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Anyone NOT like the sound of VPI?

I'm wondering if I'm just not a VPI guy. Bought a Scoutmaster with signature JMW arm and a Shelter 501 MKII cartridge. This was after buying a Rega P3-24 with an Elys II cartridge. Thought the Rega was very dark sounding (at least with that cartridge).

The VPI sounded unnatural to me (no midbass whatsoever). Thought it was a bad cartridge, but recently heard a Scout (with signature arm) equipped with a Dynavector cartridge. This was on a system at a retailer where I was auditioning speakers and I didn't think it sounded much different from what I have at home.

While I hate overdone midbass, I certainly miss it if it's absent. I'm wondering if I'm just not a VPI guy and should try something else - maybe a Rega (P5?) with a different cartridge...

madfloyd

Showing 1 response by johnnyb53

johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
That's weird. I auditioned a Rega P3/24 with Elys II going into an all-Rega chain--Brio driving the R5 floorstanders, and I thought the detail was unnatural and overdone. Maybe the Brio was clipping or there was feedback or the system was overloading the room, but it sounded sort of phasey and unnaturally detailed, sort of like it was underwater. Drowning in detail at the expense of the fundamentals and melody lines. Maybe the VTA and azimuth (Rega tonearm vulnerabilities) were off.

I smell asystem-matching and setup issues.

Say what you want about my "DJ" table, but when I got home and spun the same LP on my Technics SL1210 M5G with fluid damper and AT150MLX cartridge, it sounded so much more musical, clean, and balanced. There was plenty of detail, but it wasn't overwhelming the music.
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