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I've been quiet about my VPI for a reason!

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Jim Creek

Jim Creek

Jazz, Wine, Electronics
As some of you know I recently purchased a blue VPI Traveler.

OK, I've run into bad luck with my VPI. I didn't want to post a whine, "oh woe is me" rant and cast a dark cloud on this forum. Instead I've been quietly talking to VPI and troubleshooting my issues. It's under control now so I'm feeling better.

Issue #1: On startup the turntable would not turn unless I gave it a push. It would chirp and buzz but not move. Then the platter started turning backwards! Yikes!

Issue #2: While *carefully* changing carts the one of the bearings on the tonearm detached from the gimble.

Issue #3: After changing the tonearm height the damped cueing malfunctioned. The tone arm would not lift up high enough.

All these issues hit me at once. I needed to suck it up and either return the table or work with VPI and solve them. I decided to fix the problems.

Issue #1: VPI and I came to the same conclusion. It was a failed capacitor. The motor on the Traveler is bolted to the plinth. So VPI offered to ship a new plinth complete with new motor. It's on its way. All I have to do assemble the tonearm and platter when it arrives.

Issue #2: The tonearm is held in place by adjustable set screw/pins. Apparently the vibration of transportation may have loosened one up enough to release the arm from the gimble. It could have been an assembly error as well. Who knows? It was a simple matter of aligning the tonearm back into place, screw down the set screw then back it off by 1/8th turn as instructed by VPI. It works beautifully now. I learned something about the tonearm from that experience.

Issue#3: I discovered that after adjusting the tonearm height the damping mechanism also needs to be adjusted. The damping mechanism is ahigh quality machined piece but needs to be adjusted with tonearm height. It's held in place with a set screw and can be easily adjust up or down or rotated as needed.

This has been a great learning experience for me. Issues #2 & #3 are history. I haven't received the plinth yet. I know VPI is standing behind this table and have no more worries.

This is an 'audiophile' table that requires meticulous adjustment to work properly. Once adjusted the table sings!

In the meantime I can listen to this table if I give it a push. It sounds terrific and I love it. I'll post again when I get the new plinth.

CYA guys later.
 
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Wow, must have been Friday at 4:45 at the VPI factory! Sorry to hear you've had so many problems, and happy to hear (and not surprised) that VPI is standing by it and helping you out. They're great folks to deal with.

I had the same thing with the tonearm height/damping on my VPI...had to raise it. No problems so far on my Classic but I'm happy knowing a helpful company is behind it. Happy listening! Do you get to keep both plinths?
 
Way to go, Jim.

Good to see a guy dig in and just work it out.

(Especially without all the online histrionics that seem to be de rigeur these days.)

Sounds like you've got it well sorted.

Bet she sounds sweet.
 
Good Job taking care of the issue with the Help from VPI.:thmbsp: This time of year packages take quite the beating.

Enjoy, Maybe I will sell off some of mine and pick one up?:scratch2:

John.:music::D
 
If it was new , no matter how good a tech you are , I would have sent it back for warrenty work . If nothing else , to let them know that one slipped through the cracks .
 
I'm glad you decided to hold off on complaining about it here. If I were a merchant I would be pissed off if a customer decided to get hot headed and blow up his issue here instead of getting in touch with the company.
 
Glad to see that you were able to sort it out, kudos to you for getting in touch with VPI before posting anything about these problems, I think that you handled this very well, VPI is now aware that this one slipped through the cracks and it sounds like they are doing everything they can to keep you as a happy customer.
 
good course of action. As a business owner myself, I would greatly appreciate your efforts in making things right and would definitely bend over backwards to make you happy! Makes for good end results for everyone involved.:)
 
Seems two conclusions could be drawn so far. VPI responded quickly and their QC should be improved.
gusten
 
zebra03 said:
If it was new , no matter how good a tech you are , I would have sent it back for warrenty work . If nothing else , to let them know that one slipped through the cracks .
Click to expand...

one of the best advice!. there is a reason for Warranty!..but all in all Good Job by the OP and thumbs up to VPI for standing behind the product.

This experience goes along way for someone looking for TT and the Quality of Product and People behind it!..

GOOD JOB OP AND VPI! :thmbsp:

I was saving for this TT and i cant resist a Sota Comet S300 for $450 w/o cart in Audiogon. I jumped on it!!..happy with this Puppy!
 
The capacitor failure could very well have just been a bunk part. It happens. The company is making it right for you, so thats the important thing here. Honestly I prefer the option of having them tell me how to fix something vs just having to box it up and send it back but thats me. Putting a screw back in place is a few minute job, as is adjusting a lifter mechanism. I'd rather do that then be without the unit for a week or two while it gets transported around.
 
gadget73 said:
The capacitor failure could very well have just been a bunk part. It happens. The company is making it right for you, so thats the important thing here. Honestly I prefer the option of having them tell me how to fix something vs just having to box it up and send it back but thats me. Putting a screw back in place is a few minute job, as is adjusting a lifter mechanism. I'd rather do that then be without the unit for a week or two while it gets transported around.
Click to expand...

