The Better Table?

Buconero117, I have not personally heard about vibration feedback problems with the rim drive mechanism. I have been using the rim drive on my VPI TNT-6 in my SET system for about four months now. The tonearm and cartridge are the SME IV and a low output MC (Benz L2), and I have not experienced any vibration problems. I would be interested in any further information you might have about the problem some are apparently experiencing.

Yes..there were problems at the very beginning of the rim drive's release. It seems that the motor assembly must have soft feet, and the table assembly must be solidly seated. If the old solid metal feet are used on the motor assembly there is a speed fluctuation, and an arm instability. VPI now includes soft rubber feet. These problems are now gone. The rim drive is a very big improvement to the already excellent belt drive.

Stringreen, my HRX motor assembly has rubber feet. They are not especially soft, but they are definitely not metal. I gather that VPI might have made some modifications to the motor assembly feet over time. Another factor influencing the performance of my turntable is the fact that it sits on a Silent Running Audio VR isolation base. The base does an excellent job of absorbing vibration energy, and this could be a reason I have never experienced any noise or feedback problems with the rim drive mechanism.

Stringreen, do you know whether VPI is advising that feet such as the plastic ones on my motor assembly be replaced with new footers? I suppose I could just send an inquiry to Mike at VPI, but I thought I might go ahead and get your perspective here.

Cincy_bob.. yes...get rid of those feet and get the soft rubber ones.. I think they improved the sound of my VPI. Call Harry..he sent mine for free, and will probably do the same for you. Coming...is a new formulation for the ring around the drive wheel. Regarding your Silent Running base. Make sure the motor assembly is decoupled from the table proper. The table should be solidly anchored to the floor, but there should be a bit of "give" (the reason for those new rubber feet) to the motor assembly. If you have that..fine...if not..., get the table off of the Silent Running base and try it without using the above suggestions. You can always put it back if you like the sound better that way. I tried a number of platforms, and the way I have mine set up is the way I just recommended. Happy listening...

Stringreen, thanks for your input. I sent an e-mail to VPI to inquire about the new footers. I noticed in your virtual system thread that you mentioned you have implemented a "side thrust compensator" in your turntable. Can you elaborate on this a bit? Is this just a fancy way of describing the horizontal compliance inherent in the new soft rubber footers, or have you done something further to improve the interface between the flywheel rim and the platter?

One other thing that occurs to me is that my turntable is the latest model TNT with the Gingko-style air bearning footers. These turntable footers allow for horizontal compliance (i.e., some "give" in the horizontal plane) that might well accomplish something similar to the higher compliance footers Harry has introduced for the motor housing.