Originally Posted by
Intenso
Any love for VPI here?
I'm smitten with the looks of the new Prime which is currently out of my price range for at least a couple of years until their 2nd hand value drops.
The Scouts also look really nice but I know better than to buy audio gear based on looks alone.
Can anyone comment how they sound, against for example the Notts Analogue Hyperspace TT?
I just can't get beyond how muscular they look! Like the Pit Bull of the TT world...
Cheers
Hi Anthony, sorry i did not answer your questions first.
Any VPI turntable from the Scout upwards are definitely work considering. I have the Scout 1.1 which is a very substantially built turntable weighing in at around 11KG. The ethos with VPI turntables is high mass to negate acoustic vibration which is a similar approach to the Notts Analogue. I looked at the NA turntables and indeed it was my first choice but the VPI are better engineered, especially the tonearm and in particular their Unipivot tonearms. These have a quick release armwand so different cartridge can be swapped very easily although you would have to buy another armwand. Again the engineering is first class with typical American substantial build quality.
The Scout runs totally silent and produces inky black backgrounds with vinyl and a wide deep soundstage with pinpoint imaging. Although belter turntables can be lighter and more airy sounding than DD the VPI does dig deep in the bass. I have heard the VPI Prime and it has an even lower noise floor than the Scout, heaven knows what their top models sound like! If I were to buy again i would go for the Prime, it would be the last TT you would ever need although the Scout is a much more reasonable price. Yes these TT are expensive but the quality is there and they are truly fabulous sounding, they are shipped from New Jersey so not a cheap import. If I had £10,000 I would buy their Avenger TT but to be honest I believe the Scout and prime give you 80% at a fraction of the cost, law of diminishing returns.
I see you are in Bristol Anthony so if you want to hear what a VPI Scout sounds like you are welcome to pop up to mine - only 1.5 hours away. A few folk on this site have heard mine and I would say they were not disappointed.
Seeing one and using one in the flesh is even more impressive than any of the photos you may have seen - yes they are a bit of a Pit Bull!
PS The Notts A Hyperspace is also a great TT but I was not engaged with the sound like the VPI.
Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702
Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2