VPI Classic Direct Drive Signature turntable

VPI Industries' Harry Weisfeld has tried, built, and marketed almost every known way of spinning a platter. He began in the early 1980s, before many recent turntable enthusiasts were born, with the belt-driven HW-19, and since then has produced rim-driven models, and 'tables with motors outboard or inboard, one or three pulleys, one or three belts, and platters of acrylic or aluminum alloy. But while Weisfeld has owned quite a few direct-drive 'tables, he'd never come up with his own—until now.

The heart of VPI's new Classic Direct Drive turntable is its motor. Like other turntable makers, VPI claims cogless performance, but in this case the claim is verifiably accurate, and for the same reason the motor in my Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn 'table is cogless: Both are made by the same company, Thin Gap, in Ventura, California.

No mysteries or secret sauces here. Thin Gap builds truly cogless motors. The platter is still the rotor but the stator is made of 100% nonmagnetic material and consists of electromagnetic coils embedded in a composite structure. Thin Gap claims that this design "significantly reduces" torque ripple effects: a periodic increase or decrease in output torque as the output shaft rotates. You can see the stator design here.

The biggest problem with the Thin Gap motor is that VPI pays more than $4000 for each one—before implementation, and before factoring in more than a year and a half of R&D with the direct-drive power supply and motor-control functions, which were engineered by Paul Teseny. In high-performance audio, the rule of thumb is that a component's retail price should be five times its cost. Therefore, at retail, the Classic Direct's motor alone should cost over $20,000. The complete turntable—with 3D-printed 12" tonearm (a variant of the JMW Memorial arm), and the peripheral platter ring and record weight used elsewhere in the Classic line—retails for $30,000. Don't hit me when I say that, at that price, it's a bargain!

The Classic Direct's motor is servo-controlled via an active feedback loop that directly measures and controls the speed of the 18-lb platter, which is machined from a billet of aluminum. The platter has an inverted bearing coated with polyether ether ketone (PEEK), an organic polymer thermoplastic commonly used in bearings, piston parts, pumps, valves, and medical implants. VPI supplies a thin record mat of some kind of rubbery material. An external power supply removes motor-generated line noise.

The Classic Direct's plinth, a variant of the one used in VPI's Classic line, measures 23.5" wide by 17.5" deep. It's made of 2"-thick MDF, to which is bonded a ½"-thick top plate of anodized aluminum, to create a massive, well-damped platform for the integrated drive system. The entire assembly, attractively accented by a piano-black lacquer surround (Rosewood is also available), sits on four height-adjustable corner feet. The compact power supply connects to the turntable via a long umbilical.

On the top left of the plinth are three illuminated buttons for select the speed: 331/3rpm, 45rpm, and Off. The platter's speed can't be adjusted—if you want to play your original pressing of Kind of Blue or Beggars Banquet at the correct speed, you're out of luck.

Setup & use
The plinth, with the tonearm already mounted and affixed to an additional ½"-thick aluminum plate, is shipped in one box, the platter-and-drive assembly in another. Once the plinth has been placed on a level surface (the feet can provide additional leveling as needed), preferably one well isolated from vibrations, it's time to install the 27-lb drive system using the supplied T-handle assembly. This is best done by two people.

Mark Doehmann, designer and project coordinator for the Continuum Caliburn, was in New York for events involving his real job: ModelOff 2013, the World Financial Modeling Championship and Texata, the Big Data Analytics Championships—sort of the mental Olympics. He stopped by, and was impressed with VPI's use of modern manufacturing techniques and their application of the Thin Gap motor to direct drive. He also helped with the installation, which turned out to be a mere matter of connecting a ribbon cable and lowering the platter module into place. That accomplished—and having noted that VPI has yet to design a tonearm lock that actually locks—I installed a Lyra Atlas cartridge in the arm and we had a listen.

We were impressed by the sound—Doehmann declared it "a winner," and I exclaimed "Wow!" But VPI recommends some break-in, so I gave the Classic Direct around 40 hours of play before seriously assessing its sound or measuring its platter's speed. Still, the quick conclusions I'd already drawn were only confirmed by the many records I eventually played. You play some turntables because you have to, others because you want to. I wanted to play the VPI Classic Direct.

Measurements
Since the Classic Direct's speed is preset at the factory, that needed checking. Using Dr. Feickert Analogue's PlatterSpeed app, and the 3150Hz test tone on the accompanying 7" test record, I found the Classic Direct's mean measured frequency to be 3154Hz; the maximum relative "raw" frequency deviation was –0.23%/+0.29%, and the maximum absolute "raw" frequency deviation was –7.4Hz/+9.2Hz. Low-pass filtered to remove the effects of "wow" produced by any eccentricities in the test record, the results were ±0.01% maximum relative deviation and ±0.3Hz maximum absolute deviation (fig.1). Those are superb results, though the frequency chart itself (fig.2) is not exactly a thing of symmetrical beauty. The 45rpm measurements were equally good.

514vpitt.fig1.jpg

Fig.1 VPI Classic Direct turntable, speed stability data.

514vpitt.fig2.jpg

Fig.2 VPI Classic Direct turntable, speed stability (raw frequency yellow, low-pass filtered frequency green).

