What direction is VPI headed?

Mat sent me a RA#  to send my TT back in order to address my issues, finally.

I hope, one day, I'll have a VPI tt that I can compare to my excellent Rock 7.

@turntablemat
I've owned an HW-19 for longer than I care to recount.  Purchased as a MK III and upgraded to MK IV with original SAMA.  I have enjoyed this table for over 20 years.  If properly setup, with the proper arm, I believe it still competes with the finest today whether made by VPI or others.  When I say "with the the proper arm", I must explain I am a huge fan of linear tracking Arms and in particular the ET II.  The upgrade path for this arm and the inherently more accurate tracking of linear trackers (IMO) make them far superior to all but the very best pivoted arms.  The HW -19 and TNTs were a perfect match for the ET II arm.  

To my point: While I certainly understand VPI's marketing decision in dropping replaceable armboards and discontinuing support for the HW-19 line, there are many audiophiles like me who continue to use the HW-19 because of its synergy with the ET II.  In discontinuing the original SAMA and replacement parts for the HW-19 and failing to offer a table with armboards which will support linear trackers you have shut out a significant slice of the audiophile community.  Just take a look at the number of contributors to the ET II forum here on Audiogon.  I know, in terms of the overall market, we linear trackers are a small slice, however, many of us would prefer to stick with VPI.  By the way, Bruce Thigpen still supports the ET II.

I have enjoyed this table for over 20 years.  If properly setup, with the proper arm, I believe it still competes with the finest today whether made by VPI or others.

+1

In discontinuing the original SAMA and replacement parts for the HW-19 and failing to offer a table with armboards you have shut out a significant slice of the audiophile community.

+1  

There are a lot of arms that work very well with the HW-19 besides the Linear Trackers, (which do indeed sound great).  It's an EXCELLENT platform for a really, really nice vinyl playback system.  I have a LOT of experience with this table and it still holds it's own...

@vpi the HW-19’s motor replacement can be sourced from Hurst and any competent acrylic manufacture can manufacture an arm board without breaking a sweat.  When a product has been out of production for closing in on 20 years, a manufacture must cut the umbilical cord and the legacy owner must become less dependent and more resourceful.  

What have ya'll found to be an improvement over the stock isolation springs in the HW-19 (all iterations)? Herbie's dots, SIMS Navcom Silencers, Sorbothane spheres, cones, anything DIY, etc.