If this sounds like YOUR Turntable story, please share your final chapter


You had a nice budget ($2k-$4K) table, which you enjoyed for years. It always served up the analog goods, and you always felt as if you were in a good place. However, like many of us, you have audiophilia nervosa. Having succumbed to this mystical force that commanded you to upgrade, you took the leap to the next plateau. You immediately heard the advantages of what your new, well designed table was offering up. It was quieter, music emerged from a blacker background. It had tighter, more articulate bass.....mids were clear, layered, involving, yet organized.... Highs were more extended,  filling your listening area with a more believable, 3D presence. You were in awe, for a while! Fast forward to the middle of the story. Even though the table was more substantial, and did many things better than your baby boomer table, you soon realized it appealed more to the brain than your heart. It could tend toward the drier side with many of your go-to vinyl treasures. You ultimately realized that while the new table received more check marks on the audiophile checklist, it was not as engaging on an emotional level. Let me cut to the chase. So you took one or two wrong exits, but you found your way back. In doing so, you once again found that engaging, special something, analog is capable of delivering. Which table brought you back to the analog promise land?
fjn04

Showing 1 response by jmcgrogan2

Somewhat familiar, but not totally true in my case. Started with VPI HW-19 Jr and worked up to VPI HW-19 mk IV.
Yes, then the mystical force commanded me to upgrade, and I did to a Basis 2500 Signature w/ Calibrator base. Yes, the Basis was tighter, more articulate, quieter, music emerged from a blacker background, yada, yada, yada.

Years later I am now using a VPI Prime, and happy. I did not move on from the Basis because I tired of it's revealing nature though. I found that it mated very well with a Klyne 7PX5.0 phono stage and a ZYX 4-D X cartridge.
Plenty for the brain, but also very natural sounding for the heart.

My story ends with the downgrade due to job loss. Not as romantic ending as your story, but these things happen. I actually downgraded to a VPI Scout in 2010, but moved back up to the Prime in 2016.
I'm hoping this is my last turntable........and not in the sense that I'm hoping to die soon. ;^)