Interesting thought- Linn &

Most VPI users so not use an hrs.  Depending on location many use nothing special or use a heavy ($50) cutting board underneath, sometimes with soft footers of some kind underneath, sometimes not. In lieu of $1200 SDS many are using $525 Phoenix Eagle.  Leveling the platter needs only a $5 level.  (Shouldn't all platters be level?) Prime arm is outstanding 3D arm.  Why do you think arm is hard to set up?  Set up is like all other arms with added advantage of very easy SRA/VTA.

No hrs for me, the Timbernation racks of mine are solid as is.  I had two 3" butcher blocks for amps stands and have recycled them under my tables but can't hear a difference.  They do look cool though!

I have found ime the the arm is difficult to set up for optimum performance.  If a lower end cartridge is used, it may not be as difficult.  I have a glider and a denon 103 that was fairly easy and tracked particularly well with the jmw.  However, I have found that the higher end cartridges are much tougher to set up.  It can be done, but it takes a lot of patience.  I have never had a problem with mm cartridges with this arm.  I am currently using a Benz ref s and it is a bear to set up.  Even hearing it on the ekos arm on the Linn told me that this cartridge is much more demanding and finicky with set up.  It did not sound very good on the Linn.  The dealer had a klyde installed that sounded much better on the Linn than the Benz.  So much so that I could not believe it.  I brought the Benz home and put it back on the VPI and the magic returned after careful setup.  Unless it is set up correctly, the ref s is very siblant and can distort during demanding passages.  When set up correctly,this. Cartridge can sound amazing on the scout.  I do not think there is a better value in turntables that found in the scout.  I have tried the butcher block and did not like it very much.  I had an hrs for audition once and it was amazing what it did.  Incredible actually.  I did not have an SDS.  I am curious of what is possible with the scout.  Overall, as I said, the Linn was better that the scout but I thought the scout was better at making me want to listen to music.  I felt the scout took me to the venue better than the Linn.  The Linn brought the venue to me.  The instruments sounded more realistic on the VPI to my ears but the Linn provided more inner detail, blacker background.  Some of the things I did not like about the Linn may have been system related.  It did have a very solid image of the music.  It makes me wonder if I had the scout on a stable platform and a better motor controller could it outperform the Linn at less than half the cost?

thz21y, I use a Benz SL on my Classic 3. What aspect of the setup did you find most critical to the issues you described?

tzh21y, You have really raised 3 issues about VPI set-up.  First, what is to go under the table.  If you're dealing with a concrete floor there may be one solution.  If you have a soft suspended wood floor there may be another.  Sometimes a sturdy shelf attached to the wall studs solves the problem completely.  Suggest you visit the VPI forum, describe your situation and seek advice.  You shouldn't have to spend a lot of cash to solve the problem.

If I understand it correctly all current Linns have some form of electronics in front of the motor.  Either the SDS (available used) or an Eagle will provide the functionality of a Lingo for about a third of the price.  It will raise your VPI to a new level.  Should you upgrade to a different VPI TT the electronics can go with you.

Cartridge set up should not be very much different on a JMW arm.  Setting azimuth may be the biggest difference.  Some of us use the $50 Soundsmith "Counter Intuitive" to make it a bit easier, for you can change azimuth without changing VTF and vv, and easily make changes in very small increments.