Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

The Classic Signature is the only version of the Classic VPI currently sells and yeah it's got the big honking like 20 lb platter


I have to get a new iso deck that can handle the weight of this thing so CURRENTLY option two would not include the iso deck. But either way, as in the photo it would only cover the table, not the iso deck as well.

If I was you, I would just wait until you get everything up and running.
Decide then if you actually need and intend to use any optional stuff or add ons.
You may decide the acrylic dust cover is a PITA, the plinth is so heavy you don't need any vibration stuff, etc.
I haven't checked the weight but if it's anything like the Prime, the thing is a freakin beast; I had hard time getting it up the stairs. Ok I just checked and I think it's heavier than the Prime 21. Plinth and platter are like 50lbs. Think hand truck. Looks like you get the upgraded feet too. The regular old ones (cones) aren't too shabby either.
Your VPI is NOT a Rega. In fact the total opposite. You are not gonna want to move it once you get it in place so whatever you do think something permanent. I got a piece of 3/4" ply under mine, supposed to be temporary, but I don't even want to think of moving it. Hell I have a hard time picking up the freakin platter and getting it back on the spindle!
Think over-built beyond your wildest dreams. It was beyond my wildest dreams and I can dream pretty wild. Probably wouldn't move in a tornado.
I dreamed of all kinds of options too, but right now I'm pretty happy just as it is. No speed control, no 12" Fatboy, etc. my Prime is pretty awesome.
If you need to upgrade, get an Avenger! If you need to spend some gas, tank that Aria and think Luxman EQ500.
 
If I was you, I would just wait until you get everything up and running.
Decide then if you actually need and intend to use any optional stuff or add ons.
You may decide the acrylic dust cover is a PITA, the plinth is so heavy you don't need any vibration stuff, etc.
I haven't checked the weight but if it's anything like the Prime, the thing is a freakin beast; I had hard time getting it up the stairs. Ok I just checked and I think it's heavier than the Prime 21. Plinth and platter are like 50lbs. Think hand truck. Looks like you get the upgraded feet too. The regular old ones (cones) aren't too shabby either.
Your VPI is NOT a Rega. In fact the total opposite. You are not gonna want to move it once you get it in place so whatever you do think something permanent. I got a piece of 3/4" ply under mine, supposed to be temporary, but I don't even want to think of moving it. Hell I have a hard time picking up the freakin platter and getting it back on the spindle!
Think over-built beyond your wildest dreams. It was beyond my wildest dreams and I can dream pretty wild. Probably wouldn't move in a tornado.
I dreamed of all kinds of options too, but right now I'm pretty happy just as it is. No speed control, no 12" Fatboy, etc. my Prime is pretty awesome.
If you need to upgrade, get an Avenger! If you need to spend some gas, tank that Aria and think Luxman EQ500.
Haha this is all good advice, cheers. And yes I think it's 65 lbs all in. Trust me I don't WANT to move it and ideally I hope it's cool without the platter, but we'll see. My floors are no bueno. Despite all my talk I'm honestly not on a huge charge to upgrade everything right off the bat. What's happening is I have a set of Revel speakers and my Pro Ject 2Xperience turntable to unload. Because I REALLY don't want to deal with trying to sell them to "the public" mainly because "the public" are "THE WORST" I'm likely going to just trade them in to a local. This local is not the same place I'm getting the table from, so my best value from them, is on trade. So I'm either looking at grabbing a few incremental upgrades (ADS, dust cover, maybe some sort of cart) which won't break the bank OR I'm going whole hog and putting it towards a stage upgrade. But the problem there is in order to overhaul my Aria I'm going to have to spend on top of the trade to get to a level that makes it worthwhile AND I'm going to be perfectly honest, if I manage to pull this off WITHOUT my wife running me over with the car and then burying me under the deck I gotta try to minimize the additional fiduciary output. Hence the small trade in-able upgrades.

Anyhow... I think I'm going to aim for the ADS because screw 33/45 belt changes. And as for the dust cover, I'm still deciding... We'll see what tomorrow brings...
 
Haha this is all good advice, cheers. And yes I think it's 65 lbs all in. Trust me I don't WANT to move it and ideally I hope it's cool without the platter, but we'll see. My floors are no bueno. Despite all my talk I'm honestly not on a huge charge to upgrade everything right off the bat. What's happening is I have a set of Revel speakers and my Pro Ject 2Xperience turntable to unload. Because I REALLY don't want to deal with trying to sell them to "the public" mainly because "the public" are "THE WORST" I'm likely going to just trade them in to a local. This local is not the same place I'm getting the table from, so my best value from them, is on trade. So I'm either looking at grabbing a few incremental upgrades (ADS, dust cover, maybe some sort of cart) which won't break the bank OR I'm going whole hog and putting it towards a stage upgrade. But the problem there is in order to overhaul my Aria I'm going to have to spend on top of the trade to get to a level that makes it worthwhile AND I'm going to be perfectly honest, if I manage to pull this off WITHOUT my wife running me over with the car and then burying me under the deck I gotta try to minimize the additional fiduciary output. Hence the small trade in-able upgrades.

