Choice Rega P5 or VPI Scout?

Tfkaudio, he did not ask for a suggestion, he gave two names and asked - which one. I had both and I don't care for either. Thus my (normally too short) answer.
I actually think that P5 is a major step down from P25, I've no idea why Rega did this and I don't care. VPI is a whole separate issue. In my opinion, these guys have serious problems with quality control and I have no idea how they manage to do this if they indeed manufacture all components in the US (according to their claims).
If I had to buy a table in this price range I would either go with used, or, if I did not care for opinions of fellow a-goners - Technics.

Alex, the P5 is in no way a step down from the P25 IMHO. In fact it is head and heels above the P25. I had both and compared the 2 with the same cart in the same set-up. It was no comparison. I found the P5 is so much better in every way. More bass weight, much, mcuh more detail, especially the microdynamics, just an incredible player. The scout, my brother has and I find it a little dull in comparison. The scout is more forward maybe with a little more detail, but I still prefer the P5 over the scout because of that extra sparkle it had. It's just a great music maker. I since went to a Gyrodec, this is another topic all together.

Also, I agree with Tfkaudio, your ansewer was short, rude and totally useless to the original poster. You would of came across better if you explained yourself a little like you did after the fact.

Cheers,
Bobby

Bobby, "rude" is a very big word, one should be careful using it. You will have to spend a lot of time trying to find anyone who would find me being rude. Short - yes. But not rude.

Alex, as you say, he asked for which one. Your answer is useless.

I have since heard the Scout and I like the Rega better. There is just more energy there. Whatever the reason, I like it better. It's not the popular opinion in most audio forums.

I've found my new scoutmaster to be freaking fantastic. I use a Lyra Helikon cartridge and Ear 834p (deluxe) phono stage. By old tt was a vpi hw-19jr with the pt-6 arm and Glider cartridge. Sonic improvement has been drastic, to the extent that my gf noticed it (let her listen through stax electrotats before me) within a few seconds from the time the needle hit the vinyl.
I listen mostly to classical, but cherish my jazz and classic rock albums too, including some original beatles, dead/garcia, stones, and Hendrix. Obviouslly the scoutmaster is not the extact tt being discussed, but its sonic character is supposed to be essentially the same as that of the scout. Very neutral, some say a little cool but I wouldnt go as far as to call it a cool-sounding tt. As others have mentioned, the scout line has an awesome path, with the stock scoutmaster being claimed by 'Mike' at VPI (with whom I recently spoke) to be 90% as good as their Hr-x.
As for lack of anti-skating on the jmw-9 arm, I've done some critical listening and channel comparing, and have found no evidence of one channel being rubbed up against any more than the other.