VPI HW-19 base/plinth question

[Esq1997]

Good evening-

I have an oak VPI HW-19 base with motor assembly and feet. I think I tracked down someone who will sell their HW-19 MKIII acrylic/metal plinth, platter, bearing and springs. My understanding is that VPI kept the wooden base standard throughout the HW-19 run. Can I simply install the springs and drop the plinth etc. into the base? My understanding is that these tables were purposely modular so that you could easily upgrade.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

John

 

[Esq1997]

 

[Esq1997]

The prior owner tried to refinish the base in a darker stain.

 

[markd51]

Yes, provided you have the correct diameter Platter for the HW-19, all will work.

The Springs had threaded Studs, which will screw into the T-Nuts at all 4 corners.
As I understood, these springs could have different gauges-strength, so, some experimentation may be required to insure the inner Plinth sits totally level within the wood Base.

Another important consideration, the Tonearm? If you're going full blown with a MK-III or MK-IV assemblage, this might then likely have the Steel Sub-Chassis, and a separate removable Armboard.

Any decent Plastics company can whip a new blank Armboard up lickety split, some folks have simply made new Armboards from whatever woods they like-find, or Corian, some leftovers from a Kitchen Countertop project?

The Base, countless things can be done/re-done, and in the end, this table could look like a million.

Let's say you're missing a Dustcover. OK, there's likely people out there 3rd party who make such that will fit precisely, and could be probably ordered in various heights. 4" or 5" tall was what VPI used.

I will say this, and so will others, the Stock Dustcover, while it looks nice, can also degrade the Table's performance-sonics. A larger lift off custom Acrylic Cover would be the best in truth if you're looking to squeeze all the performance you can from this Table.

These tables, because of no stock provision for adjusting-tuning precise speed is a downside with AC Syncro Motors such as they use. Without a Speed Controller, I'd likely be correct to say all HW-19's and other VPI variants of this time era all had this particular issue (Aries-TNT-etc)

And such as the TNT's were no better, especially some of their Tables with Idler Pulleys, multiple Belts, a real can of worms.

And there was cures, such as the VPI PLC (2 Versions) and the VPI SDS.

My HW-19 always ran slow, either with the Stock Junior 6lb Platter, or the 1st version Lead Ring all Delrin HW-19 MK-IV Platter. I bought a brand new SDS at a very fair price of $750 US.

That was a major upgrade, my music was now in perfect pitch, and time, or as was intended to be, or recorded as. I could easily tell the fairly substantial lag for some time, as I play drums and bass.

There are no parts from VPI for the HW-19. They might have the little Tungsten Thrust Plates for the Platter Bearing, they're about the size of a Baby Aspirin.

 

[Esq1997]

Thanks, Mark. The seller is selling everything but the wooden base. It’s an OEM MkIII. He is afraid to ship the wood base thinking it might break in transit. If I read your response correctly, my wood base will work with the MKIII plinth (acrylic and steel), etc.

 

[markd51]

There's surely months worth of reading here on the HW-19!

Such as the "Soup Can SAMA". Yeah, no Spings, Sorbothane Pucks, or whatever else, they used such cans-shims, whatever to achieve correct support height for the inner Plinth, and further isolate the inner plinth from the Wood Base of which the drive motor is attached. A poor man's SAMA, but effective.

The goals of course is to reduce noise floor as much as possible.

 

[markd51]

Thanks, Mark. The seller is selling everything but the wooden base. It’s an OEM MkIII. He is afraid to ship the wood base thinking it might break in transit. If I read your response correctly, my wood base will work with the MKIII plinth (acrylic and steel), etc.

Yep, all should drop right in, no problemo. The bare bones base is not that heavy really, just needs the right size box to properly pack it is all. Probably have to be a 22'x22'x10" box to ship. One of those custom "hooptie" 22"-etc wheel boxes from a tire-wheel shop which they'll gladly give you free all day, with all these super cool dudes buying the $3K rims for their $800 no insurance rides, or lifted 4x4's, yep, those boxes are super tough!

Packed properly in one of those hooptie wheel boxes, I could throw the Base in one of these boxes down a 50' flight of stairs, and no damage.

I used a bunch, like 30 of these!, when I moved from the Southwest, packed so many different things into these solid Cardboard Boxes. Would be great boxes for even shipping other audio gear, receivers-etc.

Such boxes would not be cheap if you had to buy them.

 

[markd51]

The reason I went into some detail above, and pertaining to the Wood Base this seller has, and might be reluctant to ship. Well, like I say, packing has to be correctly done, but how much might this person want, and how much to then ship?

Such additional cost involved might be worth it, dependent upon condition, price.

These bases today are not easy to come by, especially in pristine clean shape.

But a beat up base can be made to look absolutely beautiful, but might mean a change to a solid color to hide repairs made. Candy Apple Red, and a zillion other colors-finishes. Some little Guitar Shops do this sort of refinishing all day long. They'll do it up Eddie Van Halen if you want.

 

[Xtian23]

Hey John-I’m searching for a MK iii platter, so let me know if you dig one up you don’t need. I have the acrylic platter

 

[markd51]

Hey John-I’m searching for a MK iii platter, so let me know if you dig one up you don’t need. I have the acrylic platter

One thing to do, is place a want ad on somewhere like Audiomart. Or here. The MK-III Platter is not extremely rare.

I did note a platter swap to MK-IV did bring sonic improvement to my table, but also think that other tweaks on the HW-19 can and will add beneficial improvements even if you had the simplest 6lb Junior Platter. That they can sort of "make up and compensate" for not having a 18-25lb platter.

That in any case a good true running platter with a healthy condition platter bearing is most important.