on the motor eventually giving out.
I may have to take a leap of faith and purchase one from MusicDirect with a 60 day right of return if the unit makes noise in my system.

Its very rare that a speed control doesn't enhance sound quality. It should be a nice upgrade. If you don't want to spend $1000, Sutherland makes a really good one for $400. Cable Company is a Sutherland dealer, They'll send send you a demo unit to try in your system.

https://www.thecableco.com/Product/Timeline

If you want to know the difference between the sds and the and the ads, call Hollywood Sound in Hollywood Florida. 90 percent of his business is TT related. I can't think of anyone more qualified. He's also known for good deals.
 

Thank you for your responses.  Using the Platterspeed Feickert phone app I know my unit runs a little fast, about 33.5 rpm.  It seems fairly consistent.  It seems to me the Sutherland unit will tell me the same, but how does it slow it down to 33.3 or maybe I would want 33.2 for some recordings that sound too bright?

Keeping the speed at 33.3 is an important function of a speed controller, but it is not the most important thing. Maintaining that speed without micro-speed changes is even ore important and is heard in better, smoother, sound. I can vouch for the ability of the SDS and the Eagle to achieve these goals--and the Eagle (or Falcon)/RR combo is a particularly elegant and simple way to do both.

The VPI ADS can do it, but it is a machine that has been plagued by problems traceable IMO to a less than the best design and the use of very cheap parts. Do you watch "Shark Tank?" Do you know what margins are? I, personally, would not buy one of these things.

At the same time Bill Carlin (Phoenix) has published DIY material for people to make their own speed controllers and it looks like some people may be getting together to turn these out--either as kits or built. If I had to decide now, I would get something I could sell easily (like an old SDS or VPI PLC) and wait to see what happens.

For a tech view of all this have a look at http://turntablepsu.com/vpi.html Though unsigned, it’s probably written by Bill Carlin; nobody knows as much as he does about this stuff.

The Southerland device referred to above, by the way, is NOT a speed controller. It’s just a very expensive strobe.