VPI Direct Drive Turntable

I heard the new direct drive VPI turntable this weekend and thought it sounded really great. VPI (Mat and Harry) were demonstrating it at an open house last Saturday. They said the motor is derived from a submarine motor so it is really quiet. I didn't hear any blurring in the piano music they played. The music sounded really open and natural. Mat said the footprint is the same size as the Classic 4 but is a bit thicker to accommodate the extra internal electronics needed to control the motor. It doesn't require an SDS since all of the motor controls are built into the base. It's a really beautiful turntable and if you get a chance to hear it, don't miss it. VPI also gives great support. I spent a lot of time with Harry, Mat, and Jack from VPI and they took a lot of time to answer questions not only about the current tables but about my TNT and HW-19 MK IV. I would buy it if I could afford it.

IMHO opinion, VPI made a “marketing” mistake by making the Classic DD look like the rest of the Classic line, therefore, drawing unfair (?) comparisons to its lower cost brethren.

If VPI design a new looking plinth, (like they did with the HRX when the TNT was discontinued) and utilized a DD motor with an outboard motor controller, no one would question the price tag. Bundling the DD motor and hiding the electronics into the already established Classic line, was asking for “value” debates.

As always, the real proof is in the listening, but a cool looking table that screams hi-end, always helps.

The increased performance will be assymptotic. Personally I stay away from this super high end stuff, because I can't afford it and even if I could, my sense is that it's not so much about the enjyoyment of music as it is about the enjoyment of knowing one has a toy that most others don't. And there is certainly a place in the market for that.

But that's my 0.02

I remember when I first heard a belt drive turntable. I thought my Denon DP-72 was the shit. The rosewood vernier matched my Tandberg TR2080 and with my high end moving magnet cartridge I was a happy camper. Then one day I checked out a Thorens. It's was silver and black and the sound was perfect to me. I never looked back at direct drive since.
Years later someone came up with the idea of separating the motor from the plinth. Less noise and vibration to interfere with the platter. Makes perfect sense to me. So not only do my ears hear a difference but marketing campaigns assure me this is the ultimate in turntable design.
Now we are at present time and not only have these same companies put the motor BACK on the plinth they market it as improvement in sound. Huh? Which brings me to the subject at hand. An almost $30,000 direct drive with an onboard submarine motor. This is a free market and you are allowed to sell whatever you want in this great country but if anyone buys this monstrosity I would be very surprised and would gladly nominate that person for Knuckle Head of the Year award. Thanks for listening.

Harry is all about marketing and the dollars it will bring. Sound is really secondary. Plan on a return to belt driven TT's in the near future from Harry. Don't get me wrong, Harry makes some great products, they are just not good values.