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VPI acrylic vs. aluminum

I am wondering what is the biggest difference between acrylic and aluminum platters. I have the acrylic and I really like the midrange.  The heavier aluminum platter ime has a little more heft in the bass and a little quieter background.  Not sure the instruments sound better though.  Tradeoffs I guess. What are your opinions?
tzh21y
melm
1,084 posts
 
Here's the platter: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/imagehosting/75530955554817eb537e.jpg

There is a gap between the top and bottom platters. A belt-drive motor spins the lower segment while magnets link the top and bottom.
tzh21y OP
1,654 posts
 
I like this
melm
1,084 posts
 
Just a word for the OP who may feel neglected in all of this.  

I think in his original question you hit the nail on the head.  The acrylic platter (by which I assume meant the acrylic ONLY platter) has real sonic advantages.  The heavy aluminum platter has the principal advantage IMO of being heavy; it weighs 20 lbs; the acrylic weighs only a fraction of that.  The acrylic/lead or the acrylic/steel (super) platters offer the best of both worlds IMO.

As I have written above I don't think the type of bearing matters, only the quality.

If I had a VPI acrylic platter, which I think has almost no value on the used market, I would try to find some way of adding weight to it.  If there's enough clearance one might find a thick 12" diameter steel plate and glue to the underside of the platter.  Or one could try to emulate platters like on the Teres and drill holes in the platter, perhaps from the bottom, and fill with them with lead.  Or rout out a deep and wide circle in the bottom of the platter to fill with lead.  Or something like that.
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