New VPI anti-static mat for Classic Platter

Have you tried grounding the platter?

Yup...so far it works as intended ( answered on AudioAssylum)

Harry is at it again, lightening your wallet that is. Many other mats would work, at much less money. Harry makes a great product, it is just not a value.

Buconero,....the market place determines value.

Buconero, the new VPI anti-static mat cost is $50, very competitive and considerably lower in price than other mats costing much more, so I believe it represents good value.

I must say that as a long time VPI user (and I mean a VERY long time) I am even more confused than ever about VPI's return to an aluminum platter.

The original VPI turntable came with an aluminum platter with a lead insert to make it heavier and smooth out its rotation. When that platter was replaced by VPI with an acrylic platter (also with lead insert) it was widely hailed as an improvement--something about the record and the platter partnering in some way and dampening resonances. In almost exactly that configuration it became part of the launch of a generation or two or three of the TNT series.

VPI continued with an acrylic platter in one form or another for many years, first substituting other metals for the lead and later keeping it just acrylic. Their current top of the line turntable continues with an acrylic platter according to their web site.

When I saw that they were back to aluminum I thought that was really strange. Now it appears that the aluminum platter requires something VPI never apparently thought necessary with the acrylic platters, a separate mat.

Are we going forward or backward?

I've never heard a mat on a VPI platter that I liked better than no mat at all. It might help statis, but I find it hard to believe that it sounds better.

How soon they forget....

Harry likes to tweak and address user concerns. When he finds something that works, he makes it available. Is he in the business to make money? Of course. But he also provides very good performing products right out of the box.

Linn and ARC are probably the BIGGEST offenders when it comes to upgrades.

Please stop defending "Harry" as if he were your uncle. His company has made excellent products in the past and still does but his pricing policy is a marketing dream come true. Every "improvement" he comes up with, and believe me some are ludicrous, just adds to the bottom line, more and more money. VPI has been reinventing the wheel for decades now and I am amazed at what I read here concerning the differences in sound quality one can supposedly hear. Did I hear a big difference between my TNT jr and my HW-19 jr, heck yeah. Did I hear a big difference between my Scout and Scoutmaster? Not so much. I used to say that coke was Gods way of telling you had too much money, now it is company's like this that serve the same purpose.

My understanding was it was too expensive to keep making acrylic platters or super platters, hence the all-aluminum platter. A few years ago I compared an acrylic platter, super platter and all-aluminum platter on the same VPI table and system. I personally found the super platter > acrylic platter > aluminum platter.

Harry is now on to ceramic coated aluminum platters and anti-static mats.

I agree with some above posters, that $50 mat to reduce static is good, no matter who makes it. I doubt it improves sound much. As for platters and Harry's business schemes.........well I agree with everyone: VPI is a great American company that makes products commensurate to its prices and the recent strategies of VPI are more business - money reacted, not a search for improved or absolute sound.

Stringreen, is your mat solid or is it perforated?

hiendmuse mine is solid