With your budget you can get a much better rig than a low end VPI. I would definitely urge you to stay away from unipivot arms (what VPI uses) as it is easy to destroy a needle with such devices.
I would suggest you take a look at Scheu Turntables. The Premier Mk III is a lovely table with superb performance. This table can be purchased with one arm (9 or 12"), dual arm (any combination of 9 TO 12" arms), or 12". It uses a quality external motor driving a (either 50 or 80mm) acrylic platter with silk thread (it works well); this is much like how the Verdier turntable is set up.
The base of the table is leadshot loaded from the factory. It is very easy to set up. I am using a SME 312 on my dual arm Scheu with excellent results. Were I on a budget I'd look for a Rega rb250 (with upgraded wire, interconnect, counterweight if you can afford) to mount on this puppy. If I had a bit more money to spend I'd look to a new SME300 series (comes in 9, 10, and 12" lengths) which can be bought VERY reasonably from sources other than the USA distributor. Sumiko grossly overcharges for products such as REL and SME in my humble opinion.
Here is the link to Scheu.
http://www.scheu-analogue.com/eng/
I purchased mine in January os 2004 direct. Sent a wire transfer and the table arrived some three weeks later; no damage. It was packaged very well.
For a lot less money I'd take a look at these used tables:
great turntable and a set it and forget it kind of rig
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132853084
very nice looking and excellent reviews....priced right on used market..I'd make them an offer
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132599224
This is a no brainer; used Teres 160 with ET2 arm and Shelter cartridge. Bit expensive but worth it. The arm can be tedious to set up is my understanding, though.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132599224
Rega P7 with RB700 arm is an excellent choice, too, and another turnkey solution with great performance. Very small footprint, too.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132516265
DPS turntable ready for Rega arm....this is a wonderful turntable with first class engineering AND a small footprint.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132456199
Superb performance AND collectible.....this is one of the best
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131842805
stretch your budget and get one of the best tables ever AND a superb Ikeda arm and cartridge....this table is collectible
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131113857
very attractive...oracle with kuzma arm
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131763494
another great table from the day with a better than good helius tonearm...helius provides audio note with their Very Expensive top of the line arms
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131163922
If you decide to buy new besides Teres I would suggest you take a look at the Needle Doctor and an Acoustic Signature Final Tool. Excellent all metal table (no acrylic) with external motor and external speed/ac regulation. This can be fitted with two arms although this is an option and a bit pricey. Standard one is fitted for most 9" arms.
In my opinion once you get past this level of tables you are looking at truly big bucks for not a whole hell of a lot more performance. It gets better, yes, but (as usual) at what cost?
My ultimate table would be a used Simon Yorke; fyi.
I would suggest you take a look at Scheu Turntables. The Premier Mk III is a lovely table with superb performance. This table can be purchased with one arm (9 or 12"), dual arm (any combination of 9 TO 12" arms), or 12". It uses a quality external motor driving a (either 50 or 80mm) acrylic platter with silk thread (it works well); this is much like how the Verdier turntable is set up.
The base of the table is leadshot loaded from the factory. It is very easy to set up. I am using a SME 312 on my dual arm Scheu with excellent results. Were I on a budget I'd look for a Rega rb250 (with upgraded wire, interconnect, counterweight if you can afford) to mount on this puppy. If I had a bit more money to spend I'd look to a new SME300 series (comes in 9, 10, and 12" lengths) which can be bought VERY reasonably from sources other than the USA distributor. Sumiko grossly overcharges for products such as REL and SME in my humble opinion.
Here is the link to Scheu.
http://www.scheu-analogue.com/eng/
I purchased mine in January os 2004 direct. Sent a wire transfer and the table arrived some three weeks later; no damage. It was packaged very well.
For a lot less money I'd take a look at these used tables:
great turntable and a set it and forget it kind of rig
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132853084
very nice looking and excellent reviews....priced right on used market..I'd make them an offer
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132599224
This is a no brainer; used Teres 160 with ET2 arm and Shelter cartridge. Bit expensive but worth it. The arm can be tedious to set up is my understanding, though.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132599224
Rega P7 with RB700 arm is an excellent choice, too, and another turnkey solution with great performance. Very small footprint, too.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132516265
DPS turntable ready for Rega arm....this is a wonderful turntable with first class engineering AND a small footprint.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1132456199
Superb performance AND collectible.....this is one of the best
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131842805
stretch your budget and get one of the best tables ever AND a superb Ikeda arm and cartridge....this table is collectible
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131113857
very attractive...oracle with kuzma arm
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131763494
another great table from the day with a better than good helius tonearm...helius provides audio note with their Very Expensive top of the line arms
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1131163922
If you decide to buy new besides Teres I would suggest you take a look at the Needle Doctor and an Acoustic Signature Final Tool. Excellent all metal table (no acrylic) with external motor and external speed/ac regulation. This can be fitted with two arms although this is an option and a bit pricey. Standard one is fitted for most 9" arms.
In my opinion once you get past this level of tables you are looking at truly big bucks for not a whole hell of a lot more performance. It gets better, yes, but (as usual) at what cost?
My ultimate table would be a used Simon Yorke; fyi.