VPI Traveler

What do folks think about the Traveler arm? I'm trying to decide on Classic 1 or this table. Sometimes a used Classic one for 2K is a no-brainer for me, but I live overseas so shipping an issue.

Saw this comment on Amazon:

"This has to be the worst designed tonearm I've ever seen in my life. The tonearm should never have been released to the public. It is simply not robust enough. The four small spikes holding it together are a joke. You can break the damn thing by carefully taking it out of the foam packing. I told the people at VPI that all you end up doing is accusing the customer of being too rough with the tonearm, when the real problem is the bad design."

If you watch the video I posted above, around the 4:30 minute mark, Harry talks about the redesign of the arm on the Traveler.

I have setup several of these tables and I find them very well made. If you can swing the extra money for the Classic 1, it is a better table, but for the price, the Traveler is very nice indeed.

****I asked Jack if it's work the tweak to install the board. He told me to save my money and put it into vinyl or Bearpaw Feet. ****

++++The Traveler, and the Classic 1 now have an additional circuit board in them that does essentially what the SDS does...++++

I don't think so.

Frogman, the last part of my comment you quoted above (re Bearpaw Feet) was a friendly poke directed at Stringreen, who is probably quite correct with his suggestion. But Jack really did say that the new circuit will not improve the operating spec of an older Classic TT.

OTOH, Jack was quite enthusiastic about VPI's new 3-D printed tone-arm. I believe String... and others have reported back with some very favorable comments.

;>')

I was simply saying that I can't believe, given what we know abut the SDS, that the new circuit board can be as effective; Jack seems to be confirming that. ( 3D tonearm ?????)