Which: VPI HW19 Jr. or III vs. REGA P3 and P25

For some very interesting insight into Tonearms read this thread. Good luck to you on your adventure.
Strange tonearm tweak Long

I would skip over the P3. The price scale reflects performence in this case. The P25 may sound quicker than the VPI, but the VPI can be upgraded and/or modified. The P25 does not offer an upgrade path. I have the VPI and like it. Especially good value used. Im thinking of trying a cheap mod to tighten up the bass. Dont get the wrong idea, at this price point the bass is excellent.
Set and forget? Rega P25. Set and forget with upgrade option? VPI.
I would look at Origin Live if you buy the tonearm seperately. The modified 250 is a great value that has spawned many copies.

Rega and VPI both make fine 'tables. I would recommend the VPI because of the upgrade path, which the Rega doesn't have. However, if you are not into 'tweaking', the Rega is an easier setup. The Rega is much more of a 'plug and play' type. Only you can decide whether you want to tweak and upograde, or you want to set it and forget it.

Regards,
John

The VPI Scout is better than all you have listed.

Stated Bias: I asked this same question a year or so ago, ended up with a VPI HW19 MKII w/ RB600.

At the time, I decided to step up from my old Technics BD20, and didn't know which way to go. TWL and others noted, as Jmcgrogan2 does above, that the VPI offers an extensive upgrade path (including the option of upgrading to bearing and platter), which the Rega doesn't.

At the time it appealed conceptually to my interest in tweaking, and I have to give props to TWL again...going VPI allows me to budget for future upgrades, and TWL's HIFI mod on the RB600 has made an enormous improvement in presentation.

All to say, if you can score the VPI MKIII at a reasonable price, it will have a substantial amount of upgrades already installed (vs. the Jr.) and I would bear witness I have found it a good value.

Tim

Footnote: I promised to add a review to the "Strange Tonearm Tweak. Long" thread which I will as soon as business travel permits; suffice to say it will be extremely positive.