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Upgrades for Scoutmaster, In order of improvement?


Hello all,
I am looking to buy a VPI Scoutmaster table, and am trying to configure a table with the various improvements and upgrades to match my budget. The question is this:
In your opinion, what is the order of importance of the upgrades I have listed below? Or, in order words, which upgrades give you the most bang for your buck, and which upgrades will improve the sound of the table the most?

Here is the list of upgrades in order of cost. My starting point is the basic Scoutmaster table.
1. Mini HRX feet upgrade.
2. Ring clamp and heavy center weight.
3. SDS speed controller.
4. From JMW-9+ Sig tonearm to the JMW-10.5i tonearm.
5. From the Acrylic platter to the new heavyweight platter.
6. From the Scoutmaster table with single motor to the Super Scoutmaster table with the flywheel motor.

Thanks for your comments. It will be fun to read you opinions.
Joe
jbcello
jbcello OP
25 posts
 
Thanks for your response Starcon. What is the power regenerator you are refering to? I am not familiar with this.
Hello Redtop: I have been looking at the Aries, but the main reason for not getting it is its large size. Have you heard the difference between the Scoutmaster and Aries? How great is it?
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
On my Aries II Black Knight (quite similar the Scoutmaster), I have found the SDS and a Gingko Cloud 11 platform to be excellent upgrades.
kmulkey
173 posts
 
I second the SDS. I got one for my Scout and it made a clear improvement. I am also using a Gingko, Cloud 10, with pretty good results.
tubejack
2 posts
 
Ring Clamp and center clamp a must have. You'll never hear the SDS improvement w/o them first.
markd51
763 posts
 
Maybe I'l chime in, (if the mods will let me) saying that this thread seems to have mucho differences, and who do we trust?

My first questions, are, why does the SDS deserve special merit, when the Periphery Ring, and Center Weight are used? How does these mechanical components compliment a electronic one?!

Maybe Andrew Dice Clay needs to chime in, saying this is some sick, confusing thread?

Now don't oust me modders, I'm just getting started here!

I believe the SDS is mandatory for every VPI Table, because none of them have accurate speed. No slam against VPI, this is true of virtually all Belt Driven Tables. Can't be helped due to irregularities of Platter, and Pulley size. Throw in a stretched Belt, a different, new Lube on Bearing, a different Temperature even, and you have variance.

What does the Ring Clamp do, other than eliminate Lip Warps from about 1% of your Record Collection? Add mass? If you want mass, with a Platter the weight of a Sewer Cover, and a Bearing that makes some Car Axles look puny, sell the VPI, and buy a Galibier.

Upgrades from Arm to Arm? I just don't know, a crap shoot?

How Starcon rates the Super Platter at the bottom of the list, just above the Feet, is beyond me? IMO probably one of the most significant upgrades of all.

I like the fact that VPI offers a path, but as has been mentioned, these upgrades upon upgrades will make you broke.

How much are you willing to lose for trade-sale of parts?

I'm just a "bantam weight" here in this forum, but before you shell out the $$$, do some more homework, maybe buy a Table-Arm, where you aren't changing out components every other week.

Again, want to say,everyone here will have a different opinion, and they aren't necessarily wrong. I don't believe m viewpoints are wrong either. Mark
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