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What direction is VPI headed?

First let me state that I own a VPI Prime w/perifial ring, SDS, and a couple extra arm wands so I have invested some $ overall, this being my third VPI table, with that said I am a happy VPI customer but here recently have taken a few notes on their constantly coming up with the next iteration of what ever is moving well and I do believe the Prime is one of those. When they came out with the Prime Signature it was hard not to sell and replace with it but I didn't now the Prime Signature Rosewood is gorgeous but at $6,800.00, now when you get to that cost level I started looking used and have seen the prices dropping ridiculously low on a couple of HRX setups with all the extras for  a lot less than that and they still aren't moving. I know there are those that speak of VPIs marketing from time to time but what is going on.
tooblue
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,994 posts
 
What have ya’ll found to be an improvement over the stock isolation springs in the HW-19 (all iterations)? Herbie’s dots, SIMS Navcom Silencers, Sorbothane spheres, cones, anything DIY, etc.
I have tried just about everything.

My favorite are the SIMS Navcom Silencers, (with the bands removed). Unfortunately, they are getting really hard to find.

YMMV
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 
Thanks mofi, I happen to have a set of SIMS left. I'll give them a try, as well as a set of roller bearings that I neglected to include, though they don't isolate vertically. Maybe even the Townshend Seismic Pods!
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,857 posts
 
@bdp24,

I lived with mine for over 20 years with my ET arm and tried several things.
It has a very resonant base that is difficult to overcome. It is a tweekers tt though. I’ve used the SIMS, practice golf balls, etc... In my experience, anything rubbery/squishy became a trap that destroys ultimate dynamics, transparency and bass response. ( I believe this to be a general rule of thumb. The 1st thing I did when I bought my Classic 3 Sig SE was to replace the rubber (inside) feet with Stillpoints SS). I was never happy until I ended up using a stack of Symposium Rollerblock Jrs. w/ ceramic ball bearings, that I had to modify the base for their use.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,857 posts
 
@vpi,

I’m just reporting what a friend of mine told me after he spoke with Harry years ago regarding his VPI TNT Jr/ET arm. According to him, Harry told him the TNT Jr. was developed with the ET arm.

As you may know, The TNT Jr. had no sprung plinth like the Hw-19. Having said this, lots of people used the ET on the VPI HW-19 series w/ spring suspension as did I (initially), also a lot of SOTA users did as well. In my experience the ET needs a more stable platform to work the best. Just think about it... that long counterweight beam hanging on the end of the ET is subject to any movement times a lot more than a regular pivoted arm. Some refer to it as "the tail wagging the dog". This is why some of the later developed upgrades for the ET were the double or triple spring I-beams, to help stiffen the I-beam or to have less movement at the I-beam..

You said above, "I believe it competes with the finest today". In my experience, it’s not even close. I suppose it comes down to what one’s definition of "competes" is? Why would VPI remove the HW-19 series out of their line-up if they thought this way?
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 

Thanks slaw, there’s nothing like experience with a design for over twenty years! I got rid of all my rubber isolation products for the very reason you cite, but kept one set of the SIMS just in case. I’m going to give your roller bearing idea a try, but with the bearings sitting directly on the shelf the HW-19 sits on, rather than in the corners of the table’s base. That base will then serve only to hold the motor, and provide aesthetic appeal to the table.

I have been using DH Golden Sound ceramic cones under my Townshend Rock table in place of the stock Sorbothane half-spheres. I also have the Townshend base and dust cover for the table, which comes with a thin bottom panel on which the spheres sit. I cut out the bottom panel, to disconnect the table from the base/dust cover. The HW-19 will be the same. I just bought a set of Townshend Seismic Pods to put in place of the DH cones under the Rock, so my Elite will now have the same degree of isolation as your Rock Mk.7, which comes with the Pods as feet. Brilliant design!

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