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Stepping up to a VPI Classic 1

Jerwardemy

Jerwardemy

Active Member
I just ordered it yesterday...should be here in a couple days:banana:

I'm coming from a stable of Thorens tables. At first I had a 145 mkii with a Grado Gold1 and that's what hooked me on vinyl. But one day it lost it's groove...nothing sounded nearly as spectacular as it once had. I've tried everything imaginable but could not get it to sound right....so I then went up to a 160 Super and a 125mkii, both with a new SME M2-9 and I still couldn't get sound as good as I once had on that 145mkii. I'm thinking it comes down to having the suspensions just right...I've messed with them for a couple years and now I'm ready for a newer set and forget type table. Just hoping this Classic at least gets me the sound I once had with that 145mkii.
 
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That would be my next table also, though my TD-160 Super sounds great. I do like the appeal of the solid plinth/non-suspended table...
 
Suspended T/Ts , require precise set-up to work a their best , the VPI Classic is a nice unit , I heard one recently with a Benz Micro Ace though a Sugden Masterclass Power/Pre & Living Voice spks.
 
Wow! It's raining VIP's! Another AK'er just sent me a pix of his new VIP (if memory serves) Classic one. Enjoy!

SixCats!
 
Congratulations, it's a very nice table, for what I've read before on AK.
Hopefully, you had a chance to try this VPI before making the plunge.
 
Talk about a step up! :thmbsp: You definitely need to show us your new Classic! :yes:

Belt tension plays a huge role on sound on a Thorens. Goes hand in hand with the correct sub-chassis bounce. Your belt shouldn't move at all on the inner platter, when you turn on & off the power. If it does move, you need to adjust the motor pulley, with the adjusting screw!
 
Congratulations on the VPI Classic.

That is one beautiful table. Are you going to use your Grado Gold? Did you get the Walnut or the Black. That would be a tough choice.
 
I've tried about everything with those Thorens...I've had the belt tension so it doesnt move when you shut it off, with and without the platter on...then tried it with the belt moving up on the pulley, then down. I've set up the suspension 30-40 different times, different capacitors on the motor, factory belt, everything level, ...I dunno,I just must have been missing something.

Anyways, I got a Walnut demo from Soundstage Direct...alot of people traded in their Classics for the new VPI Prime, so they have quite a few at a great price with a 2 year warranty. I will be able to use my Grado Gold1 with 8mz...I also have a m97xe, mp-110, m91ed, and a 10x4mkii. That'll do for now...but will be looking for a better cart down the road...I love the Grado sound, but haven't really heard yhe dynavector with any of my tables sounding completely right.
 
If you enjoy the Grado sound , there is still the Reference series , Particulally the Sonata, that is a whole new level to consider at some stage in the future. The Benz Micro Ace works wonderfully as well , but with recent price increases in the U.S. , it is rediculously expensive there.
 
Congrats - I love my Classic. The Grado may pick up some motor noise - my Ref Master 1 does - but it is ever so slight and doesn't bother me. My DV 10X5 is absolutely quiet.
 
Jerwardemy said:
I just ordered it yesterday...should be here in a couple days:banana:

Just hoping this Classic at least gets me the sound I once had with that 145mkii.
Click to expand...

Man, why did you do this to me! :tears:

In the last year or so I have given the Classic & Scoutmaster a closer look and your post gave me the bug again! My system is worthy of a fine TT. The Scoutmaster would be a better fit than the Classic in my rack though. Looking forward to your impressions of the Classic. :thmbsp::thmbsp:
 
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Congrats! I will echo what everyone has said on here I love my Classic!!!!!!!! Can be a little tricky to set up and fully tune but once it is dialed in you will realize it was so worth it. Hope to see some pics when you have it set up
 
Personally I am just dying to hear the before/after review, as I am jonesing to move from a TD160 to a Scout II
 
I too settled on selecting the VPI classic. There are a lot of really nice tables in this price range but it just seemed like a table I would be satisfied with in the long run. I've had a few tables with separate motors and thought they were a bit of a hassle. I just assumed this was needed, but here comes the classic with integral motor and excellent specs. Why would you want to mess with a separate motor if the classic gets the job done? To each their own, but I like a TT that actually looks like a TT and has no unjustified complications.

I'm not a highly experienced vinyl junky so it did take me a while to get it all dialed in. I got it close the first few days but the final tweaks took months. In fact, just yesterday Ilikevinyl walked me through his recommendation on viscous damping the tonearm. Although there is a lot of chatter out there on the pros and cons of this, in my setup it is clear to me this takes everything up another 10% in dynamics, image and soundstage. Highly recommended...

Make sure you check all the screws and such as a few of mine were a little loose when new from the factory. As an example, the motor cover was rubbing the bottom of the platter but just a 1/4 turn of one of the phillips screws fixed it. Since yours is a demo things like this may have already been addressed?

The quick connect to the tone arm wires is a great feature just make sure you push it all the way until the ring clicks in place. Also, make sure the wire is left in a smooth arch and do not mess with the twist. VPI claims this provides their baseline anti-skate force. I have not used the mechanical anti-skate in my set up and so far I have seen no reason to.

On the azimuth I would try to leave the adjuster ring per factory setting and just make sure the counter weight is plumb. The manual only discusses using the azimuth ring for adjustment but in reality you just need to make sure the counter weight is rotated correct. Although I don't have one yet, a Soundsmith Counter Intuitive seems like a great addition to make this adjustment much easier. Again, yours was already set-up so not sure of your starting point so both adjustments may be needed?

Once I had it set up right, the table sounds like nothing I've ever experienced in my system. For the first time I feel I am hearing the real potential of vinyl. I had no idea...

Only thing I would reconsider is going up one step and get the on the fly VTA adjustment arm. I am amazed at how sensitive this adjustment is and the impact on the sound of a cart. The standard arm gets the job done with this adjustment but it is a little insensitive and time consuming. The dial would be the cat's meow!

If you switch carts a lot, a second arm wand is probably mandatory. Maybe others are better at this than I am, but it takes me a good hour to switch carts on the same arm and quite a bit more before I feel it is right. Another arm wand is on my audio equipment short list.

Multiple arm wands and on the fly VTA would make this a cart testers dream table!

Maybe you already know all this stuff but just thought I would share the journey...
 
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Congrats and welcome to the Classic club ! It's a tremendous table but be prepared to spend some time getting to know the unipivot arm. It takes time to get dialed in properly but once you're there...it's capable of some pretty startling resolution. Light cartridges might also require the use of of a headshell weight, so you might want to pick one up of if you don't have one.

jblnut
 
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