How do you like your VPI -Classic, Scout, Scoutmaster, Prime, TNT, ?

Nice system, I also have Sophia IIs. I went from a VPI Classic 1 to a Classic 3 and now I have a Spiral Groove SG2 with Spiral Groove Centroid Arm. I looked up my notes from 2012 when I upgraded from the Classic 1 to the 3.

"First thing you notice is the BASS, more bass, tighter, then everything seems more musical, all frequencies. Sounds like you upgraded the cartridge, all the frequencies are effected. Also the highs seem less harsh, especially on that first song from Beck. "

I really liked the upgrade from the 1 to the 3. At that time they didn't have the 3d arm.

You get used to putting that large stainless steel weight on the outside of the record, and it does really flatten the records. Btw, I also appreciate the fact I don't have to do that anymore with the Spiral Groove.

I really like uni-pivot arms, hence the Spiral Groove Centroid is also uni-pivot.

With the JWM arm the azimuth adjustment is based on rotating the counterweight. You get used to doing it pretty fast. But then again I appreciate that I don't have to do that on the Centroid Arm.

I probably would have been happy with the Classic 3 for a lot longer, it sounded fantastic with my Lyra Delos cartridge. It would be unfair to compare it to the Spiral Groove, since it is almost 3x the price. I do like the Spiral Groove table and arm considerably more than the Classic 3, but as I said the price difference makes it a unfair comparison. I also like the uni-pivot execution better in the Centroid Arm.

All in all I still consider the Classic 3 a very good value, even though I don't own one anymore and I bought it new. On the secondary market it is even a better value.

Since you asked, her are some very unique attributes to Spiral Groove SG2 with Spiral Groove Centroid Arm that really attracted my interest, and kept my interest for a number of years while I was looking to acquire one. I put in quotes words from Spiral Groove or other reviews that are not my words.
1. The design of the plinth. The feet, motor, platter bearing and arm mount are all isolated from each other by aluminum plates separated by Sorbothane pads. So any vibrations are damped.
Thanks
2. The platter bearing uses an inverted sapphire disc and precision ball bearing. The bearing includes a sleeve with three rings whose gap is machined to 0.0003" tolerance. So the sapphire disc presses against the hardened steel ball which is sitting in the bearing. The three bearing rings contact the sleeve. There is a pair of ring magnets at the bottom of the bearing sleeve and on the plinth which repel each other, which greatly reduces the weight on the bearing from the 22 pound platter. "Everything is in the same rotational plane, the middle shaft ring, the ball and disc contact point and drive belt. Therefore it is not susceptible to rocking or oscillation."

3. The spindle on the platter is NOT the bearing shaft like on almost every other turntable. The spindle is aligned to the platter and bearing to one center with very high accuracy. This prevents any noise from the bearing reaching the record. "Since the spindle is not in contact with the bearing and any noise is damped by the platter before reaching the spindle."
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4. "The 20 volt, AC synchronous motor driven by the outboard motor controller. The controller transforms AC wall current to DC and generates its own sine wave with switchable frequencies and adjustable phase to precisely control the motor. At startup the motor runs at full torque until it reaches speed when the current is reduced for smoother and quieter operation."

5. The 22 pound platter is made out of 4 materials. The top is graphite, then vinyl, then phenolic and finally the aluminum ring at the bottom, with groove for the drive belt. The materials of the platter damp any vibrations from the record and stylus from transmitting back into the stylus.

6. The uni-pivot Centroid arm bearing assembly consists of a single pin and cup. "The Centroid design puts the stylus tip and the single pivot point of the unipivot bearing on exactly the same plane, contributing elementally to the balance of the forces involved in the operation of the tonearm and drastically lowering the moment of inertia. "

7. "The patented counterweight takes further advantage of the unipivot design by being able to wrap down and around the bearing in a way that places the center of the arm mass, the centroid, at the optimal position in relation to the bearing. With the optimal placement of the centroid, and the pivot point and stylus tip in the groove being on the same plane, global moment of inertia becomes vanishingly low and the stability of the system in all planes is very high."

8. "The Centroid arm single bearing is composed of a complimentary set of Swiss sapphire jewel cup and bearing pin matched for “Zero Tolerance” precision. This builds upon a unipivot’s inherent advantage in providing a direct-coupled low impedance energy path from headshell to bearing for superior control of resonances."

9. "The design of the Centroid’s VTA adjustment mechanism takes furtheradvantage of a single point bearing by allowing for the raising and lowering of the arm without altering the relationship of the pivot point to the record plane."

10."The patent pending anti-skate system is equally unique. It may not be well known that skating force during playback is not constant. The design of the Centroid’s anti-skating force mechanism addresses this fact, in that it applies the exact inverse force to the skating force in order to position the stylus with uniformity in the groove regardless of its position on the record."

Some notes I made after my 2017 upgrade
The music comes out of pure blackness. The bass is super tight and punchy. Sound stage is outside the speakers. Music pace is perfect, very musical. Clearly an upgrade from my VPI Classic 3.

Some more information FWIW from my Classic 3 ownership. I tried 4 cartridges on the table and ranked them. In my opinion they are also in my preference order from least to most preferable:

Dynavector 20x2 = 50 hours
Dynavector XX-2 MK II = 459 hours
Jan Allaerts MC1 Boron = 244 hours
Lyra Delos = 150 hours = 144 hours

So for me the Delos was an all around "best" to my ear cartridge on the Classic 3 in my system. I don't claim it will be that way in all systems. I am very meticulous about setup and the JWM arm synergized (in my opinion) with the Delos.
Also if you haven't read it Fremer has a review on the Classic 3.

Michael Fremer Stereophile Review, Oct 14, 2011
Conclusions:
"The Classic 3 is the fastest, most coherent-sounding VPI turntable I've ever heard. Its measured accuracy and consistency of speed were about as good as a belt-drive turntable can achieve, and its combination of a high-mass plinth, a superbly machined aluminum platter, a carefully damped and isolated motor, and the JMW-Classic—a fully realized version of VPI's JMW tonearm—make this remarkably compact, easy-to-set-up turntable one of today's great values in analog audio. I don't hear how you can go wrong buying one."
Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/vpi-classic-3-turntable-amp-classic-jmw-tonearm-page-2#s9dv2BgBd...