2. analog
  3. 1384841473

VPI Direct Drive Turntable

I received a copy of the new Music Direct catalog today and saw the new VPI Classic Direct Drive turntable listed at $30,000. It looks virtually indistinguishable from the Classic 3 with the new 3-D tonearm save for three speed buttons in place of the pulley and the rubber belt. The description on the MD website is rather scant, and certainly does not give enough information to explain what makes this turntable $25K more expensive than the belt drive Classic line. The VPI website makes no mention of the new flagship product at all.

Does anyone have any information on this new megabuck VPI table?
actusreus
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
IMO, you can't explain away the retail price point of any piece of audiophile equipment by looking at the sum of the component prices. If you did this then Lamm components wouldn't sell for any more than a Van Alstine. So I never find an argument stating that the parts only cost xxx to have any validity.

Audio components used to be priced based on a performance scale. Now it seems to be priced on a how ludicrous I can get away with scale.
dreadhead
353 posts
 
Have you read Fremer's review in the new Stereophile?
He must get paid by the word. Holy cow. And this is just part one.
At $30,000 a pop Mikey declares it "a bargin".
I hope VPI sells a boat load, judging by this half of the article it's a winner.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
04-19-14: Dreadhead
Have you read Fremer's review in the new Stereophile?

No.
I don't bother reading those infomercial magazines anymore. They are good for pictures and spec sheets, but the "reviews" are a joke.
suteetat
435 posts
 
I suppose $30,000 is never going to be considered basement bargain price but if
it outperform its competitor at the same price point and competes at the same level as tables 3-4 times its cost, a bargain is not exactly misleading either. Somehow, I doubt this review will have any impact on VPI dissident. Personally I am looking forward to hear one for myself very soon! Positive Feedback review should be coming out soon as well and early words sound like it will be along the same line as Fremer's impression as well.
hiho
451 posts
 

Here's another positive REVIEW.

Not that I can afford it but all the reviews sure make me want to hear it...maybe at one of the hifi shows.

.
More to discover