VPI HW-17

David,

Thanks for offer, but Elinor's post has got me thinking I need to fix two problems now. I've become sick and tired of switching wands between wash and rinse cycle for every disc, not to mention all the wand water splashing around on top trying not to cross contaminate. The VPI machine simply needs to be redesigned almost completely, after all these years you'd think VPI would address these problems. They've ignored my email as expected. I guess if you're not buying a $12K tt from them then they don't care.

Does anyone here actually use the super stiff bristle brush/liquid applicator on the VPI? That pump jets out liquid like spilling a cup of coffee on the table, what audiophile actually uses that? They need to get rid of it and replace with a second vacuum wand. Perhaps I can get my engineer to customize this for me.

The only reason 'upgrading' to Loricraft/Monk/Odyssey is a non-starter is the cleaning time for a disc, basically waiting for them to 'play' every disc twice, you gotta be kidding? As a pure 78 collector I have a hunch shellac wouldn't like staying wet during the play/clean time either, so the quick vacuum clean's my preferred method.

I've come to realize in audio, if you want the real thing and are deep in historical music, you have to have it customized, and spend years waiting for design and production. A test of patience, blogging about it on forums is probably therapeutic LOL.

My garage is on a steep incline, so I'm going to lug my VPI into my tiny backyard in the cold to clean discs today. Hope the neighbors don't get pissed off at the noise.

Hi. you could put your VPI on a high spot ie: kitchen counter, get a plastic connector and add a longer piece of drain hose and let it drip into a 5 gallon pail. I could find these at the local hardware in my town . Ugly but warm solution. But we do it all for the music ! David

I don't know if it's just leaking at the exit hole of the waste reservoir, where they designed the plastic tube to go on a slight incline before the decline. This really is so far removed from common sense it's ironically apropos for absurdity of much 'audiophile' companies. Or I don't know if it's also leaking at the vacuum motor. I'd assume the motor would've given out already if that too were leaking? Basically I have to keep the bottom enclosure off and jerry rig some way where I can see the leak(s) during use, then go from there. I can easily fix the plastic drain pipe leak by making another hole in the bottom where it never inclines from the reservoir. This is of course if the bleach spray doesn't ruin the electronics first.

I've been contemplating getting the Typhoon now and having the brush/liquid applicator replaced with another vacuum wand. I don't know if there's enough room in the chassis for another motor and waste reservoir?

Hopefully someone will respond to the other thread and post an internal picture for me.

VPI emailed me back this Tuesday, they said they'll replace the chassis for me with their new aluminum one for a small fee if I send the machine back to them.

I shouldn't have jumped the gun in blasting them here although a good number of years ago I had a similar experience. I needed replacement vacuum wands before they were available on eBay or anywhere else I could find, and it took VPI over a week to reply back to me via email on a clarification of the price list as there two different parts to the wand. This was after the initial inquiry with near equal reply time. I did call them twice as well and my voicemail was never returned with a phone call. It's such a small piece of plastic but it is essential to the function of their RCM's.

Of course it's a small company, but with such a large clientele base relatively, I think it would be a good idea for them to have a secretary responsible for making sure phone calls and emails get returned within 24 hours. All the secretary would have to do is reply back saying their engineers are very busy and will reply back with requested details and information in so in so days. Or better yet, state on their "contact us" page of their website, that they have a high volume of inquiries, assuring their customers and potential customers, that they will be responded to within five to seven days, or whatever they feel is their max average response time is during a given period. This one little additional blurb could probably abate much of the negative publicity I've read in other forums about them. You can't fault most people for expecting a response within a business day or two at most if nothing alerts them otherwise.

I purchased my VPI new in February 2006 but found out it was actually manufactured before 2003. I'm very happy and relieved they're fixing my machine for me. I still think the HW-17, and now the Typhoon, are the best RCM's available.