Rega P25 vs VPI Scout

I had a Rega P25 with a Goldring Eroica H, and it was great on a budget phonostage. However, I noticed the Eroica has a bright and slightly brittle high-end on a Lehmann Black Cube. However, the cart is so easy to mount (make its front center flesh to the front of the headshell....the size matches exactly to the headshell body of the Rega. Also, the height of the Goldring is parallel naturally (sans VTA) to the surface.....super easy to get great sound). The sound was good, but you can do better!

When I was looking to upgrade to a Scout, Larry at Hollywood Sound gave me an awesome deal on a used HW-19 Mk. IV/Rega 250. Man, you talkin' excellent sound here! I've had it for just over a year and have NO PLANS TO CHANGE IT OUT!

I don't understand how some could disregard this table given it's used price these days. The Rega P25 is in NO LEAGUE with a HW-19 Mk IV.

Goto here and Ebay and get a MK IV for about $1000 fully stacked. Get a Denon 103R and transformer from Audiocubes for $400. If you already have a LO Moving Coil input, buy a slighly-used Dyanvector 17D and sing satisfied.

Thoughts?

Marty

Afro 18 has a good point. If you get a good deal on the HW-19 Mk IV and Dyna 17D cart., you will be at the 95 percentile of the best out there for a very low price, but I would be careful buying used, especially cart. Cuz it could be at the end of it's life, how would you know if it's slightly used.

Anyway, I use the 17D on my Scout, and it works well, but if you can move up to the HW-19 even better.

the HW series is in many ways the best of both worlds, not to mention the prices.

All I can say is you have to pay alot more MONEY, I mean alot more to better the Scout I assure you.

It will rival some of the very best tables at price no object.
And if you went for the latest Memorial arm with the silver wiring and use a top notch cartridge, I mean something that might cost more than the table itself, it will rival the very best out there.

I had GOLDMUND, ORACLE, Well Tempered, Orbe with SME and I know purchased the VPI Scout, Its not as good as the reference stuff I have had before but its pretty darn close and its a fraction of what I had paid for analog before.

I still enjoy listening to LP's as much as before and I have had the Rega units before, very nice units too.
What I am trying to say is if you own the scout and its calibrated correctly with a good cartridge, you could pretty much say that you have a top flying Analog rig!

Won't be able to answer the question exactly since I do not have experience with the VPI Scout. I do however own a P-25 (recently acquired) for around 50% of its original price. I assume that given the two tables being examined, that the originator of the thread while wanting to get the sound that meets his musical criteria, would also be happy in minimizing his dollar output. It is here where the Rega has quite a few advantages. Tarted up P-25s with counterweight upgrades and acrylic platters are not all that hard to find for less than a thousand bucks. There have been at least 3 in the last month listed in this forum. The Rega defines toe tapping and its speed stability is excellent which allows for a a decidedly detailed sound. As already mentioned the Rega is lively and sometimes it might err a little up the spectrum for some listeners. No problem. Just put a Denon 103 (and a Rega spacer) on that RB600 arm (no compliance or compatability issues here) and find a nice tube phono stage--- the Project tube box is now popping up used and it works well with the Rega and the Denon.

I guess all I am trying to say is the Rega is competent, but more importantly its musical, and when tweaked by a thoughful previous owner can be brought up a notch and more than hold its own with most tables in this price category