VPI Industries Scout Turntable & JMW Tonearm

Please note: Ortofon 2M Black Cartridge not included,  sold separately for $495
Re-introducing the audio world to the best-selling VPI table of all time - better than the old one, better than it should be at this price! The Scout has become one of the world's best-reviewed turntable! The sound is fast and detailed, deep and wide with a natural midrange worthy of the world's finest cartridges. And one of the easiest tables to upgrade!  

For improved stability and damping, the Scout's chassis is made from 1 1/8" thick MDF bonded to a 12 gauge steel plate giving a rigid, non-resonant plinth. The AC synchronous motor is contained in a separate steel housing and drives the platter via an Aries belt, speeds are 33 and 45 standard. This combination gives quiet, yet stable running with accurate speed.  

"The Scout with its outboard motor is rock-solid and provides excellent speed control. Sound quality is disconcertingly good for the money. It is not necessarily an entry-level 'table at this price' nonetheles, you can and probably will (at some point), spend far more and get less. The challenge you'll find, however, is to spend more and actually get a significantly better-sounding turntable. It's not as easy as it sounds - which is precisely why it is a TAS Product of the Year" - Scot Hull, The Absolute Sound, July/August 2013, Issue 234  

�The scout brought a soundstage that was far more precisely defined. Bass was tighter, with less mud and boom. Treble was more extended and detail retrieval was clearly superior. Music, which was very entertaining and listenable on the *******, simply sounded clear on the scout. Insert your favorite cliché about �veil removal� and �inky-black backgrounds,� but that�s what it sounded like.�-Scott Hull TAS  

"Rather, this is a flat-out, unconditional, "Holy Mother of Crap, I can't believe how good this thing is" recommendation. It's hard to imagine another way of spending $ that will add this much to your system." - Art Dudley, Stereophile  

The Table:
� 1.25" thick premium textured vinyl covered MDF bonded to a 12 gauge steel plate.
� Machined 1 3/8" thick 6061 aluminum platter.
� Platter rotates on an oil bath bearing and fitted to shaft with a #2 Jacob�s Taper for a concentric rigidly mounted coupling.
� The bearing has a PEEK thrust disc and machined graphite impregnated brass bushings using a Thompson Engineering 60 Rockwell case hardened shaft.
� 600 RPM AC synchronous motor is contained in a separate steel housing and drives the platter with smooth, quiet operation.
� Includes a screw down record clamp that eliminates warps  

The Arm:
� JMW Scout Tonearm.
� Average RMS distortion: .36%
� Zero friction unipivot bearing mounted on a hardened solid steel shaft.
� VTA adjustable arm mount so you can set your cartridge at the proper height.
� Damped polished stainless steel armtube.
� Black anodized head shell and bearing body
� Removable arm-wands allows you to change cartridges in less than 30 seconds.
� Precision adjustable counter weight lets you get the most out of every cartridge you mount using its azimuth and tracking force adjustments. The only way to precisely mount a cartridge is with azimuth, height, and tracking force adjustments.
� Adjustable Anti-skate option. 
 The Cartridge:

The 2M Black is the top of Ortofon’s 2M range. At 7.2g it’s a heavy shelled cartridge, and has a relatively light recommended tracking force of 1.5g.

Following running in, it showed real power and dynamics, as well as crisp timing.

A very transparent and detailed stylus, the Ortofon handles subtlety well, with vocals especially possessing supreme inflection and insight.  (NOT INCLUDED, SOLD SEPARATELY FOR $495)
 Dimensions: 19" x 13" x 4"

Works  beautifully...downsizing my collection.