Three wheel drive for the hw19


I have long known that my VPI HW19 sounds better with a mass loaded setup. I have it damped and spiked, with separate SAMAS platform, on a Bright star sandbox. This gives better sound, whether i use cerapucs or black magic cones between player and sand box; the bm cones are best by small marginal so far. However, strange as it may sound, the whole thing sounds better if air-lifted, it gives the sound more body and height especially. It sounds a bit less distressed, less 'digitalis', compressed, bad production etc - such factors lose their grip a bit, if the setup is air-lifted below the big turntable-sink mass.
For this reason, for several years, I have used a cheap air solution, an inner bike tire, below the Bright Star sand box. Now, here is my discovery.
Using a single air-filled rubber tube below the player platform is inconvenient, leading to errors. A standard bike tube means you have to shift your player/platform around to get the player right, in water or exact position. Now I have found a method beyond that. The idea is three separate air points. You can get that in other ways than what i have done, for example, try cutting up and gluing tight three pieced of ordinary big wheel inner tube, perhaps a piece of this sounds better.
What I did, was to replace a standard tire with three small tires, two at the corners at the back, one in the middle of the front, of the player. I got 3 12-inch tyres, that could be bent to give allow me to use an air pump from outside.
The result is amazing, at least for me, who has for long sacrificed exact water for best sounding supports. Now, with a few air pumps, i can get exact water. Thereby the pickup has optimal working conditions.
The results are very obvious - better sound. Perhaps a dedicated air platform would have done an even better job. However, this "three wheel drive" solution is easy and cheap, and relevant not just for the VPI hw-19 but others too.
Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter
Have you tried a squash ball suspension? Double yellow or orange dot balls might work as well as bike tires with the hassle of the pump.
Exact water = player stands totally horizontal.
Squash balls - have tried, but this sounds better. Not much hassle with the pump, in my case.
Water - exactly level, i mean. sorry. My Norwegian took over(i actually did fill the tubes with water once, but air sounds better).
With this suspension you may get a bit more rubber than air, it may not be fully optimal. Yet I enjoy the advantage. Now I can tune everything based on getting the spirit level 100 percent using my pump. A new experience. First impression, things are back at their feet.