I would be very carefull about 'upgrading' your Aries 1 with the lighter platter and periphery ring. There are many that do not consider this an upgrade at all. The sound is considerably lighter, which gives the impression of more detail, but you lose dynamics and bass. It is a matter of personnel taste, of course, but I do not care as much for the new design. Do you have the Mk5 platter and bearing?
VPI Aries 1 upgrades?
Hi!
I had a conversation earlier today about upgrading my original Aries + JMW 10.
It was recommended that the biggest upgrades (bang for the $) would be:
1) Platter, bearing + periphery ring (@ approx $1300)
2) JMW 10.5i (@ $1200)
Other possibilities include the single motor+flywheel ($700, i think), just the lower noise motor (~$140), and/or the forthcoming new hr-x style feet ($200).
I already have the SDS.
I started to add up the costs of the upgrades and realized that we're approaching the price of the ScoutMaster Signature (esp if you subtract the SDS). I started to think that the decision is really whether to perform the upgrades, or to attempt to sell the Aries/JMW combo and pump the money I would have spent on upgrades into a new unit.
I asked the man himself about making the choice, and he could only say that they sound a bit different (and that the Aries does look a little better, but that's not a big concern to me).
I have enjoyed the Aries tremendously, and I think that any shortcomings I notice are probably more related to the fact that I moved somewhere and have not been able to properly stabilize the rack on which it sits.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the above upgrades? They are pretty pricey for me, but I'm thinking about what I want to do next/strive for.
Do my existing platter + bearing have any value to offset the new platter/bearing/periphery ring? How much?
Has anyone compared the Scoutmaster Signature to the Aries?
What would you do?
Thank you in advance for your thoughts!
I had a conversation earlier today about upgrading my original Aries + JMW 10.
It was recommended that the biggest upgrades (bang for the $) would be:
1) Platter, bearing + periphery ring (@ approx $1300)
2) JMW 10.5i (@ $1200)
Other possibilities include the single motor+flywheel ($700, i think), just the lower noise motor (~$140), and/or the forthcoming new hr-x style feet ($200).
I already have the SDS.
I started to add up the costs of the upgrades and realized that we're approaching the price of the ScoutMaster Signature (esp if you subtract the SDS). I started to think that the decision is really whether to perform the upgrades, or to attempt to sell the Aries/JMW combo and pump the money I would have spent on upgrades into a new unit.
I asked the man himself about making the choice, and he could only say that they sound a bit different (and that the Aries does look a little better, but that's not a big concern to me).
I have enjoyed the Aries tremendously, and I think that any shortcomings I notice are probably more related to the fact that I moved somewhere and have not been able to properly stabilize the rack on which it sits.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the above upgrades? They are pretty pricey for me, but I'm thinking about what I want to do next/strive for.
Do my existing platter + bearing have any value to offset the new platter/bearing/periphery ring? How much?
Has anyone compared the Scoutmaster Signature to the Aries?
What would you do?
Thank you in advance for your thoughts!