aluminum platter vs Acrylic not what I thought


I recently got to hear a VPI scout with an aluminum platter and various platter mats.  I am having a hard time trying to understand where the fascination with aluminum is coming from.  The acrylic sounds far better.  Its not even close to my ears.  Is it that some people just never heard the scout with the acrylic platter?  I would strongly encourage anyone who is looking for a used scout with an acrylic platter to really take a good look at it.  It sounds much more like real music and for what these used scouts are going for, they are an incredible value.  Maybe its just system/cartridge synergy.  I actually thing the scout with the acrylic platter sounds just as good if not better and quieter than the classic with the aluminum platter.  The scout sounds more like an older Aries than the Classic does.  The advantage of the classic is the longer arm but I mean for many people, I am not sure you can do much better table than the scout with the acrylic platter for anywhere near to what they go for used and I would say they you could look at tables costing much more and still not get the music satisfaction in many ways that the scout accomplishes.  They just seem to portray the musical experience in a way that sounds right.  Aries and scoutmasters with acrylic have to sound killer.  The only platter that is as good that VPI made are there lead and hybrid metal aluminum/acrylic platter tables.  I think VPI is going in the wrong direction with aluminum.  To me the disadvantages far outweigh the benefits.  Others may disagree but if you find scout w/acrylic for a good deal, I would be all over it.  Sometimes you just don't know what ya have so I will probably hang on to mine for a while.
tzh21y

Showing 2 responses by nandric

Dear Lew, Curiously but true the expression ''some'' is used as

referring expression. But in the statement: ''some one has stolen my

car'' the problem of reference is obvious. If some one knew who

those ''some'' who have stolen cars are he would become

multi millionaire  in one year time.

BTW acrylic platter is recommended because of the assumption that

LP material is the ''same'' as acrylic. I myself am loaded with acrylic

while 100% innocent. My whole ASR German artillery with Basis

Exclusive, Emitter II exclusive + Kuzma Stabi Refrence are also

loaded with acrylic. Cleaning this stuff is a nightmare but the big

 reword is the illusion that this stuff sounds good.

Pierre Lurne who designed TT's for Goldmund and his own

Audiomeca used acrylic and lead for all his platters. I owned

his Audiomeca J1 which platter was 8kg weight thanks to the

lead ''loading''. But, if I remember well, there was no mat  included.

This suggest the assumption that acrylic platter don't need a mat.

My Kuzma Stabi Reference also use acrylic but in combo with

aluminum plates instead of lead. Kuzma however provided his

 platter with his own  made mat from ''textile'' and some additive.

Because my ''German artillery'' consisting of Basis Exclusive,

Emitter II , two transformer - and two battery power supply

also use acrylic  I stated to be ''loaded with acrylic''. I somehow

 seem to ''attract'' acrylic. Lew advised '' loading'' with Slivovitz

instead. Well I can assure him that my cellar is (also) loaded with

 this ''best plum brandy'' in the world. Made in Serbia btw (grin).