VPI Classic

Seems like there could be a few things going on with your setup, but I'm still a little unclear on the plane in which the cartridge is wobbling. You said "back and forth," but did you actually mean "side to side" as in sides of the cart moving up and down, like a row boat when you rock it? Unipivot tonearms are very susceptible to any type of vibration and are rather unstable by design; that sharp spike is the only point where the entire tonearm articulates with the base so the tonearm has nothing to provide stability to it. In ideal conditions, it is not a problem, but if your table is not isolated well, it will wobble. It's simply the nature of unipivot tonearms. I used to own a VPI Scout and now have the Classic, and the Classic, even though in a different league, is not immune to mechanical vibrations that cause the cartridge to wobble unless it's perfectly isolated. I live in an apartment building that has rather "live" floors that carry vibrations easily, and I noticed listening at night results in almost no wobbling whatsoever, but during the day the cart wobbles slightly here and there, but it does not affect the tracking ability or sound. If you don't have it already, I suggest putting the equipment rack on a slab of concrete (or 4 thick concrete tiles, about $2 each from Home Depot), then putting the Classic on a maple block and the block on 4 Isoblocks. It worked great for me.

It does seem rather strange and I never heard of this problem before. I'd still suggest isolating your rack by putting it on an inert, heavy and solid base, and putting the Classic on a maple block. VPI recommends a maple block under its tables and for a reason--the improvement is not subtle. At least for me it wasn't. I would also double check the tonearm for any defects and the VTF and VTA settings, as well as the azimuth. If it was my table, I'd also take the tonearm to the dealer and put it on his Classic at the store to see what happens. If it doesn't wobble, you'll at least know it's not the tonearm.

Does anyone use a TT Weights outer ring with the Classic? They have a wide range of rings and prices, which I find more reasonable than the VPI periphery ring. How about clamps and center weights?

I was the person who asked about TTW and the Classic and have since purchased the 600g ring. I don't think I'm experiencing what you described; granted, I wasn't blown away as some said I would after using it, including the manual, but certainly now enjoy some of my warped records thanks to the ring, when I would simply not play them at all before.

I also wonder about the "ringing." The ring does not touch the platter; it simply flattens the record. Why and how could it impart any significant aural characteristic on the sound? Is there any science behind this theory, or is it simply nonsense?

Lastly, I don't care who machines the VPI ring and how sophisticated the process is; the price is beyond absurd for an accessory.

Update: I contacted Larry at TTWeights and asked him about ringing some users report with the Classic's aluminum platter and his copper rings. His response suggested that the problem lies not with the ring, as the ring does not resonate, but rather with the platter, which resonates like motherf..k (I'm paraphrasing the symbols he used to describe how badly aluminum platters resonate :). He suggested using the TTW copper mat or the new wood/copper mat designed specifically for the Classic to stop any resonance.

I find this explanation interesting as Harry favors bare platters, including the Classic. If aluminum resonates that badly, why would VPI, first, choose that material, and second, insist that the Classic sounds best with no mat?

Thanks for the advice Suteetat. I myself cannot say I noticed any "ringing" and I'm not quite even sure what that actually means. Is it a way of describing too much high frequency energy perhaps? Maybe it's just the rig becoming more resolving and detailed and some process it as overemphasis on upper frequencies? Certainly it something actually rings audibly there is a serious problem beyond the use of a periphery ring.

If possible, can you post a link to the mat/weight combo you were referring to? I saw the VPI mats from TTWeights but didn't see any free weight included. They do have a VPI weight, however, for $150 I believe. Btw, how did you handle the washer with the weight? Did you just remove it? If so, does the weight flatten the records as well as the VPI clamp? Thanks!

Naunc,
Interesting! I tried the Boston mat with the Scout but I thought it didn't improve anything so I shelved it. I agree about the Classic's character, and I also think it sounds great on its own. I now use the copper ring with warped records, and don't use with it flat ones. Larry from TTWeights claims the copper mat will elevate the Classic's performance big time, and I might eventually try it, but for now the Classic sounds great as is.

I find this rather strange. I too use the Soundsmith device and it works great. Saying it adds "decentralized mass" is like claiming a counterweight with a few extra grams of weight would destabilize the tonearm, which is very unlikely if not impossible. As long as the VTF and azimuth are set correctly, I just don't see how the Counter Intuitive could contribute to the wobble under any circumstances.