upgrade VPI HW19 Mk IV or get a new table?

I had a Mk. IV with a Graham 1.5t arm. This table is now in a friend's system. He switches out the arm, most often using an SME 309. The table sounds good with any good quality arm on it.

After a certain cost/quality point, differences between tables can be more a matter of taste/system matching than an absolutes about which is better. I am sure there are tables in the same sonic family as the Mk. IV that are, in absolute terms, superior, but they are going to cost WAY more. I think my Basis Debut vacuum table has the same kind of sound (well dampened and not as "lively" as some other tables), and is superior, but the price difference is VERY substantial. In short, your VPI table is more than good enough so that you are already on the steep part of the slope of the "declining marginal return" curve. I personally think this table is more than good enough to justify use with top quality arms, like the Triplanar, Vector, and the SME IV you already have.

If you have a helpful dealer, easier alternative upgrades to try would be a cartridge change or phonostage change. Both tend to make huge differences, and home trials are more of a possibility.

"It's just that I wonder if I am missing out on something"

I haven't heard your table but I would guess that you are missing out on the toe-tapping rhythmic excitement that a Rega P9 would deliver in comparison to your HW19. When I went to buy my first table in 2002, I listened to a HW19 and thought, "wow - nice." A few days later I heard a far less expensive Rega, and bought it on the spot. It's still my only turntable.

Hukk

"It's just that I wonder if I am missing out on something"

This is what keeps the audio business going.

Again Hukk, not to discredit you, as I'm sure you made the very best choice for yourself.

But, there's just too many variables. I once heard an $8400 Linn Turntable that didn't impress me one bit. And neither did its looks, looking very nice, but nowhere near being worth the $8400 asking price. BTW, this was at the old Linn Store on Clark Street in Chicago. Within the same day, I heard a crap $3400 pair of Linn Speakers Demoed at Doctor's office levels, and was expected to fall head over heels in love with them.
In thruth, I think some of the Linn boys at the dealers are full of cow plop.

I've heard Gyodecs, I've herad a couple of Sotas, I've heard many of the VPI, I did very much like the original Aries.

But I'll confide, I haven't heard Tables like the Rockport, the Galibier, the top line Clearaudios, the Teres, the Avid. I'm sure many of these Tables are almost as good as sex, within the right system, and the right components to make them shine.

It's tough to say, that any of the VPI Tables are this, or that. I might be able to magically transform an entry level prehistoric HW-19Jr with a Graham Arm, and a Dyna XV-1 Cartridge, with a killer Phono Stage Downline. Really, it's like who's to say that this "meager" Turntable cannot showcase such world class "extras"? Set-up certainly accounts for quite a bit.

Most of the gurus will agree, a mid-fi Table-Arm-Cartridge set up correctly can sound better than $50K worth of the same gear, set up poorly.

Agin Mr. Hukk, alsolutely no disrespect to your findings, or comments. Thank you for posting your personal findings, I deeply enjoy threads such as this.
Mark

Having had the II, III, IV, Aries original, Scout, Scoutmaster at different times, these are all great tables, and on a very level, heavy stand and good cartridge, set up fanatically perfect, will deliver very musical reproduction from all of these. The SME IV is a great arm. A bigger factor will be the matching of your amp and speakers. Having the right dammping factor is far more critical than the choice of these tables which are all very good. The improvement from the II to the Scoutmaster is audible, but not as dramatic as ammp/speaker differences. Focus on big difference opportunities.