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VPI Fatboys versus others in its' tonearm weight class.

In their never ending quest to push fiscally responsible audiophiles into bankruptcy, site members have succeeded in making me consider a new gimbaled tonearm to keep a Lyra Kleos company on a VPI Classic 2 turntable. Dover, on my previous thread, pointed out most other tonearm options would be limited on the Classic 2 short of major surgery to it. So here I am considering keeping the tonearm upgrade in the VPI family. Their gimbaled Fatboy, will readily fit onto the VPI Classic 2’s tonearm base without any fuss.

Here’s my question after reading up on the Fatboy. How does the Fatboy compare with other tonearms in it’s $4500 price range? Is it about average in that class, which would be acceptable, or is it much better or worse than its’ peers?. If you.ve had any chance to compare the Fatboy with other tonearms in the same price range, what is your impression? I don’t want to spend that much money on one if the consensus is that it’s at the bottom of its class, which hopefully it isn’t.

I haven’t had an opportunity to listen to one, or any other tonearm as expensive. I would likely need to arrange a two day road trip to accomplish that. In lieu, I’m soliciting your impressions as to whether the Fatboy is worth that much compared to others in it’s price range. I guessing it will be okay, but don’t want to spend $4500 if the consensus is it’s at the bottom of its’ class just because it fits easily on my turntable. So what do you think? I’m all ears.

I’m not looking here for alternative solutions to a Fatboy. That was the topic of my recent thread, I’m only soliciting your impressions of the Fatboy compared to other similarly priced tonearms, and why I should or shouldn’t take a chance on it. Thanks all,

Mike

skyscraper
fsonicsmith1
101 posts
 

I did the VPI upgrade route too starting with a VPI Classic with unipivot 10.5 standard arm and ending up with a Prime with 3D arm before moving away from VPI. I did feel that the printed arm was significantly better than the aluminum arm, both of which were unipivot.

My next move was to have Greg Metz rebuild my Thorens TD124 with custom bearing and platter and mount a Reed 3P arm on it. This is where I came to believe that the tonearm has a tremendous role in ultimate SQ. There was a huge leap up in sound quality-more meat to the bones, more integration of sound, just better music, all using the same cartridges that had been in my stable-Benz Gliders and Ortofons. Since then I have gone up in the cartridge tier ranks with a VdH Crimson Strad and Lyra Etna Lamda. Then I added a Greg Metz Garrard 301 with upgraded bearing and platter and with Reed 3P and now I am off the upgrade path for good (as it pertains to drives/tonerams). 

I have mixed feelings about VPI. They are good in a lot of ways and have shortcomings. The tonearm designs are not up there with the best, but that is just my humble op. 

laynes
62 posts
 

Thanks Fsonic. I also have a VdH Crimson and go back and forth between that and my Hanna Red. I have heard that the aluminum arm wasn't very good and I have the 3D arm now but wondering if the $4,500 Fatboy is a significant (enough) improvement. I've ready mostly good but a few blah reviews. I'd move to a Gimbal but am also ok with my/a unipivot.

Your post is also applicable because I have thought about waiting to upgrade my table and then do an arm then but I am at the end of this $$$ run over the past few months so that would need to be a 2024 purchase probably. That said, I'm not unhappy with my Prime Signature.

tablejockey
3,916 posts
 

VPI ownership is enjoyable ONCE the setup is optimized.

Unipivot or gimbal, they're not examples of SOTA engineering.

With proper supporting equipment-cartridge/phonostage AND a clean LP, most ears will hear what it's designed to do-play a record at a respectable level compared to an uber $etup.

The best upgrade for a VPI owner is opening the wallet a little wider for a different brand.

Happy VPI Classic owner (11 years)

antinn
407 posts
 

@laynes 

Are you familiar with these two reviews:

VPI Fatboy - Positive Feedback (positive-feedback.com)

VPI 12-inch 3D Fatboy Tonearm - Positive Feedback (positive-feedback.com)

I recently upgraded from a 12-inch 3D to 12-inch Fatboy, and my experience is consistent with the reviews above using Soundsmith cartridges - Boheme and Paua.

laynes
62 posts
 

Thanks Antin. I had see the first link but not the second. I have now added a Fatboy to my "list". Maybe someday I'll upgrade my Prime Signature but I'm pretty happy with it for the most part and hope to be more so after the Fatboy. I'm thinking the next step up will be a significant increase in $$$, no matter which brand it is.

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