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VPI Direct Drive Turntable

I received a copy of the new Music Direct catalog today and saw the new VPI Classic Direct Drive turntable listed at $30,000. It looks virtually indistinguishable from the Classic 3 with the new 3-D tonearm save for three speed buttons in place of the pulley and the rubber belt. The description on the MD website is rather scant, and certainly does not give enough information to explain what makes this turntable $25K more expensive than the belt drive Classic line. The VPI website makes no mention of the new flagship product at all.

Does anyone have any information on this new megabuck VPI table?
actusreus
brf
1,715 posts
 
Here is the link to the VPI Classic Direct table on the VPI website.

http://vpiindustries.com/table-direct.htm

The Classic 3 w/o the 3D arm is $6K, add $1500 to upgrade to the 3D puts you at $7,500 retail.

The DD motor costs VPI $4,000, using a manufacture to retail multiplier of 5 times, puts the DD motor at $20,000 retail.

Add the cost of the Classic 3 with 3D arm ($7,500), plus the DD motor ($20,000) gets you to $27,500 and that does not take into account any motor modifications plus additional electronics.
lp2cd
101 posts
 
But does it come with a dustcover?
czarivey
5,666 posts
 
If we speak about high quality components sold 30...35 years ago, It would yield prices equivalent to today's $2k ranges for highest quality analogue setup. This one is more than 10x above the reasonable price. I certainly omitted mentioning such options as marble plinth or solid gold tonearm that have nothing to do with audio engineering.
lewm
12,448 posts
 
The DD version probably is not 5-6 times "better" than the Classic 3. No one expects a linear relationship between cost and performance, I hope. Also, the fact that the two products look somewhat alike in photos is not necessarily meaningful. The proof of the pudding is in the eating; you'd have to listen to the two products side by side in order to make your own decision. HW seems to think that his DD tt is a revelation.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
$30K?? That's a bargain!! I think I'll grab 3 of them and give them to the kids as Xmas presents!! LOL!!
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