VPI classic 3 or Prime ?

"Reminds me of the TNT models from the 90's which were very, very good at the time."

And still are. Arguably better than most current VPIs.

Harry has answered this question on the VPI forums.He said he would recommend the prime before the stock classic 3, but would probably go the other way if the classic had the 3rd tone arm.

You can also order the classic 3 with the 12 inch 3d tone arm.I am also deciding between the 2 turn tables.One thing to keep in mind is that the classic 3 doesn't require the sds.

Are you going to keep your SME 20/3 turntable?

If not, I don't think the VPI models are "upgrades" when compared to an SME. Definitely, different but not better.

Personally, I would not buy a new model of anything. Let the product get released, see how the reviews come in and make an informed decision based on actual owner feedback.

I thought of Getting either Prime or Classic 3. But bought SME 20/3 few days back on Audiogon.