VPI Rim Drive vibrations

TerraCones installed on VPI SSM with Rim Drive … with mixed results.

1. Good part:
- no Rim drive rumble/vibrations felt on the plinth and tone arm is stable
- the soundstage feels expanded
- the bass is tighter
- imaging is spectacular
2.No so good part:
- all external structural low frequency noises (floor, etc.) are loudly heard in the speakers
- even a light finger tap on the rack (Salamander Synergy) is being amplified (with the stock feet it never happened)

Go figure…

Krell303....as for MY SS/rim drive, I got all of #1 and none of #2. Maybe it's my Bearpaws maybe trolls, but I'm a happy vinyl guy. Just thinking as I write. My floor is very solid French travertine tile at ground level with no basement. The turntable sits on a very solid table on a very solid floor. Anyway, its working well.

Normansizemore...VPI arms sit on a needle point, and the rocking can be very obvious with the rim drive. Most arms have gimbled bearings which would prevent the rocking I discribe. I suspect Thorens, Duals, Garrards, Miracords, etc. wouldn't have this problem even if the drive wheel were elliptical.

I have the Super Scoutmaster Reference with Rimdrive and Edensound Bearpaws. I get absolutely NO rocking of the tonearm- it is totally rock steady from the point the tonearm is lowered onto the record to the end of the record. I used the Fozgometer to adjust azimuth. This has completely eliminated any wobble I used to get when I adjusted azimuth without this device.

Stringreen...I have hardwood floor in my listening room and the basement under it. Both do not make a sound foundation for the table. Before SSM I had VPI Scout wall mounted on Target shelf - no issues with vibration whatsoever. Unfortunately SSM with Rim drive is just too big and heavy for the Target shelf.

Now I put back original feet and running the table non-stop for 24 hrs trying to sit the rim's o-ring belt more/less evenly

Krell303...Running the table for 10 years won't help it. you need Bearpaws or something similar to eliminate the wobble. If you have wooden floors, I would make sure that the table that the VPI rests on is very solid...that's about all you can do. I am quite sure that would be enough.