VPi HW 19 jr upgrade

I think the thread is giving some confusing, and erroneous info.

This is what I know-have heard, and believe is correct.

While I have no personal experience with this particular platter, I would take an educated guess, and say the 25 lb Super Platter was probably the best to go on board the HW-19. This was only made a very short while, is a very rare Platter to acquire. This one I believe had an inverted bearing

Then I would say next in line, would be the second version MK-IV/TNT Platter, which was claimed to weigh 18 lbs. I think this platter was delrin-Stainless, with lead impregnation ring, cork bottom, and I think the three point pin system at center of platter.

Then the 16 lb first version MK-IV Platter. I have this one. All delrin, with lead impregnated ring, cork bottom, and three point suspension on platter.

Then I would say the MK-III Platter, which I think weighed 12 lbs

Then the MK-II, and then the Junior, which was a frosted clear acrlyic at 6 lbs weight. I originally owned this platter.

All platters mentioned above are only available on the used market, and audiogon IMO would be the best likely source for one of these mentioned above.

There are still numerous platters being made by VPI that will easily retrofit onto the HW-19. And I believe all of them now have the inverted bearing. All others I mention above other than the Super Platter had the older, conventional bearing designs.

The current platters that I believe will fit the HW-19, is the Scout Platter, there is a MK-IV Platter I believe, but without lead ring.

And lastly, the 18 lb Classic Platter. This is said to be machined aluminum, with a stainless steel resonance ring, which I believe is on the bottom of the Platter.

List on the Classic Platter is I believe $800, but I understand the street price through a dealer is less.

Where the Classic Platter fits into the VPI Heirarchy, it's hard to say? Some may say it is the best, if not one of the best, or perhaps fits in between somewhere with some of the older platters? Perhaps much depends upon personal tastes, and likes?

While the Audioquest Arm will raise high enough to work with basically any of the VPI Platters, it will look quite ugly sitting really high. I had a custom Armbase made for my AQ Arm which was 1/2" thicker than stock. A machined circular spacer could also serve the same purpose, and I went this route some years back, cost from a local machinist for the 1/2" thick aluminum spacer was $20.

Getting rid of the stock rubber feet will help considerably with the sound. I went with a relatively expensive, small AudioPoint 1.0, with brass coupling discs with 10/32 thread that is a direct screw in fit.

There's dozens more ways to go, SAMA's, the VPI SDS, replacement of Sorbo Pucks, with something like Herbies tall tenderfeet, if the table has a seperate armboard, any good plastics company could make a clone armboard, undrilled, and have it drilled-tapped for any different Tonearm of choice.

Wite to me if you wish to chat about this further, I can send pics of what I have done, what the costs were, and what improvements they made, Mark

Better check with VPI on this, as I believe the one piece MK-IV Plinth does not have provision for a seperate Armboard.

Hypothetically, you could attach just the Steel Sub-Chassis Sheet to the underside of a Junior Plinth. What you would most likely find, is a Plinth that then sits a bit too high within the base, and it would mean using less tall Plinth Suspenion components of some sort.

All VPI did, was attach the Steel Sheet to main Plinth with Silicone RTV Sealant.

I see my other informative post, albeit a bit long, did not make this thread. Typical of practices here where you post at the mod's discretion.

My sincere apologies to the moderators, I should realize that the holidays are upon us, and that people have lives, sorry folks.

Some of my info above may be slightly flawed as well. I see now, according to VPI's site, a listing for a Super Scoutmaster Platter to fit the HW-19, which may possibly be what was once called a newer version "MK-IV Platter" (without lead ring)?

There's many ways one could go with suspension tricks between Plinth and Base. At one time, many claimed foam Pool Noodles worked well, but I would imagine that after time, sagging, and an inherit lowering of the Plinth within the Base will occur due to weight.

Ultra hard products would possibly make gains in some certain areas of the sound, but also could have detriment with transmission of motor noise, vibration interaction from music, or footfalls, etc.

Sometimes a stethescope can be a valuable tool with such a table.

Seems like VPI's philosophies at one time, were to highly isolate every component in the chain from one another.

Use of various materials will impart a change in the sound, and other qualities in some respect.

The beauty of the HW-19, is its basically simple, almost "home depot mod, and upgrade" design.

I am quite certain that either the Jurior's MDF, or the more costly versions, with Steel Chassis Plate-acrylic top were referred to as "Plinths".

The Oak, Black Oak, Walnut, or Piano Black wood was referred to as "Bases".

And I have once seen a MK-III Platter, in which the lower 1/2 of the Platter was metal. What about that one boys?

I knew the person who owned it, and in fact I helped him have constructed a solid one piece 1.00" thick black acrylic plinth for his own turntable. I underatand he later was able to acquire a MK-IV platter from here about a year ago.

As I'm sure many of you VPI fans know, that over the years, Harry made mucho stuff. Some came and went.

About any arguments about Harry, and his being a savvy businessman, and talk about upgrades to the upgrades, I for one am happy that he did offer many upgrade paths for these old classic tables.

It permeitted me to start out and get the VPI without too much initial outlay, and as time allowed, was able to improve this table. Sadly, I did wait a bit too long for much of it, and thus much was no longer available, and then harder to acquire on the used market.

I would assume as time passes, the logical answer will be, it will become harder and harder to acquire certain parts for this model.

But where there's a will, there's a way. There's many paths, as far as plinths, Platters, etc that could be implemented with some expertise, and some thinking.

If I had the funds, and the desire, I could probably retrofit a 42 lb Galibier Design Stelvio Platter on board, or some other maker's exotica. The question is, would it be worth the costs? Mark