VPI Scout tweaks

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Packgrog

  • Jr. Member
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VPI Scout tweaks
« on: 13 Nov 2017, 11:14 pm »
Basic question: What would you recommend for improving the stock feet of a VPI Scout or Scout Jr. with a maple block platform?

I currently have the stock point feet (metal bearing tipped Delrin cones with thick felt washers between feet and plinth), with scraps of thin grungebuster material between the feet tips and the maple platform. I feel like I could improve upon this significantly, but my budget is far more limited than my imagination.

So what approach might be best? Put puckies beneath the stock feet? Replace the thick felt washer with thick grungebuster washers? Ditch the stock feet entirely in favor of Big Tall Tenderfeet? If ditching the stock feet, would placing some damped heavy disc between plinth and smaller Tenderfeet provide worthwhile benefit (kind of like the edenSound TerraCone footer approach)? My Scout Jr lacks the steel damping plate, so I'm wondering if I could see extra benefit from some extra strategic plinth damping and mass loading.

I've had good success with thick grungebuster dots as platform and motor feet, as well as for strategic damping of the motor pod housing with thin grungebuster material (I got about a 5db reduction in motor noise just from damping the motor pod), and I feel I can still do more. Any thoughts?

Packgrog

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 5
Re: VPI Scout tweaks
« Reply #1 on: 28 Nov 2017, 08:29 pm »
More questions (since the email addresses for herbiesaudiolab.net don't seem to be working right now):

Is there something like the SuperSonic Stabilizer but smaller in diameter, which could be placed on top of an older style rectangular VPI motor pod in the corners to help damp the top plate? Even with using grungebuster material for the feet and damping between the plates, I can still reduce vibration noticeably by placing my hand on top of the motor pod. Would brass weights on top of the housing work, with thin grungebuster material between them? What kind of mass would be good vs. counter-productive? I know that Walker Audio sells resonance control discs that could serve a similar purpose, but at $50 each, it seems a bit outlandish for my little Scout Jr.

Any ideas? Anyone? Bueller?

Photon46

Re: VPI Scout tweaks
« Reply #2 on: 29 Nov 2017, 12:11 am »
When I had a Scout, I never found anything that improved on coupling the stock feet to the maple plinth. A thicker 3.5" plinth was a bit better than a thinner 2" plinth. Experimenting with decoupling/isolation pucks and feet under the plinth yielded better results than trying to improve or alter the coupling between the Scout and the plinth. I suspect that the reason the plinth makes the Scout sound better isn't that the turntable is isolated on the plinth but rather that the Scout and plinth coupled together have a heavier mass with a different resonant signature from the stock unit. It could be that actually decoupling the turntable from the plinth would be counterproductive to good sound. One product I would have like to have tried was something from the UK manufacturer Trackfeet. Their large heavy feet are so expensive that it didn't make sense to me to invest in them though so I just spent the money on a better turntable. Tweaks are fun but usually money is better spent on an upgraded source in my experience. https://www.musicdirect.com/accessories/vibration-control/?category=Vibration%2520Control&brand=Track%2520Audio&sort=popularity%7CDESC&page=1&pagesize=24&c1=tab-products&c2=grid

BobM

Re: VPI Scout tweaks
« Reply #3 on: 29 Nov 2017, 01:33 pm »
Here's one I tried as was surprised at the improvement - overall tightening up of the sound.

Find a way to spike the bottom of the tonearm to the platform the rig sits on. Ger some kind of adjustable spike and mechanically ground that thing. I used a brass spike and some metal shims and just managed to make it fit. Yeah, it's not a buy and install tweak, you need to work a bit on this one, but it was worth it.

Another one that works amazingly well is replacing the rubber belt with silk string. But you must have a speed controller to do this.

Enjoy

Packgrog

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 5
Re: VPI Scout tweaks
« Reply #4 on: 29 Nov 2017, 01:58 pm »
Find a way to spike the bottom of the tonearm to the platform the rig sits on. Ger some kind of adjustable spike and mechanically ground that thing. I used a brass spike and some metal shims and just managed to make it fit. Yeah, it's not a buy and install tweak, you need to work a bit on this one, but it was worth it.
I'd probably be better off just improving the stock feet or finding some form of bracing between the platter and tonearm, ala recent Regas.

Quote
Another one that works amazingly well is replacing the rubber belt with silk string. But you must have a speed controller to do this.
I tried that and hated it (I use a Phoenix Falcon motor controller and DIY tachometer). It actually increased the noise transference from the motor to the platter, raising the noise floor.

FYI: What my setup looks like at the moment:



Photon46

Re: VPI Scout tweaks
« Reply #5 on: 29 Nov 2017, 02:43 pm »
I also found the Boston Audio graphite platter mat to be a very worthwhile enhancement on both my Scout and my current turntable. http://www.sakurasystems.com/mat.html