Anyhow... I think I'm going to aim for the ADS because screw 33/45 belt changes. And as for the dust cover, I'm still deciding... We'll see what tomorrow brings...
Changing speeds is not an issue for me; just move the belt to the lower part of the pulley.
It's not like you have to access a sub-platter and it takes like 2 seconds.
The ADS is nice though and I've thought about it. Do some reading, I think the older version (SDS) is supposed to be more reliable if you can find it.
At least you don't have the direct drive and dual pulley thingy to distract you!
Happy listening!
 
Haha this is all good advice, cheers. And yes I think it's 65 lbs all in. Trust me I don't WANT to move it and ideally I hope it's cool without the platter, but we'll see. My floors are no bueno. Despite all my talk I'm honestly not on a huge charge to upgrade everything right off the bat. What's happening is I have a set of Revel speakers and my Pro Ject 2Xperience turntable to unload. Because I REALLY don't want to deal with trying to sell them to "the public" mainly because "the public" are "THE WORST" I'm likely going to just trade them in to a local. This local is not the same place I'm getting the table from, so my best value from them, is on trade. So I'm either looking at grabbing a few incremental upgrades (ADS, dust cover, maybe some sort of cart) which won't break the bank OR I'm going whole hog and putting it towards a stage upgrade. But the problem there is in order to overhaul my Aria I'm going to have to spend on top of the trade to get to a level that makes it worthwhile AND I'm going to be perfectly honest, if I manage to pull this off WITHOUT my wife running me over with the car and then burying me under the deck I gotta try to minimize the additional fiduciary output. Hence the small trade in-able upgrades.

Anyhow... I think I'm going to aim for the ADS because screw 33/45 belt changes. And as for the dust cover, I'm still deciding... We'll see what tomorrow brings...

Are you looking at a new cartridge off the bat? As you like the black I’d be tempted, if you still have the silver, to stick it back on the old table and trade it as stock and put the money towards something else. I’d totally also get wanting to try something fancy with the fancy new table but I think the aria limits the MC possibilities with its limited loading options.
 
Okay, I have another query for y'all. I'm trading in a bunch of gear along with the table upgrade, but the place I'm trading to isn't the place I'm buying the table from. So I'm going to have a few thousand dollars worth in trade in value and honestly nothing that I really need. The ADS is cool but the more I'm reading about it the more issues I'm seeing with apparent transformer hum. Could be a non issue, could be super annoying.
SO.
The only other thing I could see would be worthwhile would be to upgrade my stage. I'm currently running a Rega Aria and it's slightly neutral warm signals matches my system well. Does anyone have an opinion on a worthy upgrade to the Aria that wouldn't be a zillion dollars?
What would YOU do?
 
Okay, I have another query for y'all. I'm trading in a bunch of gear along with the table upgrade, but the place I'm trading to isn't the place I'm buying the table from. So I'm going to have a few thousand dollars worth in trade in value and honestly nothing that I really need. The ADS is cool but the more I'm reading about it the more issues I'm seeing with apparent transformer hum. Could be a non issue, could be super annoying.
SO.
The only other thing I could see would be worthwhile would be to upgrade my stage. I'm currently running a Rega Aria and it's slightly neutral warm signals matches my system well. Does anyone have an opinion on a worthy upgrade to the Aria that wouldn't be a zillion dollars?
What would YOU do?

What brands do they stock.

As a tube fan I can tell you that mechanical transformer hum is nearly always caused by DC pollution on the AC line and can be fixed by one of these filters, they are reasonably affordable.

 
What brands do they stock.

As a tube fan I can tell you that mechanical transformer hum is nearly always caused by DC pollution on the AC line and can be fixed by one of these filters, they are reasonably affordable.

That's interesting, that's a good option if I was to go that route just in case. I've read they used "cheap components" in the ADS but I mean this is just internet chatter.
 
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That's interesting, that's a good option of I was to go that route just in case. I've read they used "cheap components" in the ADS but I mean this is just internet chatter.

Depends if it’s mechanical hum from the transformer getting dc or hum because they’ve cheaped out and there’s some kind of grounding issue or the sine wave isn’t quite right. That’d fix the first, it’d do absolutely nothing for the second lol.
 
Okay, I have another query for y'all. I'm trading in a bunch of gear along with the table upgrade, but the place I'm trading to isn't the place I'm buying the table from. So I'm going to have a few thousand dollars worth in trade in value and honestly nothing that I really need. The ADS is cool but the more I'm reading about it the more issues I'm seeing with apparent transformer hum. Could be a non issue, could be super annoying.
SO.
The only other thing I could see would be worthwhile would be to upgrade my stage. I'm currently running a Rega Aria and it's slightly neutral warm signals matches my system well. Does anyone have an opinion on a worthy upgrade to the Aria that wouldn't be a zillion dollars?
What would YOU do?
I gotta give my Manley a nod.

I have this one:
 
Its just a great piece of gear, I added the Upscale version to my post as well.

Yeah if I could get it in silver with the extra loading options it’d be the one I’d get. As it I’d have to get the purple faceplate or do a special order through upscale and get smashed on shipping and customs.

The new Prima Luna is getting really good reviews but it is both very big and very expensive!
 
Yeah if I could get it in silver with the extra loading options it’d be the one I’d get. As it I’d have to get the purple faceplate or do a special order through upscale and get smashed on shipping and customs.

The new Prima Luna is getting really good reviews but it is both very big and very expensive!

I wonder if @krichard2496 at Darlington Labs is any closer to the tube, dual mono, balanced MP8…
 
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