Vpi scoutmaster/SDS or Avid Acutus

Help me choose please. The guys over at AVforums have provided some good advice but Im still not sure and you're a pretty knowledgeable lot.
Musical tastes vary from very "hifi" - female vocal right through to pretty heavy electronic stuff by way of a lot of Indie Rock. Transparency and the ability to convey emotion are high priorities. Will be used with a top model Roksan phono stage and a meridian/B&W 800 series system. Both decks have been offered at very compelling prices. The avid is currently fitted with an RB300. The vpi uses its own unipivot JW. Both decks are about 1yr old. I will be using an Ortofon Jubilee MC.

 

Hi Patmarcus,

I use an Avid Acutus and an Ortofon Jubilee with a SME V tone arm. If you can get the Avid at a good price go for it. It will work well with the Rega and other arms. I would pick it in against the Scoutmaster.

If you can, get to listen to both decks.

But for what you are after, the Avid is a very good and enjoyable port of call.

SCIDB

 

Hi Guys.

Having used the Super Scoutmaster for about a year would highly recommend this deck,this replaced a Clearaudio champion level 2 with it's Unify arm in my system.

First thing I realy noted was how quite it is,not that the clearaudio was noisy,just the silent bits,were more silent!! Overall the new deck was a major improvement,although not as pretty as the Clearaudio.

With the SDS and a strobe the speed can be set spot on so easily and the VTA adjustment can be adjusted whilst a disc is spinning.You will also need to factor in another pair of IC's from deck to phono stage,I use Freys and they sound great.

The only negative is the existing belts and I mean all of them including the drive and both of the disc clamps are crap,be sure to get the thin ones as these seem to be OK.

GJO

 

Thanks both of you. The super scoutmaster is out of budget but its very useful to know about the belts. A good point also about the ICs. I use Altas Elektras so I know that I`ll need to budget another £500+ there.
The vpi is actually one on ebay so we'll see if I win. If I do, i think I`ll still listen to the acutus and if necessary sell the vpi.