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

As an owner of my second VPI table I concur with the Captain's remarks about the Spiral Groove/Centroid combination. The best turntable I have ever heard. The combined effect of the design innovations present in that table/arm raises the performance to another level--beyond anything in a comparable package (size/cost) that I have heard.

I bought a Classic when it first came out and then traded it in for a Prime when it first came out. I believe VPI belt-drive decks are good but not great. The plinths are not a marvel of sophistication. VPI’s footers are very mediocre. The VPI unipivot design with the wire coming up out of the “bearing” housing is simply not wise.The arm is very prone to canting due to changing tension from the wire-even if you don’t twist the wire to obtain anti-skate. The rotating ring to adjust azimuth is terrible-coarse and not user-friendly. Most of the top cartridges just don’t sing with the VPI unipivot design. They can sound nice, but not at the true potential of the cartidge-I am talking the $1500 and up choices. When you have the pleasure of using a top tonearm you see the crude nature of VPI  unipivots. The adjustments are coarse and the small allen lockscrews are prone to stripping. I discovered the Reed 3P and it’s in a whole different world of ease of adjustment and joy to use. At a price, but life is short. I don’t mean to bash VPI-again they are good but not great. The sound character tends toward smooth but glossed over. You will never hear glorious soundstaging, dynamic punch, or detail retrieval with an under $5000 VPI unipivot deck imho. 

I have a Superscoutmaster/SDS/rim drive/3D arm/2nd pivot/Classic platter - replaced the feet with Bearpaws ...use it with peripheral clamp, and center weight with 2 dimes (check Harry's website re:2 dimes).....I haven't heard better....had questions to VPI which were answered promptly....never a problem.  

Not in the mood to get attacked for a long bashing rant, but I owned a TNT6HR with 12.7 arm for a number of years and moved on to a Technics SP10mk2 vintage restored table at less cost. It crushed the VPI in every way. Check my post history if you care to read longer descriptions on that.
Also led a local audio club for many years with over a dozen VPI owners of Classics, Primes, Scoutmasters and Scouts. In the last few years most owners moved elsewhere and none moved back to VPI tables. All are happier. 
I think the comment above "good, not great" would sum up most of our club member-owners thoughts. Cheers,
Spencer

I always thought the original scout was the best VPI. HW 19 and original Classic would be next.  The classic may do some things better than the scout but overall I preferred the scout.  Not a bad table at all.