Walker or VPI motor controller with scoutmaster?

Picked up a SDS a few months ago. The positive impact was easily heard right away with my Aries II.

I must say that I was some what doubtful since I had already bought a Super Platter and thought that the more than doubling of platter weight would have gone a long way towards speed stability. That does not hurt but the SDS goes a lot further.

Terry

Another vote for SDS! I used it with my Basis 2500 Sig. Works great. I've checked speed measurements time from time and the SDS remains steady and right on 33 or 45 rpm.

There may be better controllers, but at $700 used hard to beat it.

There's a guy on audioasylum who had both. He kept the Walker. I suggest you do a search there.

If I was to buy one myself, I would still consider the SDS because of the way it ramps down the voltage when the motor is running. My motor gets pretty hot after a long session.

A turntable without a motor controller is only 1/2 a turntable. The addition of a motor controller will give you unending pleasure. How can you get the most out of a TT AC motor which varies constantly in its rotational speed regardless of how good the motor may be? The choice of the VPI or the Walker depends on your finances and which one you like best. They are both good, but the Walker is superior in its ability to hold speed over a longer period of time before you will have to reclock the platter and controller. You will need a strobe and light too. The KAB is an inexpensive strobe and works very well. By the way, I have a Walker Controller and I will probably be selling it soon. It is only 6 months old. My TW Raven Acustic TT is being delivered Mon. 3/17 and I will no longer need the Walker. Email me if you are interested.

A new entrant is Mark Kelly's Synchrotron AC-1. Available in kit form only, the AC-1 derives 120VAC from a large 12V SLA battery. Build cost ca $500-$700 including battery. It has the theoretical advantage over single-phase controllers like SDS and Walker, of generating both phases of the AC sine-wave. This requires removing the phasing capacitor from the stock motor and wiring a dedicated connection from motor to drive controller. It works very well.