VPI Rim Drive vs. belt drive sound files

Great Idea to upload the files. Next time maybe try 96 or 192K.

I'll have to hook up a DAC to take a listen to these files, as I too am interested in seeing what rim type drive could to do my table.

Cool post. Would you mind detailing the entire playback and transfer chain (cartridge, cables, phonostage, etc.)? Also, was any editing (pop and click removal, EQ, etc.) done to these tracks?

I'm with Emailists... I'd be all over 24/96 files if you were to put them up!

Thanks!

My wife too can pick out the rim drive version. I think the easiest one is the piano

Hi Gents,

Very glad you like this thread. Thanks for the description Stringreen – interesting that you like the piano tones and are not finding them harsh.

As for the signal path, in addition to the HRX with Super Platter and Rim Drive, I’m using:

Shelter 9000 cartridge
NBS Omega Extreme 2 cable
Pass Xono Preamp
Apogee Electronics Rosetta 200 analog-to-digital converter
Apogee Electronics Mac Pro based Symphony system with Ben master clock
BIAS Peak PRO 6 software
Exact Power EP15A and EDPS power conditioning

Regarding using 96K or 192K sampling rates ----sigh. We (or at least I) live in a 44.1Khz world. Therefore my goal in capturing is to optimize for 44.1 KHZ. I’ve done MANY experiments digitizing at higher sampling rates and then down sampling to 44.1 KHz. My findings are that if, and only if, the final product from my turntable (not true for live recording) is to be 44.1 KHz than the best results are obtained by sampling at 44.1Khz / 24 bit and using the Apogee hardware bit mapping to convert the files into 44.1 KHz / 16 bit files when recording. YMMV :-)

I do NOT apply any noise reduction software or EQ. I’ve tried a bunch of these and, in summary; they are not remotely worth the trade off in sound quality. I will, however, occasionally paint out a big glitch in the waveform by hand.

Regards,
Dean

I listened to Epuipoise. Rim Drive wins by a wide margin. Individual notes occupy their own space in a way that the other version just doesn't accomplish.

I'm actually struggling with this upgrade myself, at the moment. I'm trying to get the same speed stability that I had with the belts, but it's not there yet.

However...

The record I've been playing while going through this whole excersise is "Appalachian Spring" on RCA Living Stereo, Boston Symphony w/Aaron Copland conducting. This piece will drive you mad if speed stability isn't there, especially at the beginning and end of the piece. But I'll tell you something... Every note just jumps out of the speaker like never before. It's pretty awesome. In spite of the speed issue, I think I've listened to the record about 6 times this week, and the speed problem is taking a second place to the sheer immediacy of the performance in my listening space.
I'm gonna keep working on the speed stability battle, but the rim drive has already won the war.

Cheers.

Tom