Typical upgrade path from VPI?

I am not sure where your problem is, but I own a VPI Aries 2 Extended with a JMW 12.5 arm and ZYX Atmos cartridge. I disagree with those who think the JMW arm is only so so. The sound I am getting is great. Mid bass and lower mid range has plenty of weight and body. Low bass is very accurate and powerful. The top end is crystal clear with no glare or smearing. I have found this combo to produce a very live sound with a huge sound stage and great depth. I have heard many very good turntable/arm combos, and I continue to be very happy with my VPI. I went to the RMAF last year and heard many very expensive turntables, but I enjoy the music from my VPI.

I say this with no disrespect, but you've been soliciting advice about this for some time and haven't done any of the suggested system adjustments and now seem ready to go down an even more complicated path before trying simpler solutions. Your previous thread solicited near unanimous opinion that a properly set up VPI is not deficient in mid-bass, so why are you ready to throw out the baby with the bathwater and install a new tonearm when a simpler solution will solve your problem in all likelihood? Not to say that there aren't better tonearms, of course there are. Try what the manufacturer sells and recommends, the 1.0 mv output Dynavector. Or try the Reson Reca moving magnet for sale on this site for $425( or a Grado.) If you try that cartridge (or a similar warm sounding moving magnet design) and you still feel your rig lacks midbass, you're never likely to care for the sound of your VPI. Why worry about the the next level when you don't have things set up well enough now to establish a proper ground floor? I know getting all this sorted out is a pain, best of luck.

It's not the arm or the table and shouldn't be the cartridge unless there is something amiss. In your previous thread I suggested trying another cartridge, even a cheap one, to see if you still experience the same problem. The arm, while not my favorite, is fine and works
quite well with expensive cartriges. I've owned the arm and heard it many times, in many systems, and never experienced what you are hearing. You may not care for VPI but that setup does not lack for mid-bass.

I'm not giving up on the VPI that quickly. It has truly opened my eyes to the amount of detail you can get with LPs. I'm still enjoying it, and I do love the fact that it can be upgraded, tweaked, etc.

Up until recently, I didn't have the confidence to consider changing the cartridge myself and my dealer talked me out of doing that in the short term (I'm auditioning speakers and the advice was to wait until that was sorted). However, when Harry from VPI mentioned that I really needed the 3g weight with my cartridge, it seemed like the right thing to do, although it necessitated re-setting up the TT. A good thing probably as it got me to take the do-it-myself plunge.

I now would like to try a different cartridge. I am still confused as to which one to get. In one of the other threads I asked but didn't get a response. I don't understand the dif between H and L or M models and there seemed to be some confusion over whether you can get the VPI-specific Dynavector separately (my dealer says it needs to come pre-installed on a tonearm).

So when searching today for cartridge suggestions I accidently dug up a few threads on how the VPI may not be right for classic rock, or anything less than perfect recordings, etc etc and it got me wondering what another TT choice would be - IF I decided to give up on the VPI. Again, I'm not there yet - I would be crazy to do so without swapping cartridges (in the very least).

Sorry if I'm frustrating anyone. The more I learn the more I realize how much there IS to learn about analog - and how little I know.