VPI Classic vs. Well Tempered Amadeus



Both of these turntables are priced very simular. Who out there has compared the two turntables? Which one did you like and why?

Thanks.
bobheinatz

Showing 6 responses by actusreus

Stringreen,

How do you use Bearpaws? Do you screw them in? I looked at the website and it looks like you simply put them under equipment. Also, what do you keep your Classic on? I keep mine on a 3-inch maple block and I wonder if brass makes sense on wood. Thanks.
I had a chance to listen to the Amadeus at In Living Stereo when I was visiting NYC recently. I don't remember the amplification or the cartridge, but they certainly don't set up their demo systems with cheap gear given the two small rooms they have. The speakers were a pair of floorstanding DeVores. I was not impressed to say the least. I'd definitely not trade my Classic for the WTA.
Correction to 1): the TAS review did not state that the tonearm had no resonance, but that "[s]ince the arm works entirely by damping, it naturally damps out the arm/cartridge resonance very well indeed. Running the Shure Era IV test record to find the arm/cartridge resonant frequency, one comes surprisingly close to finding no resonance at all." Nonetheless, my question still stands, i.e., how does this fit with the optimal cartridge/tonearm resonant frequency between 8-12 Hz?
Vortex,
Thank you for a thorough comparison of the two tables. Perhaps you'd be willing to come back to the thread after you've spent a considerable amount of time with the WTA and do more comparisons focused on the sound. You know, after the novelty factor wears off...:) As I mentioned in my thread above, I had an opportunity to listen to the WTA in a very good set-up and it definitely did not have a better bass or detail than my Classic. Of course the sound is so system- and associated gear-dependent, on top of any evaluation being a very subjective affair to begin with. Nonetheless, I'm rather reluctant to believe that the WTA is better in such a profound way right out of the box, after just a few hours of listening. Was your Zephyr set up correctly on the Classic? Sounds like you had some issues with aligning it properly. I can't help but think that the crazy tracking error on the WTA makes Mr. Baerwald, Loefgren, and the rest turn in their graves. Is it possible that it's fast food packaged as high-end in terms of sound? Or is it genuinely a high-end product that renders the established understanding of analog equipment set-up obsolete or irrelevant?

Now as a suggestion, if you're keeping the Classic, look into replacing the stock feet with brass footers, such as Bearpaws. Not only will they improve the sound, but will also eliminate the marks if you need to adjust the table.

Also, the Counter-Intuitive is great indeed, but I'd recommend O-rings for an even easier VTF and Azimuth adjustments in addition. This would be especially helpful for the WTA from what you described. An O-ring will provide not only a point of reference, but also prevent any unwanted movement of the counterweight, especially if you have shaky hands.
Believe it. This table is the real deal.

I'm sorry, I don't. I heard it and it did not impress me. Perhaps if I hear it again, I'll retract my opinion. I'd have no problem doing so.

Btw, lack of a lift mechanism alone would prevent me from buying this table. It is not so much lowering the stylus onto the record as it is lifting the stylus off the record that would give me a life-threatening anxiety. A small, uncoordinated move and you could send the the cartridge to its demise. No, thank you.
It's certainly a curious design. I have a few questions for those who own it or are knowledgeable regarding the table's and tonearm's technical specifications.

1) From reading the WTA's review in TAS, I understand the WTA's tonearm has no resonance. That means it is impossible to match the cartridge with the tonearm to attain the desirable range of resonant frequency between 8-12 Hz as there is nothing to match. Correct? That means that you can use any cartridge on the market, regardless of its compliance as long as it can be physically mounted in the headshell, right? As a corollary to the desired frequency statement above, if the optimal range is 8-12 Hz and WTA's tonearm has none, where does this leave us?

2) Is there a clamp or a ring that can be used with the table? How do WTA's owners deal with records that have bigger warps?