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VPI Scoutmaster vs. Pro-ject RM10

I had a chance to listen to a VPI Scout friday and was sorely disappointed. I had the salesman play a Rega P3 and it was no contest. I finally convinced him that the VTA must be off. I placed the rega felt mat on the VPI and it cleared up considerably. But was it VTA or the felt mat or both?? I like the way the VPI is built is seems like it would provide years of service. But I would like to hear a Pro-ject RM10 and don't have a dealer locally that has one set up for demo. Has anyone ever compared these two? The scout sounded muffled and uncontrolled in the bass. Again the mat helped but is that a characteristic of VPI? Do they traditionally sound hard or conjested? I understand that the Pro-Ject arm is a real nice arm and the magnetic bearing is appealing but before I plop down 3K I would like some input on what to expect.
128x128theo
photon46
1,086 posts
 
Something was probably not optimal in the setup of the Scout. Properly set up,
"hard" and "congested" are adjectives that would never
occur to me as applicable to the Scout. I found the Scout to be extremely
sensitive to what it sits on. If it sits on a low mass slab of MDF, it sure isn't
going to sound it's best. When I first set mine up on the top shelf of my Billy
Bags rack (mdf shelf,) it didn't sound any better than my modified Empire 598III.
After getting a thick maple plinth for it, things improved by a great deal. Mostly
in the the presentation of the lower frequencies. I have a thick, solid slab of
concrete for a floor, so a bouncy floor wasn't a factor. Many owners report
excellent results with Ginkgo platforms as well. I'd consider the cost of an
additional support platform a required expense to get a Scout to sound it's best.
sns
3,305 posts
 
This is an isolation issue, muffled and uncontrolled are not terms I would use in regard to this model of VPI. Hardness is not a term I would use with VPI either. They can sound congested when not using proper isolation.

I've experimented with many platforms, properly draining internal and external vibrations is manadatory. The uncontrolled and muffled bass you're hearing is a symptom of vibrations being reintroduced into tt.

Wall mount necessary with springy floors. Sandbox, Symposium, Nuance, etc. platforms with either stand or wall mounting. I never use anything springy directly underneath mass loaded tt designs. Still waiting for a good explanation of using any suspension under VPI's.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
Add a Clearaudio Performance to this list in this price range. I love mine.
robm321
932 posts
 
Yep another VPI owner that thinks something is wrong with your set up.
jwong
56 posts
 
See the current issue of Absolute Sound, dubbed the "Analog Issue". It reviews four enty-level TT's including Rega and Pro-jects, topping out at a $1,200 model from a third maker I can't recall. The article might be helfpul in your research.

I have the Scoutmaster and it had a signficantly better "bottom" response compared to it's younger brother Scout in head to head A/B. Sorry, but I have no experience with Pro-ject turntables.

Good luck as approach the heavenly analog pleatau. You won't regret it.
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