VPi HW 19 jr upgrade


I have a the above table with MKII platter, Audioquest arm and Grado Sonata. With the multitude of used VPI tables, platters and factory supplied upgrades whats my best sub $1,000 route?
Interesting thing is most VPIs and other manufactures tend to go unsprung these days in this price range and above verses the MKII +++ type of layout. My HW JR has the sorbathane pucks. I'd like advice from from experienced VPI owners. What route should I go with the table and or should I get a different arm? Thanks,
steve
128x128ssurbaugh
Certainly getting rid of the rubber feet is the next and quick
change. Looked at the Audiopoints and Dan's site, Eden Audio. Nice prices there and sent him an email.
I like the maple base idea too and butcher block verses audiophile base.
BTW, I initially installed the VPI/Jelco adjustable VTA base for the arm. It came with the table. What a POS..Unstable, poorly designed and didn't work to boot. Have that around here somewhere.
Ssurbaugh If you want a pic of what my VPI looks like with Edensound feet and Maple base, send me your email address and I'll respond. BTW, just a customer, I have no financial interest with any vendors I mentioned.
My sincere apologies to the moderators, I should realize that the holidays are upon us, and that people have lives, sorry folks.

Some of my info above may be slightly flawed as well. I see now, according to VPI's site, a listing for a Super Scoutmaster Platter to fit the HW-19, which may possibly be what was once called a newer version "MK-IV Platter" (without lead ring)?

There's many ways one could go with suspension tricks between Plinth and Base. At one time, many claimed foam Pool Noodles worked well, but I would imagine that after time, sagging, and an inherit lowering of the Plinth within the Base will occur due to weight.

Ultra hard products would possibly make gains in some certain areas of the sound, but also could have detriment with transmission of motor noise, vibration interaction from music, or footfalls, etc.

Sometimes a stethescope can be a valuable tool with such a table.

Seems like VPI's philosophies at one time, were to highly isolate every component in the chain from one another.

Use of various materials will impart a change in the sound, and other qualities in some respect.

The beauty of the HW-19, is its basically simple, almost "home depot mod, and upgrade" design.
Mark,

"The beauty of the HW-19, is its basically simple, almost "home depot mod, and upgrade" design."

I'd agree with that.

I find it interesting that most TT manufacturers are not using spring suspensions any more. Certainly VPI. 15-20 years ago it was a norm and we're talking about something that's really all that complex. Nothing about playing a record has changed. (Granted very complex solutions have been designed to create the perfect platform for extracting sound from vinyl.) Maybe the combination of Linn and others using springs just set a standard and everyone followed.

One thing that does bug me about VPI is this:

You can take a Scout, for example and make it a Scoutmaster or Super Scout Master or whatever and price it out more than a Classic 2 or 3. Makes no sense to me. The foundation of a lesser model should not exceed the price (and performance) of a higher model IF the higher model is actually of superior performance. Not to mention the "Ring Clamp" deal. Man, that came out 25 years ago by...someone help me here I can't remember the manufacturer, I demod the table...If it actually worked well why wasn't incorporated then by VPI? (Unless it was patented...which would have run out in 17 years anyway but doesn't appear to be patentable) And if it does work why doesn't anyone else us it? VPI is constantly doing the upgrade moves to milk more $$$ out of market.