VPI Classic hum

Curiouser and curiouser ...

Some quick facts:

1 - The Classic and Aries 3 tonearm don't seem to be interchangeable.

2 - The Classic arm, with counterweight attached, and steel arm tube, is lighter than the Aries 3 tonearm, which is all aluminium, also with weight attached.

3 - The Classic counterweight appears to be heavier.

Seems to be some significant differences between both the 10.5 tonearms.

Oh, I say this because the Maestro with headshell weight is too light for the Aries, but just right with the Classic's arm.

I'm now trying to get a heavier cartridge. Or a lighter counterweight ...

So much fun ... unlike the Regas, just fit and play ... (sarcasm intended) ...

more later ...

Just get a better shielded cartridge, that's all it takes. No other changes needed. It's not the arm, it's not cords.

Motor in plinth = hum with unshielded cartridge.

I have the Classic. I had a Grado Statement the Reference 1 (great cartridge) and I was getting tons of hum. Tried all sorts of things ($$$$), Michael Fremmer suggested that I try the Soundsmith Cartridges since they are so well shielded by design. I did, and what a huge change. No hum, great sound. I have a Soundsmith Zypher, which was quite a bit cheaper than my Grado, and sounds so good with the Classic I can't believe it.

Bassraptor, anything to report about the hum issue?

Mike at VPI said that I should receive my Classic 3 arm towards the ned of next week, already set up to take the Maestro. We'll see.

I agree, this is way too hard. I admire the build quality of the Classic, without qualification -- kinda reminds me of the way things were back in the 50s and 60s when "made in the USA" meant something. Ooops -- showing my age. But . . . I think the uni-pivit arm is too "unusual" for the Maestro.

In an e mail to Mike, I suggested that VPI try to disclose in its marketing data situations/cases where the uni-pivot arm is not a good match with such and such cartridge. There must be some common denominator where the arm is a poor, fair and good fit.

Perhaps VPI, as an alternative design, should provide as an option a more traditional fixed double pivit arm. I'm sure anything VPI comes up with would be top flight quality. In the end, I think whatever VPI comes up with should be, as you say, an easy plug and play situation --like the Rega. For me, I'd willing to "sacrifice" squeezing out the last "n percent" of capacity/sonics from a cartridge/arm combo for plug and play convenience. Just my humble opinion as a consumer and audiophile.

Macdad - Soundsmith not available where I live, so I have to order online ... too much of a risk to take if i don't like it ... where i live, at least the dealers let me try demo units of the cartridges i've mentioned.

Bifwynne - That hum is still there whatever I try. Tmrw, the dealer is coming over to my place to have a listen and see what he can figure out. The darndest this is the Maestro and Classic seem to love each other otherwise!

On the other hand, I could have the option of an Aries 3 ... :)

let's see.

IT'S NOT THE ARM!!!!!!

ARRGGGHHHHH. Going down the wrong road, making this too complicated.