Eyecandy: VPI Super Prime Scout set-up

[Exophile]

Here are some pictures of my new VPI Super Prime Scout set-up. Thanks to many here for providing some info, advice, and feedback.

Gear is as follows: center stage, VPI Super Prime Scout with a Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC* cartridge, going to a Vincent PHO 701 phono stage (set to 1000 Ohm) with an upgraded Brimar 12AU7 tube. In between a wood-faced Tisbury passive mini pre-amp to switch the phono stage to either main amp (Rotel RA1572 on right) or headphone amp (Woo WA6 SE) with Grado RS2e headphones on left. Reverse feeding the signal through the Tisbury works perfectly fine. On top of the Rotel the Analog Drive System (ADS) for the VPI. Speed adjusts were minimal, in terms of turning the knob, may be 2 minutes of a long clock handle down.

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The black cabinet I made myself. Note the shelf separators and the headphone hanger are made out of a local California hardwood branches, manzanita (Arctosaphylos sp.). I think this organic aspect works well with the glow of the tube, the wood of the Grado cans and the Beautiful Audio leather ear pads. I painted the drawer for tubes and other accessories white to see a bit better what's in there. I may use an old tube and make an internal light that switches on when the drawer is opened. Why not?

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With the much more detailed Soundsmith cartridge, the Grado RS2e now sound rather dull, a day and night difference between the B&W CM6s and the R2s. I was first wondering whether the tube phono-stage and tube headphone amp combo should be blamed, but the Grados sound just as dulled through the headphone jack of the SS Rotel. May have to look at some planar cans.

[AJSki2fly]

Some lovely gear you have there, enjoy the VPI and the music��

[337alant]

From what I can see it looks lovely but I dont think your pictures do it justice ?, what did you take them with, they look weirdly distorted

Alan

[Exophile]

Alan: Good eye! I used a Canon 17 mm TSE lens on a Canon 5DsR with pretty significant shift. I wanted to keep the wall verticals straight, and the headphones against white background with more of a top perspective. it is a 20-30 second exposure for the tubes and two flashes (a Paul Buff Einstein 640 with umbrella and a Canon 580) to get a bit of gear definition in pretty dark room (no lights, at night). The Tisbury certainly looks too long.