That was my feeling. A few minutes work after expert guidance over the phone vs packing it all up and shipping it all back. Then VPI shipping it back to me during the Holiday rush. That is a stress on the equipment as well.
 
Man, between the bloody thread war of 2012 and this, you've been fighting the good fight for your VPI. Sorry to hear. I hope it all gets sorted out in time for you to be spinning cheesy holiday records, along with the rest of us, on a perfect VPI. Best wishes.
 
VPI responded honorably...and you were willing to jump through some small hoops. Keep us updated....
 
Jim Creek said:
That was my feeling. A few minutes work after expert guidance over the phone vs packing it all up and shipping it all back.
Click to expand...

Are you keeping the original plinth? Have you checked the table with a speedstrobe (out of curiousity)?
 
I am glad to read VPI is working well to solve the problem. Like many new products there can be a few bugs in the beginnings. Once the new plinth arrives I am sure you will have a trouble free table.

When you mentioned the tonearm bearings vibrating loose I remember back to the days I had a Thorens 290-2. The Thorens was a Pro-Ject table with the Pro-Ject gimbaled arm. The second time it came back the arm was very loose.
 
Jim Creek said:
As some of you know I recently purchased a blue VPI Traveler.

OK, I've run into bad luck with my VPI. I didn't want to post a whine, "oh woe is me" rant and cast a dark cloud on this forum. Instead I've been quietly talking to VPI and troubleshooting my issues. It's under control now so I'm feeling better.

Issue #1: On startup the turntable would not turn unless I gave it a push. It would chirp and buzz but not move. Then the platter started turning backwards! Yikes!

Issue #2: While *carefully* changing carts the one of the bearings on the tonearm detached from the gimble.

Issue #3: After changing the tonearm height the damped cueing malfunctioned. The tone arm would not lift up high enough.

All these issues hit me at once. I needed to suck it up and either return the table or work with VPI and solve them. I decided to fix the problems.

Issue #1: VPI and I came to the same conclusion. It was a failed capacitor. The motor on the Traveler is bolted to the plinth. So VPI offered to ship a new plinth complete with new motor. It's on its way. All I have to do assemble the tonearm and platter when it arrives.

Issue #2: The tonearm is held in place by adjustable set screw/pins. Apparently the vibration of transportation may have loosened one up enough to release the arm from the gimble. It could have been an assembly error as well. Who knows? It was a simple matter of aligning the tonearm back into place, screw down the set screw then back it off by 1/8th turn as instructed by VPI. It works beautifully now. I learned something about the tonearm from that experience.

Issue#3: I discovered that after adjusting the tonearm height the damping mechanism also needs to be adjusted. The damping mechanism is ahigh quality machined piece but needs to be adjusted with tonearm height. It's held in place with a set screw and can be easily adjust up or down or rotated as needed.

This has been a great learning experience for me. Issues #2 & #3 are history. I haven't received the plinth yet. I know VPI is standing behind this table and have no more worries.

This is an 'audiophile' table that requires meticulous adjustment to work properly. Once adjusted the table sings!

In the meantime I can listen to this table if I give it a push. It sounds terrific and I love it. I'll post again when I get the new plinth.

CYA guys later.
Click to expand...

My last concern would be , you have had 3 issues already . What if more crop up . If it were me , I would send it back to VPI and have them go over it completely . I sounds like VPI is a great company that stands behind their product so they should have no issue with that .
 
Hmm, reminds me of the fun I had with my Clearaudio Concept (all three of them). :eek:

Clearaudio is a great company and so is VPI but if they can't do better than that at the factory...well my patience for poor QC is very low these days. Good for you that you have it worked out. If for some reason the next fix doesn't do it...send it back while you can and try something else.
 
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This is the second report of a tonearm falling apart that I have heard about. If you look at other tables with set-screw type bearings, you will notice that the actual set-screw is inside of another setscrew, with a tapped hole in it for the first set-screw.

Why? Because the outer set-screw is a lock for the first one. I have not seen the gimball assembly up close yet, but I suspect they are going to have lots of problems, and lots of complaints about this one.

One cure for VPI is to get a longer set-screw and then throw a hex nut on the back side of that (after adjusting) to act as a lock nut.

The other cure would be to use some non-aggressive Loc-Tite, to secure the set-screws.

Both of these fixes are not the correct answer, however.

VPI needs to machine in the second, locking outer set-screw as I have described earlier in the post, to permanently fix the problem.....

Picture 507.jpg

Wayner
 
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