What direction is VPI headed?

I think Mat’s explanation of the company’s direction makes sense. There’s a funny New Yorker cartoon with a guy standing in front of his turntable commenting to a friend that what draws him to vinyl is “the inconvenience and the expense.” So when a small family-owned company tries to rationalize production and setup, they get bashed? I owned a HW19 Mark II with an SME IV arm. Probably should have kept it! But I sold it and now have a Classic 1. Couldn’t be happier. Sounds great, reliable, well made, easy to set up. Is there a better set up than using the VPI jig? Probably but it would require fiddly and expensive software (yes, I’m aware there are other static solutions). So celebrate VPI! Yes, the original post by its title sounded like “do you still beat your wife.”

@austinbob ,well do you? Still beat your wife.

It has been a very long time since I owned a VPI table (late '80s)...but all I have is good memories of the wonderful sound, also the customer support I got from VPI on the very infrequent instances I needed some kind of assistance.

There are reasons the VPI brand has survived and prospered so long, much like Grado, another company I admire (in fact, I used one of their top MM cartridges in my VPI): solid design, good sound, and ethical business practices.

Dear friends @turntablemats: I think almost everything on the subject is covered. My friend Guillermo was VPI dealer here in México and he borrow me at least two different TTs. and herad other models in his show rooms.

In those times and today I still think as @whart  that any VPI audiophile needs the alternative to choose other tonearms. VPI owners are " married " with the VPI tonearm for ever.

This is a mistake and the post by @austinbob confirm about when he experice to the Oracle/SME with a truly good Proteus that positevely shout for a different tonearm.

I think that VPI has to think seriously of what is the real role of the TT, tonearm and cartridge in the analog experience and its intrinsical relationship in between.

Maybe VPI thinks that the TT is the star on that equation but it's not in any regards as it's not the tonearm but the CARTRIDGE where its quality level performance depends mainly on that tonearm and with out choices the cartridge owners never be know for sure how good is the cartridge ( S ) they own.

The TT and tonearm designs must be designed around the kind of job they are going to play that's to fulfill the CARTRIDGE needs and not the other way around.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@turntablemat
 well said sir, thank you.  but the correct answer is...

round and round.......