VPI - HR-X or a SME 20/2A

I have a VPI HRX and have heard the SME 20 a number of times for extended listening sesions in my friend's system and once at a dealer. I have also heard the SME 30/2 for a very long listening sesion at a dealer's home. Both the HRX and the 20 are very well designed and built. Neither should present problems setting up. With respect to sound, I think the HRX is much more dynamic and solid sounding. I think the proper comparison is between the HRX and the 30/2, which has better isolation and is very dynamic. The difference between the 30 and the HRX is that the HRX is livlier (some would consider this coloration). The one thing that HRX owners will tell you is how much they enjoy listening to the table - it pulls you into the music and gets you foot tapping. The 30/2 may be the nth degree more transparent. You should also consider the fact that with the HRX you can easily change arms/cartridges.

all this superiority talk cracks me up sometimes, are you talking about superior materials ? superior design ? superior craftsmanship, or superior looks ? what, because its not superior sound, and thats what is important in my book, have you noticed how many in the audio business, use vpi tables and arms, in their reference audition rooms ? vpi, are the best sounding tables around in my opinion, and apparently alot of other professionals also, they may not be made of the most exotic materials, or the most complicated designs, but they are the best sounding, call it synergy, or whatever you want to call it, but hey, thats all i've got to say about that forest

I haven't heard VPI's latest flagship, but every other VPI I've heard is a bit syrupy. If I were to play a bunch of 70's and 80' pop it's what I'd buy.

Macallan,

You may want to check in with Brooks Berdan in Monrovia, Ca. He is a well-known analog guy (he famously developed mods to the early Oracle which the company included in its later versions of the table) and is a dealer for both tables. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but when I asked about SME vs. VPI, he seemed to like the HR-X better than the SME 10 but not quite as much as the SME 20. Happy hunting.

Marty

Semi, I have to laugh at your comment about SME vs VPI arms. First SME arms don't have any azimuth adjustment and their overhang requires moving the entire arm assembly on a rack system, just another path for resonance and smear to set up in the system. I had a IV and it sounds nowhere as good as my JMW 10.5.