What direction is VPI headed?

@vpi,

If the rumor you heard is true, I find it hard to swallow, unless one adds on to the end of that rumor, this way...’given that there are now better ways/materials to achieve superior results for a similar cost and a higher profit margin’.

I’m glad you are enjoying your table. I too, have tried 3 different platter/bearings on mine, along with a prototype outboard motor enclosure on a separate platform w/ thread drive. These additions brought the table up substantially. When I first listened to my Classic 3 Sig SE, it was clearly superior, even with it’s S2P distance off. ( I was using a SDS). Then I put in the Rock 7!

I will say that as a tweeker at heart and my focus being on trying to extract the most out of a tt instead of trading away, the Hw-19 was an excellent learning platform.

@vpi,

I’m just reporting what a friend of mine told me after he spoke with Harry years ago regarding his VPI TNT Jr/ET arm. According to him, Harry told him the TNT Jr. was developed with the ET arm.

As you may know, The TNT Jr. had no sprung plinth like the Hw-19. Having said this, lots of people used the ET on the VPI HW-19 series w/ spring suspension as did I (initially), also a lot of SOTA users did as well. In my experience the ET needs a more stable platform to work the best. Just think about it... that long counterweight beam hanging on the end of the ET is subject to any movement times a lot more than a regular pivoted arm. Some refer to it as "the tail wagging the dog". This is why some of the later developed upgrades for the ET were the double or triple spring I-beams, to help stiffen the I-beam or to have less movement at the I-beam..

You said above, "I believe it competes with the finest today". In my experience, it’s not even close. I suppose it comes down to what one’s definition of "competes" is? Why would VPI remove the HW-19 series out of their line-up if they thought this way?

@bdp24,

I lived with mine for over 20 years with my ET arm and tried several things.
It has a very resonant base that is difficult to overcome. It is a tweekers tt though. I’ve used the SIMS, practice golf balls, etc... In my experience, anything rubbery/squishy became a trap that destroys ultimate dynamics, transparency and bass response. ( I believe this to be a general rule of thumb. The 1st thing I did when I bought my Classic 3 Sig SE was to replace the rubber (inside) feet with Stillpoints SS). I was never happy until I ended up using a stack of Symposium Rollerblock Jrs. w/ ceramic ball bearings, that I had to modify the base for their use.

Mat sent me a RA#  to send my TT back in order to address my issues, finally.

I hope, one day, I'll have a VPI tt that I can compare to my excellent Rock 7.

@zavato, said it best.

@turntablemat,

By all accounts and from your responses to everyone, I have no doubt you are a great guy! I think you were thrust into your current position too young and without the experience to handle these sorts of issues.

Having said this, I don't think I'll ever purchase another VPI product again unless it is to support one I already own.

@turntablemat,

I sent you a response today. I am busy with my regular job + my caring for my aged mother during the week. (Why did I feel the need to mention this?)
( You had my posts removed that could have explained to (late readers) the reason for your post, inquiring about "Why?".)

You seem to forget that after my thread late last year, and the conversations after, that I had issues with the S2P distance on my Classic 3. You said as long as it’s in the 2-3 mm range, all is ok. Not only do I not believe this, I find it highly offensive that after years of reading reviews that never once mention this issue, and after reading posts in which the OPs ask Harry to disclose his chosen alignment geometry, not once is this ever disclosed. So, I relied on VPI, the made in America company, to treat me right with my major purchase.

I read later that Bill Stevenson had these same issues and had apparently contacted you about his concern. He stated you offered him a fix. This was my rational for the posts you had deleted.

I don’t have a grudge against you or your company. I feel it is my duty to report, what is in my view, this outrageous lack of disclosure to your many hundreds of customers and what seems like an industry "kept" secret?

"At the end of 2011 when my mom died"  by @turntablemat...

@dlcockrum , Thanks for responding to a non-issue.

Frankly, I’m surprised Mat never mentions his brother? I can only assume that more people will be persuaded by the "mother story".

(1) My post was not a "rant". My post was a post.
(2) "Mat’s expressed grief". You do know that this issue is almost a decade old? The fact that (Mat brought it up), is of concern!!!, in that he’s succeeding in VPI’s effort in trapping those of your ilk into buying/supporting the very company that continues to trade on the good intentions on the audiophiles reading this post. ..Mat.. Job well done!
(3) In fact, I just responded to ((Mat’s mentioning)) of his mother’s death. I continue to wonder why, almost a decade later, Mat wants to continue to make us all aware of this? I guess so that @dlcockrum and the like will try to conflate my posts
(4) You, my friend, DID bring it up in a way as to make it a point of concern to us all. Why did you do this?

@jollytinker ,"I don't expect too much hand holding".

What? What did I just read? A VPI owner that is willing to spend thousands of $, (let me repeat) thousands of $ on a TT and somehow when they learn their StP distance is off, or when they just found out their newly bought TT has just been discontinued, they are still willing to give this American  company a break! Give me a Break!

@jollytinker , Would you give any other TT manufacturer a break if you just bought their TT and learned that your $250.00 cartridge alignment tool showed a 2 mm discrepancy? Or at the least, the manufacturer and the press never once released this MAJOR issue? Look at what Bill Stevenson just described as a VPI customer. He had the same issue. He was offered a remedy. I wasn't. Were you? I've been a VPI customer for over 30 years. I'm now ashamed to admit this. Sadly I now feel, I should have known better.

I don't want "super simplicity" I do want a product that after I get it home, I don't have MAJOR questions about. Or, Any questions about, do you?

Their products are very favorably marketed. ,.......

jollytinker, Did you ever read or get a reminder from VPI that they have a (set) , cartridge alignment configuration? Not one time in my experience did Micheal Fremer or any one else remark on this issue. A total industry failure! Yet, we are left with the product that was marketed as such. WOW?

Give me a break!

 So even Bill Stevenson remarked about this recently. He had an issue as a  VPI owner and said that VPI offered a fix his TT. What about the rest of us?

What do I want? Well, I want a 40 year old company who advertises itself as "made in the USA" to act like it!

Why am I having to explain this?!  WOW!!

The right direction for "them"