UPGRADE FROM VPI SCOUTMASTER


Is the vpi prime a significant upgrade from the Scoutmaster.
digital3

Showing 2 responses by atmasphere

Atmasphere, IMHO I do not think speed stability is an issue with most modern turntables. I think isolation is significantly more important along with mechanical stability under the conditions that most of these units operate
Get a Sutherland Time Line and place it on the turntable in question, then see how long the dots stay put. Place record with some bass impact- watch what happens with the dots when you set the arm on the LP.

The dots should not drift.

All radial tracking arms have some skating forces. As the speed varies so does the skating force. This causes the arm to oscillate slightly over the stylus, altering its left to right tracking force slightly. You certainly can't hear the variance in pitch, but you can hear the stability of the sound stage when the speed is locked in.
Easy. Get a Technics SL-1200G and replace the platter pad with an Oracle platter pad.

The Technics is more speed stable than the VPI (being one of the most speed stable turntables made at any price), and employs six different damping mechanisms, including a damped platter, quite unlike the older SL1200s. If you don't like the arm, which is pretty competent, you can replace that with a Triplanar and have state of the art. Not bad price-wise, which is why Technics has most of the high end turntable industry shaking in their boots. We used to sell a very nice turntable (Atma-Sphere 208, which looks like the old Empire 208 but with a highly damped platter and plinth) but IMO the Technics is a better machine.