I finally did get an Aries 3, after admiring their aesthetic for so long. Pretty well upgraded with super platter, single-motor flywheel, ring clamp, and HW40 feet. Now added Fatboy gimbal 10 arm and SDS too.
They're absolutely great tables! And after 15+ years of owning tables with springs or magnetic levitation, I'm really enjoying a NON suspended table for a change. These suspended tables all have their problem resonant frequencies in the subsonic range - easily excited by footsteps or loud SPL playback (unless you're on solid concrete slab), and then the problem becomes HUGE because the energy level is so massive that nothing will fully mitigate it short of a steep electronic rumble filter. The Aries 3 has its "problem" resonance in the 100Hz "drum beat" range. In my setups, the 100Hz is now so much easier to deal with, basically because the energy level is lower. I had a problem with the 3D arm making it much worse. But the 10.5i metal arm and Fatboy arm are great. The 10.5i is the quietest wand at 100Hz, but the Fatboy in sounds particularly fantastic and even matches well to Koetsu.
VPI tables don't use super exotic materials, but they're very well built with sensible proven materials, and a very well thought-out design overall. I enjoyed their setup and learning about them. I enjoy the tweak-ability and endless upgrade options. I really do enjoy the sound! I was wrong about the VPI unipivot being scary all these years - they're fine (my resonance issue with the 3D aside), and the dual pivot works well if you require more stability.
