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VPI Rim Drive vs. belt drive sound files

Greetings All,

About two weeks ago I installed the VPI Rim Drive on my HRX turntable. Having gone through the same frustration of getting the speed stable discussed in other threads, I ---> THINK <--- I finally have it fairly well tweaked. The difference in sound appears to be a much more focused sound stage at the expense (?) of a change in tonal balance. Specifically, the mid tomes of piano keys seems to be a bit more harsh and there appears to be a bit more extension in the very bottom octave.

As I use my turntable purely as a front end for archival capture and mastering, I have digital files of the same tracks, though the identical signal path with both the belt drive and the rim drive. If anyone has the patience to download these large AIFF format files, the link below will give you access to a few of them. I’d be very interested in getting feedback from all on both sonic differences between them as well as any suggestions to improve the Rim drive set up based on listening. If you’d like to check them out please go to:

http://clients.crossroadstelevision.com

user: dean
password: marvin
go into the “VPI RIM DRIVE TEST” folder

Cheers,
Dean
dean358
tfkaudio
591 posts
 
I listened to Epuipoise. Rim Drive wins by a wide margin. Individual notes occupy their own space in a way that the other version just doesn't accomplish.

I'm actually struggling with this upgrade myself, at the moment. I'm trying to get the same speed stability that I had with the belts, but it's not there yet.

However...

The record I've been playing while going through this whole excersise is "Appalachian Spring" on RCA Living Stereo, Boston Symphony w/Aaron Copland conducting. This piece will drive you mad if speed stability isn't there, especially at the beginning and end of the piece. But I'll tell you something... Every note just jumps out of the speaker like never before. It's pretty awesome. In spite of the speed issue, I think I've listened to the record about 6 times this week, and the speed problem is taking a second place to the sheer immediacy of the performance in my listening space.
I'm gonna keep working on the speed stability battle, but the rim drive has already won the war.

Cheers.

Tom
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,474 posts
 
I have the same Copeland recording. Keep the turntable going...it will get better and better as the belt around the rim drive seats...or maybe it just wears evenly...anyway, it does become ever better.
mothra
110 posts
 
of course this is VPI table thread. I wouldn't go so far as to make it a rim drive vs belt vs dd thread.
the_eleven
7 posts
 
Dean, thanks for the excellent information. I have several thousand vinyl discs and am preparing to archive as much of it as I have patience for...

I definitely prefer the sound of the rim drive...even through an older iMac DAC and IEM's I can hear that the chord overtones are much more present on the rim-drive file. wow.

Have you considered the Morg MR-1000 reviewed in TAS 180? It makes files in DSD, and then you can down-sample to whatever format you want. But, as you say, in a 44.1 world, it may be preferable to sample at something lower.

I am curious about your experiences in arriving at your preferred sample rate, as the Apogee Duet is the other A/D that I am considering. Could you comment further on this? Or should I start another thread?
pedrillo
560 posts
 
Thought I would point out there is a new dac in town (berkeley) and it's won many hearts over. It's in the absolute sound issue this month Jan. 2009.
JMHO, I believe if anyone is going to archive vinyl into digital that a serious look is needed at the higher reslutions. I have the alesis cd recorder, and the higher format of 96k sounds much better than the redbook format of 44k.
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