New VPI Turntable

[Noskipallwd]

Anyone else seen the new "Hi-end/entry-level" VPI turntable? It is called the Traveller, http://www.vpiindustries.com/. Price is supposed to be around $1200.00 w/o cartridge.

Cheers,
Shawn

[ssssly]

Looks like a Scout with a downgraded plinth, base, and arm.

[Wanderer]

This has been knocked around a bit on Vinyl Engine.

I am surprised that an arm with gimbaled pivots is a lower cost "downgrade" from a uni-pivot tonearm, but what do I know?

 

[Noskipallwd]

Looks like a Scout with a downgraded plinth, base, and arm.

Yeah, I think this might be a response to the success of the CA concept as well as others.

This has been knocked around a bit on Vinyl Engine.

I am surprised that an arm with gimbaled pivots is a lower cost "downgrade" from a uni-pivot tonearm, but what do I know?

 

Yep, interesting. Never been a huge fan of Uni-pivot arms myself.

Cheers,
Shawn

[Wanderer]

Yep, interesting. Never been a huge fan of Uni-pivot arms myself.

Cheers,
Shawn

There are uni-pivots and there are uni-pivots. Owned a Mayware for a few years and never felt it was worth the fiddly fuss that was always invovled. I did, however, set up a Grace 714 for a buddy and thought it rather impressive. These wood arms have a bit of a cult following and bring healthy returns on the used market. 

I have no experiance with the VPI versions of Uni-pivots but they seem to get decent street cred.     

[Laudanum]

Heard about this one coming a few months back.  Not in the market but looks cool, I like it.  Can it outperform the Reags and the like in the same price range?  Who knows but that looks like what VPI is targeting.  I'd probably take a hard look at one if looking at new tables in that price range.

At the entry level price range for a new table ...  The new Pro-ject Debut Carbon looks like it may be the best thing going in a bang for the buck table.  Im sure that the new VPI and the more expensive Regas are better but this $399 Pro-ject looks like a great little entry level table at the price.   Nutin fancy but does have a carbon fiber arm and comes with a 2M Red.  They stayed clear of the MDF platter by using an alloy platter.  Not the best but better than MDF and can be deadened from ringing easily enough.  Phenolic subplatter which is common enough and acceptable if it's flat and in-round.  If I were in the market for something cheap and new that I wasnt looking to upgrade with aftermarket mods, this would be it.   I sound like an advertisment     Im not meaning to, just pointng it out as a possible candidate in case someone stumbles upon this thread and is looking for a new table on a budget.  I really think this one would be hard to beat for the money, without buying used. 

Needle Doctor has been advertising them ... http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Debut-Carbon-in-Black

[Noskipallwd]

The new Debut Carbon does look like a nice entry-level table. Maybe with the new platter material and the carbon fibre arm they fixed the motor hum issue they had with the earlier tables. The VPI sort of looks like a Rega with the thin platter. I used to own a Scout and never was quite happy with it. The CA Concept at $1400 was a better fit for me, I think I will stick with it.

Cheers,
Shawn

[4krow]

You guys are killing me! I sold my Scout years ago, and still cry myself to sleep at night. Patricia Barber, Ray Charles, and J. Cash all stand at my bedside and cry 'WHY?' A good table, God there is nothing like it. Unipivot or not, Grado or Dynavector, I miss 'em all--

[Noskipallwd]

Greg, the scout is a great table, all the VPI tables are built and designed well, it is just a personal thing with me. I sold Regas when I was at college, but I never found one I really liked either. Now, I recently got to hear a VPI classic 3, wow. If I could afford one I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Cheers,
Shawn

[Laudanum]

I had wanted a Scout a while back.  I wasnt planning on buying one but kept an eye out just in case a bargain too good to pass up came along.  Never did.  Seems a good indicator that Scout owners are happy with them in general.    I almost bought a VPI Jr. that I saw good deals on, twice.  Not VPI's best effort from most reports but a decent table that was upgradable.   I got two great deals recently ... a Rotel RP 900 (Sytemdek built and Rega-esque)  back when looking for a budget table for the headphone system.  $100 before I added a Rega arm.  Great table at the price and I thought it sounded better than a modded P3 that I had in the house for a little while.  And recently,  a 1999 SL1200 MK2 in fantastic condition that I got for about $220 (traded for actually).  Personally, I dont think the Technics are the world beaters that some make them out to be but they are pretty hard to beat under $600 ... maybe even under 1K.   Individual preferences not accounted for of course.  At $220, I think it was a steal.   

[E.T.]

Heard about this one coming a few months back.  Not in the market but looks cool, I like it.  Can it outperform the Reags and the like in the same price range?  Who knows but that looks like what VPI is targeting.  I'd probably take a hard look at one if looking at new tables in that price range.

At the entry level price range for a new table ...  The new Pro-ject Debut Carbon looks like it may be the best thing going in a bang for the buck table.  Im sure that the new VPI and the more expensive Regas are better but this $399 Pro-ject looks like a great little entry level table at the price.   Nutin fancy but does have a carbon fiber arm and comes with a 2M Red.  They stayed clear of the MDF platter by using an alloy platter.  Not the best but better than MDF and can be deadened from ringing easily enough.  Phenolic subplatter which is common enough and acceptable if it's flat and in-round.  If I were in the market for something cheap and new that I wasnt looking to upgrade with aftermarket mods, this would be it.   I sound like an advertisment     Im not meaning to, just pointng it out as a possible candidate in case someone stumbles upon this thread and is looking for a new table on a budget.  I really think this one would be hard to beat for the money, without buying used. 

Needle Doctor has been advertising them ... http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Debut-Carbon-in-Black

As of a few years ago, if you had a Debut III you could shoot another $100 and get an acrylic platter.  Whether it would sound better then the new alloy platter I dunno.  It was certainly an improvement on the old stamped-steel platter, which tended to attract the magnets on moving-coil pickups.   I used to work at a shop that sold Pro-Ject; I agree that the Debut is good bang for the buck.  I'm amazed that they managed to add a 2M cart and carbon arm for about the same $.

[Laudanum]

As of a few years ago, if you had a Debut III you could shoot another $100 and get an acrylic platter.  Whether it would sound better then the new alloy platter I dunno.  It was certainly an improvement on the old stamped-steel platter, which tended to attract the magnets on moving-coil pickups.   I used to work at a shop that sold Pro-Ject; I agree that the Debut is good bang for the buck.  I'm amazed that they managed to add a 2M cart and carbon arm for about the same $.

Yep, just goes to show you what the mark-up is on carts and what the "touted" carbon fiber arms really cost to produce.   The profit margin may not be as high for the new Pro-Ject table and hopefully they didnt cut too many unseen corners (motor, arm bearings etc) to make it all back.  Anyway, just more proof that you can get into vinyl affordably without being forced to buy used if you dont want to.

[4krow]

Some of my finest musical memories came from an old Technics TT. Now, I know what your thinking and me too, but this was a model that I never saw again. Technics made so many models, but I think that this one was only made in Japan. With a Dynavector cartridge, I  can't begin to say all that was right about it. I just know that it is RARE that I approach that kind of experience even with a lot of money thrown that direction. I will add however, that the Scout equipped with a Grado pickup, had it's own beauty. More relaxed.