Upgrading a Scout II, Best bang for the buck??


Hi all

I have this TT for a couple of months now and was wondering what I could do to improve it. This is my first TT in many years so I don't have much experience with TT's and I really don't have anything to compare it too.

A little bit about my rig, I am using a NOS Shure V15 XMR, a phonomena II phono stage, a Linkwitz Orion 3 speaker system and matching Thor subs.

I have aligned the cart with a Mint protractor and its sounds very good as compared to my Sony XA5400ES cd player.

I was thinking maybe a VPI ring and center weight, possibly a better stand and maybe a 2" thick peice of granite to place the scout on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Frank
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Thanks for the suggestions so far. I was hoping to pick up a used ring but they seem to go fast around here. I found a maple end grain chopping block 15x20x31/2 made by Michigan maple block for $92.00 will this do?

Thanks
Frank
The block you found should work fine. One additional thing I've done to mine that has increased it's functionality is to install 1/4" x 20 threaded brass inserts in the bottom. Then I installed BDR carbon fiber cones with threaded brass rods into the inserts. That way I can adjust each of the four corners of the block to get a perfectly level plane for my turntable.
Thanks for the tip Photon46, do you think the maple block is as good as the Gingko cloud 10?

Frank
I am a small VPI dealer and one of the best mods was to replace the stock feet with something like the Star Sound Audio Points. The 1/4 20 threads screw right in and 3 of my customers were very happy with them, another is trying them out now. I sell these but others made of solid brass should also work. I have a Michigan Maple block resting on a VPI TNT platform under a Classic and it works very well; I also had it under a Scoutmaster and Scout. I have FIM ball bearing isolators under the Maple block, this works even better than brass cones, which are also good. I am a FIM dealer also. The VPIs respond well to tweaking and there are many roads to try.