VPI Avenger

I'm always amazed at the people that bash VPI. I've owned the original Classic TT since it was introduced. It has been completely trouble free and has delivered beautiful sound since the day I got it.

As for the Direct Drive being a bust, Michael Fremer rated it A+ in Stereophile and said if he ever replaced his reference, it would be the VPI DD. I have no doubt after hearing the Avenger that it will satisfy my needs for a very long time.

HW indicates the Classic Direct drive system can be custom ordered on the Avenger platform. I'd like to hear one of those.
 

The 3D printed arm on my Aries 3 sounds superb and I am vey happy with the quality. The Discovery cable adds to the uniqueness of the arm. This table replace a Rega P9 with a RB1000 arm.

I too don't understand bashing VPI, when one has the option of not buying. Certainly their products are nicely made and "honest". However, just on a theoretical level, while there are possible advantages in terms of noise floor, related to the maglev, what I wonder about is the idea that the maglev mechanism adds another source of elasticity to the system, which could (I say only "could") result in loss of some speed stability, in moments where stylus drag is peaking and the motor is struggling to produce more torque to overcome the resulting effect on rpm. I looked closely at an Avenger during the Capitol Audio Fest, and I did see that the magnetic bond between the top and bottom platters is substantial, so as to minimize that effect.

I think the VPI Avenger is an old model. Years ago I would guess about 10 years. I saw a VPI pre production model that very much looked like the Prime. It was anounced as the replacement model for the HRX.

However that was pre-crisis. Instead of introducing a new top of the line model they Clasic was released. Later followed by the Classic two and three. Now the Avenger apears once more.