[pgastone]

Both are avail on audiogon- and as per my previous posy i havee been doing a  bit if research based on all you useful suggestions.

Anyway, the VPI strikes me as a pretty interesting deal at $2500- it includes the SDS drive which you have all told me is a good idea if i go with belt drive system and also the upgraded feet- it's one owner and in my area (NY tristate area) so I can go and pick it up rather that worry about shipping etc....
It's more that i was looking to spend but it i think it makes sense....thoughts? Am i out to lunch?

The P7 was anothwr alternative- being sold by audio pimp for $1450- more in line with my budget but not quite as good a deal.

After quite of a bit of research I was thin gking in getting a grado sonata + Grado phono mounted as they appear to work very well together and again as many of you suggested and I agree, synergy of the entire chain is key.

Anyway, thought I would throw this out there....

[twitch54]

The fact that the owner of the Aries table does not have original packaging  but you are able to see / pick it up yourself is a plus. I would think you could score the setup for somewhere between $2-2500, and yes assuming everything functions as advertised it would be a fine table, worthy of the price increase over the P-7.

Now if you could find a super nice P-9, that would be a different story..........

[pgastone]

thx twitch...in terms of the vpi, the way I was looking at it is that the sds, used, goes for around $650/$700, implying the price of the Aires under $2k, which is fairly good from what I have seen etc....also, i have read that many seem to prefer the Aries 1 vs the newer iterations with the acrylic platter.
Anyway, seemed to be a fairly good price and as a 1 owner table with no shipping "risk" sounded good.

P9 huh....that good....if for whatever reason this fall through I will look at this too....reason I looked at p7 is that a lot of people mentioned to me it was a very good table for the price. 

[ricmon]

The VPI sounds like a good deal.  If you go and inspected it and all is well and you can swing the cash.  I think you will never look back and be really happy every time you drop the needle.  BTW does the table come with a cart or will you have to buy a new one?

Ric

[pgastone]

I'll have to buy a new one- it has a benz micro glider but by accident the needle was snapped off so only comes with housing.

I was thinking of adding a grado sonata (+getting the phono stage)- am told that combo works very well together on vpi's.

[pgastone]

The owner just put pictures up on audiogon- looks pretty good.
Spoke to him today and will swing by his place next week to conclude.

[pgastone]

btw, pwner put up picks on audiogon- looks good!
SHould swing by his plac next week to conlcude.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1224935694&/VPI-aries-