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Alternative to VPI motor for Aries 3?

I have the latest Aries 3 and according to this webpage:
http://www.vpiindustries.com/products_aries3.htm

It has the following description of the motor:
The solid black aluminum motor assembly is almost 10 pounds and contains a low noise 300-RPM synchronous motor with Delrin motor pulley. This is a very low noise system as the fundamental resonance of the motor is at 5 Hertz. Well below the ability of a cartridge to pick it up.

So this is 'supposed' to be a low noise motor, but I can hear the resonance noise within 2 ft, and I believe the cartridge actually pick up the noise which is audible during the quiet passage of a song.

The question is, is there any other motor that's quieter than the VPI??
viper_z
slowhand
610 posts
 
VPI only takes phone calls 2 or 3 days a week. I think it is Tuesday, Wednesday. and Thursday. It may only be Tuesday and Thursday. You can e-mail them if you don't want to wait.
crem1
672 posts
 
V: Some simple tests. Disconnect the belt & hold the motor assembly in your hands . Visually inspect to assure all moving parts are free and not rubbing . Gently shake to determine the motor mount itself is tight , no loose parts ,inside the enclosure. Should all be negative, turn the unit on. Should hear more than a wisper of motion caused by the movement of air, that motor assembly is not up to VPI standards and VPI should be contacted.
viper_z OP
95 posts
 
I have spoken to VPI, he told me to do two tests:
(1) Put a mousepad underneath the motor and see if the low level humming noise isn't come from the rack

(2 Unscrew the pulley and oil it with "REEL" oil available from Walmart to see if it gets rid of the sizzling noise at the pulley.
crem1
672 posts
 
Sounds appropriate ... hope it resolves your problem. By the way what kind of shelf/rack are you using ?
viper_z OP
95 posts
 
09-23-08: Crem1
Sounds appropriate ... hope it resolves your problem. By the way what kind of shelf/rack are you using ?

VPI was right, I did notice some low level 'hum' induced by the motor on my rack. My rack is made with an exotic ironwood (30% high density than hard maple). Each shelf is about 1.5 inch thick.

Looks like I need to look for some kind of isolation between the motor and the rack. The problem is this isolation cannot be too 'thick' or else the motor will sit too high relative to the turntable plinth.

I also have another rack made with 2" hard maple shelves which I bought from timbernation. This maple rack is 3 times more expensive than the ironwood rack. But as far as sound quality is concerned, the ironwood rack blew the maple rack out of the water. The maple rack sounded relatively 'brittle' and 'light'. The ironwood rack sounded 'focused', more 'weight', and more 'sparkle'.

I even have a Gingko Cloud 11, which I used to isolate the TT from the maple rack. I didn't like the Gingko sound at all. It sound 'brighter' than maple.

So the maple rack and the Gingko platform is the worst $1600 I have spent recently.
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