VPI SSM lacking bite

Sorry, in posting this thread I seem to have lost the beginning part....

I have recently bought a VPI SSM with 9 Sig arm, which replaced a ageing but tweaked Roksan Xerxes and Artimez, fitted with a Clearaudio Gold Insider. Just at the point of switching decks, the Insider went down, so I bought a new Transfiguration Orpheus. I now have about 90 hours on the cart, so it should be sufficiently run-in, but the sound doesn't have the responsive snap and punch of the Xerxes / Artimez / Insider set up (although other areas are better).

My immediate reaction is to look at switching the arm, and I think that the Graham Phantom mk 2 seems to be a logical move. Has anyone tried the SSM / Phantom / Orpheus set-up?

I should add that I bought the heavier weight for the VPI, which helped, and I also bought the mini-feet. I'll be getting the Super Platter and the Rim Drive - probably in that order.

Set up took ages and was done exactly with a digital gauge.

Thanks

I am currently using a Scoutmaster with standard arm and Denon 103. I have a Aries Extended I just got in and am using the circular record weight and HRX center weight from it on the Scoutmaster. The sound is better than I expected the Aries to sound. I have 2 REL subs and the bass is amazing, there is a M&K direct cut called Flamenco Fever of a dancer with accompaniment and the bass transients have to be heard. I spent a long time, since November I think, getting the table to sound like this. I previously had a TNT mark one and a Basis Ovation with SME IV arms and they never sounded anywhere as fast or had the bass that the Scoutmaster does. First a disclaimer, I am a VPI and Star Sound dealer but I am not trying to sell you anything, just recounting what worked for me. The first thing is that the new VPIs are a lot more critical of the support they are on then the old ones were, but on the right platform they sound better. One thing that really made a difference was replacing the VPI feet with the Star Sound brass cones, really tightened up the bass and made it faster. My Aries came with the large feet but I am going to replace them also. I had the Scoutmaster sitting on top of a TNT stand on a 3" maple block resting on Star Sound cones [larger ones] pointed upward. It sounded very good but when I moved it and the block to a turntable shelf on the Star Sound rack I have and used the same cones point downward the sound really took off. The sound is in there, you have a better table, arm , and I assume a better cartridge than I do so don't change too quickly. I really recommend the feet, they are the 1.5 in 1/4th 20 thread. You don't say what it is sitting on but I would experiment with that if you aren't getting the bass and speed you want. Hay, I have been setting up tables since 1962 and this one only took me 5 months to get right. Stan

Stanwal

Thanks for your response - the support that I'm using is a Clearlight RDC rack, which is sitting on Finite Elemente Cerabase's (rather than the RDC cones that ship with the rack). The Roksan was sitting directly on Cerabases, so perhaps I should try a set of these rather than the TNT mini-feet? All of my hifi components sit on an isolated island in the flooring, which has concrete beneath it, with the speakers etc. outside of this - so the components are free from foot fall and bass energy.

I should also mention another factor that's changed between decks, which is r the mains. I previously had PS Audio 600 in the system, but that also went phut just before the SSM came in - with that and the Insider, I couldn't believe my luck. The distributor in the UK couldn't have been less helpful - he was only interested is selling me a Powerplant Premier, and shipping a 50 kilo box back from the UK to US for repair would be prohibitively expensive. So, as a firm believer in regenerated mains, I'll probably buy an ISOL-8 unit, which is probably better anyway.

When I first put the PS into the system about 6 years it certainly added good definition - so I'm sure that this is playing a part, but I can't help but think that the VPI 9" Sig arm has lower performance to the Artemiz and therefore the the main culprit.

Lastly, I should add that I'm not using the antiskate device, which is so heavy-handed it won't even allow tracking of some records, and I'm also not using any damping fluid (which is the last thing that I need... ).

Thanks.

Yeah, your AC stuff could definitely impact the sound. It sounds like you are on the right track. After you get a handle on AC and the footer issues, spend plenty of time dialing in VTA. It really matters a bunch, and affects exactly your concerns. Cheers,

Spencer

>>I can't help but think that the VPI 9" Sig arm has lower performance to the Artemiz and therefore the the main culprit.<<

You got it.

The JMW-9 quite simply is an ordinary tonearm, Valhalla wire notwithstanding.

You took a step down.