VPI Scout and Scoutmaster owners.

That's the upgrade to get in my opinion. If your cartridge isn't low compliance, get the wire upgrade. If it is, maybe consider just the wand. The damping helps too but my cartridge is low compliance so it did make some impact as expected.
No controversy on the wire upgrade though. I got my arm in stages because VPI was delayed in shipping. I had the arm wand for over a month before the antiskate mechanism came. I had the antiskate around 3 weeks before the base with the damping came in. I have a pretty well developed opinion of the value of the parts of this upgrade. While the wand may have affected it more than I realize, there's no question the wire was the biggest factor. Resolution, soundstage all immediately better. The $200 for the rewire to me is the one to do if nothing else.

Hi Gregory Earl and Jamnperry, No dought in my mind about the Valhalla wire.I just found out about the new arm and wire upgrades afew weeks ago and jumped right on the new arm.Even having your stock arm and junction box rewired for 200 bucks...to me,sounds like a stupid good upgrade...Good Listening

Jamnperry, thanks for the insightful comments about the effects of anti-skate. When I get home from the holidays I'm going to tweak a bit, listen more closely and see if I can hear the changes you described.

i had a long and detailed discussion with vpi about the upgrades. it was put to me that the vahlhalla wire was only a benefit if a) you like the nordost presentation, b) that the full benefits came only with a full loom and that the nordost stuff didn't always like being mixed and matched.
the anti skate, i was also told was a marketing thing, because people had asked for it, and it's good business practice to give customers what they want (different from what they need!)
the individual did however go on to say that the strucutral changes to the arm did give real benefits. the individual told me he actually prefered the original wire and no anti skate, and it that it is possible to order the arm in this configuration. one imagines that this would also be at reduced cost minus the nordost branding premium. this is certainly what i am intending to do, then again having tried nordost, i have found that i'm not keen on their house sound and so have no wish to have their full wiring loom.

Interesting discussion here. I'm leaning towards getting a Scoutmaster w/ the Sig arm right now, and the price difference buying new seems much more of a no brainer, but still, the money can go towards a better cart or SDS which may be even more beneficial. I do not mind the Nordost house sound. My cables don't really match well with Nordost cables or any cables for that matter though. I have no doubts that the Nordost wire will have more resolution than the original wire. But of course it might also bring upon a more analytical sound. It'll be interesting to hear of comparisons.