VPi HW 19 jr upgrade

The Mk III or IV's steel and acrylic chassis, is a definite improvement, over the Jr's. You can buy a one piece, MK IV sub-chassis, from VPI for $300.00: (http://www.vpiindustries.com/static.php?page=HW-19) Add a SAMA for $400.00(or build your own, if you're handy), for another major improvement in sound. The Audioquest/Jelco arms were nice units, and worth keeping.

Rodman,

Thanks. $300 is not bad. So, that's run the springs or the Sorbos with the steel and acrylic chassis?

Steve

I had the Jr with a MK4 platter, Jelco 250 arm and Grado Ref Sonata cart. I eventually sold the table to upgrade to an Aries 1 but kept the cart which I like. Buyer wanted the table mostly for its coveted platter.

Some other upgrade options are the Stainless clamp, $150 new, less used.

Replace the feet. Many options here. One that I know of is Edensound who have 2 options available. Dan the owner has done a lot of VPI feet replacements.

Free upgrades: Take the cover off when playing records to reduce vibration. Keep the bearing lubed at least once a year.

Maple butcher block under the table, 2 to 3 inches thick. $5o and up. Look for a cutting board, cheaper than the "Audiophile" boards. Lots of sellers on ebay.

It's a great table and a real bargain for the going rate I see them listed for.

If you change the sub-chassis you will have to get armboard. Take a look at the MK3's for sale on this site and you will see what I am talking about. The jr has a one piece plinth and can't be put on that steel sub-chassis. If it was my $1000 to spend I would check out SME M2 tonearm. But thats your call.

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