Should I buy a VPI SCOUTMASTER. I OWN 25 RECORDS.

Should I buy a VPI SCOUTMASTER? No. Buy the Super Scoutmaster Reference. Thereby skipping past a couple of upgrade bugs in the future. 

I’ve got ~2000 records and also have a nice Roon server with TIDAL and Qobuz and a bunch of DACs...so I hope my advice is helpful here. I went to Axpona and listened to $300,000 systems two years ago that sounded like crap and heard some $5,000 systems that sounded very, very nice. The amount you spend does NOT correlate to sound quality; picking the right components DOES MATTER, so ignore the guy above that says you need to drop a minimum of $5,000 on a cartridge.

Vinyl first, since you asked. The three most important things are:

Clean, un-scratched records (so you don’t have clicks and pops)
A good cartridge
A phone stage that matches the cartridge

So...first get a record cleaning machine if you are seriously pursuing vinyl listening. I have a Nitty Gritty, but there are many great ones (VPI, Record Doctor, Pro-Ject Audio Desk, etc.). You can get a Record Doctor VI from Audio Advisor for $300 bucks.

Cartridge next. I personally prefer moving coil (MC) after listening to many. I’ve tried Grado MM and Ortofon (MC Quintet Blue), Benz Micro and Goldring (Eroica LX). Denon also makes a killer cartridge (DL-103R) that is legendary which is a nice value if it matches your tonearm.

I would suggest the Ortofon MC Quintet lineup as I have a "Blue" that sounds absolutely fantastic for the money...but you need to match the mass of the cartridge to the tonearm you choose. That is where a dealer can help you choose unless you want to do a lot of research.

You may be able to use your existing phono stage if the cartridge you choose works with your stage. If not, you can go solid state or tube phono stage. A great bang for the buck is the Pro-Ject lineup. I run a tube Pro-Ject Tube Box S at around $600, but you can nuts there as well and get into the thousands. Parasound is a great brand for a high-end dedicated phono pre.

On to the table. It spins the record and you don’t want it to pick up vibration from your environment or from the motor. It’s a simple thing...but there are audible differences. I’m not knocking direct drive like a Technics, but I personally have listened to a lot of setups and I prefer something with an outboard motor...which gets the motor noise AWAY from the cartridge. VPI makes fine turntables...don’t listen to these folks that obviously cannot hear and are on the internet bandwagon of hating VPI for some strange reason. I’ve heard plenty of amazing sounding VPI setups.

I run a Music Hall MMF9.1 with an upgraded tonearm (Pro-Ject 9C evolution). I listened to a lot of tables...and I love the Sorbothane isolaters and multiple plinths that the Music Hall offers which kill any vibration from your dwelling quite nicely. I also like the separate motor and belt drive. Bang for the buck is huge as well. Music Hall tables are made by Pro-Ject...another great table is the Pro-Ject RPM 9 carbon. It’s a killer value. I own both; I prefer the Music Hall as it is better isolated, but the RPM 9 is no slouch. Also check our EAT which is made by Pro-Ject.

The above will get you spinning your vinyl...and then as your knowledge grows, you can decide on upgrades that cost a LOT more but offer only small improvements. You can also see if you "stick with" vinyl.

If you want to stream, I like the cheap Pro-Ject Pre-Box S2 digital to get you started along with a TIDAL and QOBUZ subscription. I use a Roon server and think the lifetime license is worth every penny; you can run it on a NAS or a PC or a dedicated high dollar device. A modern PC with an SSD is sufficient.

For step-up DAC’s, buy a Schiit Gungnir with Multibit or a Schiit Yggdrasil...or if you want MQA, buy a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, a Schiit EITR to feed it from a PC and an SBooster BOTW power conditioner to clean up the power feed if you want reference level modern DAC conversion. Also check out Denafrips.

Opinions are like you-know-what. I tried to offer actual shopping lists in the above without breaking the bank and getting you going...and then you can upgrade items one-by-one as your knowledge and experimentation allows.

I would not hesitate to buy that VPI you are looking at...get it a new cartridge...plug it into your existing phono stage (if it is a match)...buy a record cleaning machine and ENJOY! Why not get a streaming setup going at the same time? It’s all about the music!

You have to use your ears and not just go by what you read on the internet. I built this setup with an analog A:B XLR switchbox and identical amps just so I can A:B stuff and find out what stuff REALLY sounds like:

https://images42.fotki.com/v905/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_4040-vi.jpg

https://images40.fotki.com/v381/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_3566-vi.jpg

Records are awesome:

https://images46.fotki.com/v678/photos/6/743956/16188341/IMG_1565-vi.jpg

Dear @uberwalts : You are almost rigth and agree with you.

Yes, more important than money ( that always is welcomed. ) is our knowledge and skills levels and this knowledge/skills are not achieved through audio forums but by first hand experiences over several years with a self training through tests and errors.

The  true sound quality differences between any $  audio system is the knowledge/skills levels of the system owners.

As I said I'm against mediocrity/average sound and that's why my advise is that the OP try to start ( first step ) at an excellence land with a 4K DAC  that with help him to know if his systems can honor that DAC quality level performaNCE OR HE NEEDS TO CHANGE ANOTHER OR OTHERS SYSTEM LINKS IN HIS SYSTEM CHAIN.
At the end I don't care what the OP can decide I'm just posting an opinion and that's all.

@dimora , I'm not against VPI other than its unipivot tonearms that can't honor  the quality sound of any cartridge but that does not means is the best at its level price because something almost unexpensive like this DD TT outperforms any VPI rig but the VPI DD model:

https://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1200g.html

and this Technics TT comes with very good tonearm too with that advantage of its removable headshell to mate easily any cartridge to it.

In the other side, there are differences between cartridges in different range price and in the rigth audio rystem a 5K cartridge always will outperforma a 2K-3K ones.
Btw, in the rigth system do you already listen ( example ) the Lyra Etna cartridge?

Yes, I agree with you that exist several 40K-50K audio systems that outperforms 300K + systems and outperforms it because a very low knowledge/skills levels of the owner.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I am pretty much done with VPI after hearing all the feedback on here and the design aspects of the arm. I am going REGA.  A stereo store local to me has a demo  Rega RP10 for 3 grand, I will put a 2 thousand dollar cartridge on it but a used phono stage for 2 grand and I will be doing just fine. As far as the DAC goes, I am looking at a Berkeley Dac or an AURELIC VEGA G2. State of the art is out of my budget but achieving a musical good sounding 2 channell system is in reach. 

I’m sorry that you were turned off the VPI. You can take solace in knowing that the Rega is a S’Phile Class A. Then too, 3 VPI tables are in the Class A., all w/ unipivot arms. Both tables/arm have their adherents and their detractors. Another item you will need (or really want) is a Pete Riggle VTAF which when used with the Rega arm will allow easier  VTA adjustment. The stock Rega requires shims to adjust VTA which is a PITA. This is for SME but I'm pretty sure he makes them for Regas also. Good luck and enjoy.

https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Tone-Arms/Pete-Riggle-Engineering-and-Audio/VTAF/For-All-SME-Tonearm-Models/10675