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I ended up going with the VPI after asking here and researching the tables a bit more. I wanted something simple plus I have always wanted a VPI. Still waiting on it to ship, but I have another project to complete first anyway. That SME V is quite a tonearm from what I've read. My wife and I finally went to Ikea and I picked up the largest Kallax shelf they had to store the growing collection of records. Now I've got to move everything out of the "storage" room to paint it and make it nice before putting the shelves together. This http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80163781/ shelf I will hang horizontally for the box sets and this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50305796/#/00305794 for the rest.
Hi (Again) GentleBender,good choice, maybe one day, after your set up is completed, we will be lucky enough to see your set up.If and I repeat, if I ever go back on planet Vietnam, I will bring with me a set of different size and shape of IKEA - Kallax shelves for different purpose, mainly storage, I am sure you will agree with me:We never have enough storage.Guy 13By the way, almost forgot, congratulation for your VPI purchase.If I had the money that's the turntable I would buy.
I had a Thorens TD-160 w/ Rega RB-300 arm. I'm now spinning a HW-19 MK III w/ upgraded platter, suspension and a SME tonearm. Like an Egyptian Pharaoh I'm hoping I can be buried with my VPI I'll need in the afterlife. The Thorens are great tables but I prefer my VPILike always my opinion and $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee.P-man
Well I received pics and sure enough it's got an SME Series V on it. Any idea what a VPI HW-19 Mk III with a Series V tonearm is worth? I figure the 'table is worth about $800, but the tonearm could be worth at least that much if not more. Any suggestions on how to tell whether there are any issues with either the 'table or arm?P.S. GB, sorry if I'm highjacking your thread
I imagine it was an ill-advised upgrade. A lot of people buy arms that punch above the weight of their table, assuming that the table doesn't make much difference because it isn't in the signal chain...
Well I received pics and sure enough it's got an SME Series V on it. Any idea what a VPI HW-19 Mk III with a Series V tonearm is worth? I figure the 'table is worth about $800, but the tonearm could be worth at least that much if not more. Any suggestions on how to tell whether there are any issues with either the 'table or arm?
The arm by itself is worth between $2.4 - 3K or thereabouts. If the table doesn't have an SDS you'll probably need a Falcon. Phoenix has a new one, Eagle for higher wattage. The combo is only slightly unusual, and the HW19 was one of those tables guys saved up for. You were more likely to see an MMT, but don't let that scare you away. Without being able to observe/hear it, all you can do is ask questions like - any problems? Does the platter wobble? The SME V is an elegant arm. It can sound overdamped if too much damping fluid is used. Great resolution, but can also sound a little dry. Eff mass is only around 11g so you can probably muck out the fluid.Did you say this was for mono, or am I thinking of another thread? Might not be the best match for most mono carts which are usually low cu. Maybe one of those Ortofons would be good. Hell of a mono set up. neo
Well I may have passed on the bargain of the century, but I wasn't looking for a top-shelf arm, just a really good second 'table so I could have one dedicated mono rig and one for stereo. The seller said there was quite a bit of vibration, which told me that there was a bearing or motor issue, and I wasn't really looking for a project, so I passed. He already had a seller that offered him his asking price of $2k, but just wanted the arm.If I got it I would have set up my Lyra Kleos stereo cartridge on it for stereo and converted my WTT to a mono table, although you raise a good point about effective mass--not sure how good the WTT tonearm would be with something like a Miyajima Zero.AC
The table is trash unless it's fixed, so it's not the bargain of the century. Does VPI even have parts for the HW19 ? Put a pile of $ in it and you have a table worth $800. Buyer got a decent deal on the SME V, assuming it works properly. Considering you're need at this time, it's not the best choice IMO. Sound is kind of the opposite of WT. The Zero weighs around 12g, tracks 3.5g, is 10cu. Even though the cart is heavy I think you'll be better off with a very rigid and substantial arm, like putting a Koetsu or Kisiki on an FR64S. A used one of those goes for around the same $ as the SME. I'd be looking at something like this:http://www.ebay.com/itm/252125721197?rmvSB=truehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/321884560088?rmvSB=truehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/281776401827?rmvSB=trueneo
Neobop,You seem dedicated to vinyl playback and also well versed in analog gear. Do you think the VPI HW-19 is a bad investment? I'm not trying to paint you in a corner, but am interested in your opinion. I want to step up my analog source from my current Kenwood KD-2000 and want to keep things simple while making noticeable improvements in sound. My budget for turntable, arm and cartridge are $1500 or thereabout.Current gear is Odyssey Cyclops integrated, Odyssey Suspiro Phono stage with MM and MC, and Kenwood KD-2000.Any help is appreciated.PS. I have some 1905 CBS Masterworks shellac records. What would you recommend to play those?
Neo,Great advice. I'm considering adding a second arm as well, and really like your approach. I made my stereo rack and the top is 3" thick maple, so it's a pretty stable platform to attach an "armboard" of sorts.The buyer got back to me and the other deal fell through. They still make a Mk IV upgrade for $400 which includes a new bearing, platter, and belt which would address two of the three possible root causes of the vibration (the other being the motor), and is supposedly a big sonic improvement over the Mk III platter and bearing.I'm not really looking for a project, and if it is a project, I might as well just add an arm to my existing table. I am still considering the VPI, however, and hope to make a decision today.Thanks again for the help!Evan
Vpi only used the one motor for many years ( Hurst 600 rpm ). Now I think they use the 300 rpm. The motor is more than adequate for the TNT platter. It is Still available for $ 90 bucks or so. A drop or two of oil on the motor shaft will usually quite down the motor.
If your intent is to simply add another cartridge (or arm?), why go to the expense, trouble, and space useage of adding another turntable?! Maybe you can figure out a way to add an outboard arm pod to use on your existing table? That's what I did.I see your rack is similar to mine, so something like this is doable. Your traditional plinth means that correct mount distance probably can't be obtained with a 9" arm. Go with at least a 10. I highly recommend the Jelco 750E. It's an incredible value, even at new prices. I paid $350 for my lightly used one, an absolute steal IMO! If you like to play with different carts, its removable headshell allows for quick / easy swapping. Get a headshell for each cart. Upon swapping, offset angle and overhang will be set up, just re-set VTA and VTF.So for less than $400 (assuming a used Jelco 750E) you can achieve your mono cart objective, and save shelf space too. Many great arms available for less than $800 used. I've bought a bunch.I know some guys that have machined their own metal stand alone arm pods, but that's lots more money and work.Good luck whatever you do.
