VPI TNT MkIII - pluses and minuses?
Brf, thanks for clarifying the issue of the bearings; I believe you are correct. Re the platters, take a look at this Mk3: http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-vpi-tnt-iii-turntable-2013-04-20-analog-33647-tampa-fl |
Frogman, I don't believe that the platter pictured is a mk 3. The table has an original TNT 2 piece acrylic plinth, the towers and feet are mk1. The mk3 TNT has stainless steel towers with the elephant feet. There is nothing that I would consider mk 3 about the table linked in your post. In fact the table looks to be an original mk1 with an updated tri-pulley system. |
I've been all over the TNT with modifications since the mid '90s. The most significant improvements are replacement of soft rubber belts with thread drive, elimination of the three-pulley system, replacement of 600 RPM motor/pulley with 300 RPM assy, addition of outboard flywheel, addition of a good drive controller, and replacement of the soft sprung suspension with mass-loaded suspensionless pillars. It's a keeper f you're a tweaker. |
Frogman...to MY ears the Classic platter is very much better than the Super Platter. If the op intends to use the rim drive only consider the Classic platter, since Superplatters are rarely round, and if they start out that way, they are not stable in their roundness. This will cause the arm to rock in time with the out of roundness of the platter. Aside from that, the Classic just sounds better..cleaner, clearer, more open, etc. |
