VPI Direct Drive Turntable

Don, you could ask the same question to other companies like Magico with their Q7 and Ultimate or Clearaudio with their Statement turntable. They do it because it is possible, it makes a statement, it helps with marketing, it helps them learn new ideas and develop future product, and because there are a few enthusiasts who want them and can afford them.

I am curious how many Clearaudio Statements are sold? Even the less expensive but still in the $30,000 + and up turntable, Wave Kinetic NVS, TW Black Knight, Basis Work of Art, Techdas etc etc What is successful sale at this price point, 10, 50, 100, 300, 1000?

I doubt there is one turntable that is universally praise for its look at any price point. Personally I find Clearaudio Statement, Techdas and Continuum among the uglier tables but some people really like their looks. To each his/her own. I rather like the understated look of Classic 3 but have not seen the DD in person yet. Some tables like TW Black Knight looks rather blah in picture but rather stunning looking in person. DD in rosewood is a looker at least in picture as well!

PS, regarding retooling, even if VPI outsource all the parts, if VPI comes up with a new platform, someone somewhere will most likely have to do some retooling and the cost will be passed along to VPI in the end. I doubt VPI uses only off the shelf parts in their turntables.

For $30,000.00 I was surprised to see that VPI used medium density fibre board for their choice of material for the plinth including use of MDF for the single arm board. ,,,,,$30,000.00,,,,really ?

S.M.E., Kodo Beat, just to name a couple manufacture tables near this price range, none of them use MDF or even HDF as their choice of material for plinths and arm boards because they know better.
But would it be great for their profit margin per unit if they could using material that is significantly less in cost however proven over and over to be vastly inferior for use for this application.

Years after these "statement" products that are actually sold in any quantity, (most are not), they end up collecting dust in some millionaires basement!

High end audio history is littered with past "statements" that did not stand the test of time!