What direction is VPI headed?

I owned a VPI HW MKII for almost 30 years. 

I thought it time to upgrade, but I was confused by the changes in the design philosophy. I called VPI and asked Harry about the Classic: why the switch from clamps to acrylic to aluminum and no clamps?

He told me that the HW MKIV is as good as any table he makes today, that he can't afford to make them that way anymore, and that I should just upgrade to a MKIV with a SAM. 

It was great advice. I got vastly superior sound, and I saved $5K. 

What I said in short was , I have about ten VPI turntables and I wish somebody else had about half of them.........UNI-PIVOT TONEARMS......absolutely nuts

I think VPI has made a definite turn to a model for volume......versus
the bespoke style company they were before.....

Gone are the Classics, the HR-X, even the Classic Direct.

In their place are Avengers in various iterations, which is fine, but it's not the same overall look as an HR-X, and costs more.......
The classics were hard to top, but they're gone
Now we have the Primes, in all the flavors.......but I find it to be a relatively uninspired design compared to the likes of the above and the Aries......

The new ADS controller looks like a Hafler component from the 70s.....
I can't believe this came from the same company that offered the SDS....

I have owned 4 VPI Turntables over the years, going from an HW19, to a Classic 1, to a Classic 3, then added the 3D arm and finally one of the last HR-X's

I found the tables to be good performers overall and not finicky.  There were issues (VPI denied my dealer's claim on chipped paint, blaming it on UPS, and the dealer had to pay out of pocket to fix it).....I got a couple of 3D arms with weak wiring that had to be sent back.......

Mat W. is one of the nicest people around......though....and I've always enjoyed dealing with him....

I now have an Oracle Delphi MK VI 2nd edition with an SME V arm and Transiguration Proteus.....I had the cartridge on the Hr-X prior.....
I am in love with this table in terms of sonics, but it is finicky as all get out and that is precisely what I miss with the VPI offerings....

I think VPI needs to get rid of the low end tables around a grand and concentrate upmarket......come up with something to replace the HR-X in spirit and introduce some automotive finishes/aluminum etc and maybe consider losing the amoeba style plinths of the primes......but that's all subjective.......  I would look to Feickert tables for inspiration....
but do it better

In short they need to come up with a couple of tables that noone has seen the likes of before......works of art.....and I think VPI could do it......

I have heard from a couple of dealers that the Prime Scout is an absolutely KILLER table for the $$  almost untouchable in the 2K category

I really like my Traveler Ver.1 as it combines a unique set of features that make it a star performer in it price class. 10.5 in arm, on the fly VTA, heavy enough chasis, ultra low W & F, and a real AC motor. I like simple. 

This was a used table and when I needed assistance ordering a part that I misplaced (fell into trash unnoticed) I was treated like a red headed step child. It took 10 weeks to obtain the part. This alone will keep me from buying a NEW table from them. Maybe another used one, but I doubt it. Whenever you called them it was mass confusion, you had to start from the beginning every time with your issue. Which really was their issue.