So Long It's Been Good To Know Ya

I was a VPI dealer for years and there are some things you can do to make them sound better. Replace the aluminum feet with brass ones. I put some small brass points under the motor to isolate it.I did some other things but I would start with these. I used Star Tech but there are other things available. Isolating the motor should be easy. If you don't hear any difference I will come over and lay hands on you and say Heal works on TV every time! I was serious in the first part.

Star Sound Tech. I was a dealer for some time until I got sick. Look at their web site. They have brass feet that will screw in when you unscrew the factory ones. I used several others including the small points. Not cheap but very well made and effective. Ask for the VPI feet if you order any. They have threaded ones for many applications. I am not connected with them in any way.

Interesting stanwal, I never tried using brass points on my SDS.
I wound up preferring the Walker Audio Motor Controller, which uses brass points and isolation/damping. Perhaps the SDS would have faired better had I tried using the brass points.

Here’s MY take.... I have a Superscoutmaster/rim drive, Classic platter, 3D arm. I found that spikes under the turntable made a very large difference for better. I put the motors however, on soft feet so that as the driving disc rotates, any out-of-roundness with the platter or the driving disc, is absorbed by the motor assembly. This is easily demonstrated by lightly touching the space between the motor assembly and turntable itself...I can feel the motor assembly moving back and forth. When I also put cones under the motors, there is more noise.  On another point....in MY system, cones, rods, marshmallows, upgraded power cord, etc., have any effect at all under my SDS.

I was using several VPIs and found changing the standard feet for brass made a good difference. Also I used small points under the motor after I removed the feet. I never had the nerve to try the rim drive. I didn't put anything under my SDS and don't remember using a different power cord.since it treats the power already I didn't think it would make any difference. I had a PS audio PPP but I don't think they recommended using them together. Forgive me I have had some memory loss. I was using Star Sound Technologies brass points. Disclaimer. I was a VPI dealer and a Star Sound also but no longer am.