Maximizing VPI Prime Performance

Why the Waynes periphery clamp? Cost? As you say, it looks a pain to use. I’d bought the VPI as it’s made to work well with their tts.

Avoid screw down spindle clamps! Why does one want to reconnect with the tts’ bearing? Bad idea! I made the right move and invested in an ORB Record Flattener instead of a periphery ring.

I concur with the Stillpoints LP-1

I recommend MyMat. PM me.

Couldn't find any links to MyMat

Why the choice for Waynes Audio? It seems to have enough mass to couple the outer portion of a record to a platter. The centering disc looks to work well. The price is reasonable. 

The point of this exercise is to get as much of an improvement as possible within reasonable cost parameters.

Cheers
Mister Pig
 

Get a couple Synergistic Research PHT. Green Dream is very deep and liquid, Black Widow a little more dynamic and present, both just enough each way from neutral to make tuning fun. I've got one of each on my Koetsu, and a third Green Dream on the arm tube. Yes they allow incredible fine-tuning. Then also get a set of SR ECT, put them on the motor and arm, and experiment with different locations. 

Being a secondary system then room acoustics maybe are out but if not SR HFT are very unobtrusive and crazy effective.

I use a TTWeights periphery ring (together with an old center weight) much like the Wayne’s because my older VPI has a slightly smaller platter and the VPI ring doesn’t fit. Nevertheless I find it much easier and quicker to use than the screw clamp. It improves the sound in many ways including by adding flywheel to the platter. And it solves many warp issues.

You can also improve the performance by adding the VPI motor flywheel combo. The factory might even sell you the parts without the motor since you already have the motor. You can also add the VPI or other motor controller.

Better still, you can buy the motor, controller and RoadRunner from Sota. See the discussions on this at the VPI Forum.

Mister pig, you'll use the periphery clamp two or three times then give up.
It is just too much of a PITA. It is much more important to have a solid platform under the table than any crazy feet. Your SOTA and SME tables are so stable because they hang from their suspensions, an inherently self stabilizing situation. Putting the suspension under is inherently  unstable.  Other than an upgraded cartridge and arm I really do not think you can do much other than waste money. The SOTA Eclipse package would be fun. Would it really improve the sound? I do not think $1000.00 worth.  You might notice it if you had perfect pitch. I think you would be better off buying music.
If you swallow the acid Millercarbon is on you can get a bunch of those PHT things and really hallucinate.