VPI Industries---Love the Company as Much as their Turntables


I'm starting this thread because I just purchased my 4th VPI turntable. I started with a Cliffwood base model and kept working my way up the ladder until I recently purchased a Signature DS with the Analog Drive System (ADS). Over the years I have owned at least a dozen turntables ranging from a Thorens (TD145 MKII) to Rega Planars 3 through 8, and as I was contemplating a Rega P10, I looked at my VPI Prime in its stealth black and the MNPC Tech chrome feet and decided to slap on an old Ortofon  Quintet Bronze Cartridge and began listening---WOW--I missed the VPI sound. I started tweaking the Prime and realized why I had moved on to Rega--great tables but lacked the raw power that a VPI table properly set-up can do.

After a few months ignoring the P8, I decided to contact Mat Weisfeld the current family audio guru at VPI, thinking I could upgrade my Prime with their new gimbal tonearm and signature base. Over the years I have met Mat ay several different vinyl and audio conventions--I have even been to the factory in Cliffwood, New Jersey on two occasions. Mat is a high energy brilliant man who understands the visceral power of quality music reproduction. he's also one of the most accessible CEO's I have ever encountered in any industry. Anyway, he e-mails me back and says forget upgrades, I'll take your Prime in trade and outfit you with a new Signature DS. Since the factory is just up the NJ Turnpike from Philly, I drove up to see him.

The fellow that built my table, Howie was just packing it up when I arrived. What a beautiful piece of art this is!! The Rosewood finish sandwiched between a shiny metal plate is amazing. The new gimbal tonearm has an amazing musical replay ability and the new HW-40 feet isolate any extraneous noise. Is a fully rigged turntable (cartridge, ADS controller, Signature TT) pushing $10K a great value?

I think it's a veritable bargain--if you properly adjust the VTA, align the cartridge, the Azimuth and add a 1 to 3 inch solid wood base as recommended, this TT sounds better than anything I have ever owned.and in my opinion, properly set up is 'As Good As it Gets"--Good times and noodle salad.

The TT is great, but the real value is VPI itself. A family owned business run by passionate audiophiles as well as employees who are proud of the products they produce. That is the real bargain.

I started this thread to see what experiences others have had--to me a great piece of kit entertains you for sure, but a company that is service and job 1 is priceless.. 

mervo

 

I bought a used VPI HW-19 Mk.3 and an Aries, and each needed the ball bearing at the bottom of their bearing spindles replaced---they had developed a worn flat spot. Try as I might, I could not dislodge the ball bearing from the bottom of the spindle (I tried heating the ball, and freezing it).

I emailed Harry Weisfeld, who invited me to send him both complete bearing assemblies (spindle and bearing well). He had a technician work on both, and that tech was able to dislodge one of the ball bearings, which he replaced with a new, larger one. The other one just wouldn't come loose, so Harry had his machinist fabricate a new spindle and install a new ball bearing, and then returned both bearing assemblies to me, at no charge!

Does customer service get any better than that?!

 

@bdp24 Wow...that's great!

 

On the flip side, years ago I had a Music Hall table that I needed something for. Talked to Roy. He couldn't have been more of a nasty, condescending prick.

I had a few bad experiences with VPI customer service over warranty issues, it really soured me.  Fortunately, my last 2 interactions have been great.  I do have several items I need to cover with them, but keep putting it off as I feel like a small fish in the sea calling them.

To hysteve have you had the stylus and cartridge checked it could be time for a rebuild or a new one this should improve your sound considerably . 

Do folks follow the maintenance instructions and tune up there table at least once a year. 

A very happy VPI Scout Aries owner here. I was thinking of moving up the line but not sure what I'd gain.