VPI periphery record ring for VPI Scoutmaster


How much of an improvement does the VPI steel periphery record ring make? Do you think it's worth the $500 US retail price? Or would it be advisable to first look for the SDS, then afterwards purchase the ring? I'll be using it on a Scoutmaster turntable.
lornoah
I noticed a very big improvement with the ring and weight. In fact, more than the SDS. Someday, I'll take the SDS out to see if I still think that. (It was added to a Scout, while the ring and weight were added to the Scoutmaster) It's a great upgrade IMHO.
Mlkiz, I've had the new JMW9 Signature arm now for nearly two months. It's a fairly significant sonic upgrade from the standard JMW 9. It's added adjustment features are the cherry on top.
I'm also considering getting the outer clamp. I read a review and the reviewer said the opposite of Narrod. He said to get the clamp first, and then get the SDS, if you want. His logic was that the additional mass (something like 7 lbs. if I remember correctly) goes a long way toward stabilizing the speed. The next question, now that you have much more stable speed, is whether you are spinning at a stable 33 1/3. You may be able to get there, with belt adjustments and some form of power regulation that you may already have (Monster, PS Audio, etc.). If not, then the SDS becomes more important.
It looks,in the only picture I've seen, to be possibly attached to the junction box. Seems more likely to be a different tonearm base altogether and attached there.
Also wondering about the damping. Is there a trough in the base for the fluid? Pardon my questions if they seem retarded. and sorry to hijack the thread. You're one of the very few that have that tonearm. When you got it, was it an upgrade of just the arm? or did you step up from Scout to Scoutmaster?
How is the anti skate mechanism attached? It looks,in the only picture I've seen, to be possibly attached to the junction box. Seems more likely to be a different tonearm base altogether and attached there.
Also wondering about the damping. Is there a trough in the base for the fluid? Pardon my questions if they seem retarded. and sorry to hijack the thread. You're one of the very few that have that tonearm. When you got it, was it an upgrade of just the arm? or did you step up from Scout to Scoutmaster?