Question for VPI Rim Drive Owners

Tnewell1, I have the Super Scoutmaster with Rimdrive and 10.5i tonearm. I have replaced the feet under the table with Edensound Bear Paws, and placed 2 Symposium Acoustics Round Couplers-one in front and one in the rear, under the SAMA motor. I have also replaced the Superplatter with the new Aluminum Classic platter. The Symposium Acoustics round couplers are inexpensive and are precision made aircraft aluminum of very high quality. My table and SAMA sit on a Symposium Acoustics Ultra platform.

The rimdrive should be adjusted carefully and fairly lightly against the platter, so when turning the motor off, the platter stops after 1 to 1.5 revolutions. Too much pressure may cause slight rocking. When testing the speed with my strobe I use the record clamp and periphery ring while playing a record to account for the additional weight of these parts. I do recommend placing the Symposium Acoustics round couplers below the motor assembly before changing the feet below the table. The thickness of the couplers places the rimdrive to about the center of the platter. The couplers helped to solidify the sound and eliminates any slight movement from the rubber feet on the SAMA. I have not noticed the need for warm up. Any very slight change in speed on your strobe may due to minimal out of round of the belt on the rimdrive.

I had the rim drive set up but sold it off as it was too much of a hassle to keep aligned and noise free. In addition, vibrations do leak into the platter. Call it one of Harry's bad ideas.

Buconero, I strongly disagree. The rimdrive made a considerable improvement in pace, rhythm, and drive in my SuperScoutmaster, as well as better bass response and more solid soundstage. It has to be set up properly. Sounds like you may have had the rimdrive too tight against the platter. My rimdrive is noiseless, vibration-free, and stays put, especially with the Symposium Acoustics round precision couplers under the SAMA instead of the rubber feet.

Once I got my rim drive set up, I never had to change it. I thought it a big improvement over the belt..although I did have the rocking of the tonearm which was completely eliminated with the Bearpaws. Bearpaws also made it much more open, quick, and solid in the bass...for me, Bearpaws was a necessity. Regarding the Classic platter...I thought the Superplatter was better...at least in MY system. ..more solid and extended in the bass, more open mids, but a little softer( but not "wrong" ) in the highs

Tom....I just read your system..... The Ginko platform absolutely ruined the sound of my VPI. I strongly suggest you get it off the platform and listen to it without it and see if indeed your turntable needs it. All VPI's I've had experience with needs a SOLID support to the center of the earth. If you have rubber feet, or VPI's minifeet (which are flexable) try it off of them.

I have removed the Gingko from the system as the SSM was too big for it. I have the SSM set up on 3" thick maple platform with threaded cones under platform.

I am still having some issues with speed fluctuations. I listened to the system for about 6 hours today checking the speed every couple of hours with the KAB strobe disc. For most of the day it stayed rock solid. I checked it again late in the day and the platter speed had slightly increased. So I dialed down the SDS a little bit more. The SDS is set at 59.50 for 33RPM and 80.5 for 45 RPM.

I am wondering if I should reset the default voltage on my SDS? It's set at 84 for 33RPM and 114 for 45RPM.

Tom

I check and adjust VIP rim drive from time to time. Changes in weather, humidity, drive belts, lubrication, etc can impact speed. I check and adjust about every 3 to 4 months.

I love the rim drive and have not experienced any of the set up issues. My JMW arm is dead still when hovering over the groove and resting on the arm lift. I will not go back to belts.

Changing temperature and humidity will affect the speed of most turntables but most listeners cannot tell a difference. I generally check my table’s speed about once a year or whenever I perform a change to the table.