For comparison, the Continuum Caliburn's mean frequency was 3150.6Hz, its raw maximum deviation 0.24%/+0.43%, and its absolute was –7.7Hz/+13.4Hz. Low-pass filtered, these were ±0.03% relative and –0.9Hz/+1.0Hz absolute, or about three times worse—still exceptionally good results, especially after more than seven years of use and abuse. Again, though, the Caliburn's frequency chart isn't exactly "curvaceous."

If you want to see the absolutely best-looking curves (easy, now!), those would be Ondeof's One Degree of Freedom turntable: Its low-pass–filtered results were –0.02%/+0.03% relative and –0.5Hz/+0.9Hz absolute (fig.3). Those are very similar to the Caliburn's, yet the Onedof, with its "one degree of freedom," thrust pad/bearing-free, non-contact bearing system, sounded the smoothest of any turntable I've ever heard. (The Dr. Feickert app wasn't available when I reviewed Rockport Technologies' System III Sirius.) High-resolution needle drops from the Caliburn and Onedof that I played "blind" for audiophiles at store events around the country confirmed that the Onedof sounded smoother, though which turntable people ultimately preferred varied.

514vpitt.fig3.jpg

Fig.3 Ondeof One Degree of Freedom turntable, speed stability (raw frequency yellow, low-pass filtered frequency green).

My point is that macro and micro speed accuracy are two different measurements. The Onedof and Caliburn measure similarly, but their frequency graphs look very different. Are the sonic differences the result of differences in bearing smoothness, motor control, or both? At this point, I don't know.

Preliminary Conclusion
The VPI combo of Classic Direct Drive turntable and 12" tonearm consistently produced mesmerizing sound that combined the rock-solid musical drive craved by fans of idler-wheel drive with the quiet and nonmechanical tonal richness demanded by devotees of belt drive. Add to that exceptional transparency and retrieval of low-level detail; taut, deep, powerful bass; and a total lack of obvious colorations, and you have $30,000 worth of sound. And then some.

When you consider the velocity-sensitive nature of lacquer cutting and LP playback, and the mix of frequency-dependent, constant-velocity and constant-amplitude elements, perhaps a lessening or a complete elimination of microvariations in the platter's speed of rotation reduces or eliminates minuscule EQ point shifts that could otherwise produce audible aberrations in the frequency and/or transient response. When I posed that question to Professor Gary A. Galo (see Sidebar 1), he said, "It's an interesting question that would take some very sophisticated measurements to either confirm or deny."

I don't know whether or not that explains to some degree the Classic Direct's ear-opening ease, sonic coherence, and fluidity, but that's what I heard. While the Classic Direct is not the only turntable that produces those qualities, it may well be for its price.

Part Two
The day after I submitted the first part of my review of the Classic Direct turntable and 3D-printed 12" tonearm, for publication in the May issue, VPI's Harry Weisfeld e-mailed to tell me that I had to remove the five blue rubber grommets that separate the motor-and-platter module from the plinth: "You won't believe what you hear." He also said that he'd decided that the power supply's plain (as in homely) case was unbefitting a $30,000 product, and so was upgrading it to something more attractive.

Using the T-handle that comes standard with the VPI, a friend and I lifted the platter-motor-bearing assembly off the plinth, plucked the five grommets out of the supporting ledge, and gently lowered the platter assembly back into place. The entire operation took two minutes.

As exceptionally fine as the sound had been, particularly in terms of drive and rhythm'n'pacing, it was now noticeably better in the lower octaves, which were more fully developed and even more solid and dynamically explosive; before, they'd been merely concussive. The sound's overall transparency had also improved. There were more weight and grip, more overall authority. The differences were hardly subtle—so why had VPI at first tried to decouple the motor from the plinth?

COMPANY INFO
VPI Industries, Inc.
77 Cliffwood Ave. #3B
Cliffwood, NJ 07721
(732) 583-6895
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Phil Sommers's picture

A mensch is Yiddish for a "person of honor and integrity." Few of his tens of thousands of customers would dispute the word being used to describe Harry Weisfeld.

Michael, you should have moved this statement to your final paragraph: "I'd say the Classic Direct with its JMW Memorial 3D-printed 12" tonearm comes as close to the Caliburn's sound as has any turntable, and for less than one-fifth the price..."

Feel free to append a qualification if you have a problem with my editing. But I bet you have no problem with my description of Harry.

Doctor Fine's picture

Well gee if Mikey liked the VPI Direct Drive turntable I wonder if he will ever admit he likes the bargain of the century Technics SL1210M5G at less than a tenth the price?

I see the Technics is still listed on B&H's site through no help from the "High End" reviewers who have given it a cold shoulder for years. I am surprised you guys haven't killed it yet. Makes so many "High End" tables look silly.

Try one with oil damping upgrade by KAB and get Art Dudley to hook you up with a Denon DL-103 moving coil cart and matching transformer. Art knows the ones I am thinking about.

Once, just once I would like to see the egg on your faces when you realize how much sound such a combo will produce for not a lot of dough.

High End indeed.

DaveThreshold's picture

I have that exact same table Doctor! Almost all KAB mods with three different cartridges: AT OC9-III, BP EVO-3, and a Grado Ref. Sonata.
(Pardon my happy-rant)
A few months ago, I bought a Threshold Fet-10e PC dedicated phono preamp, and just two weeks ago, a threshold Fet-10e High Level. There are very few companies left with GOLD PLATED circuit boards. (I also have a Spectral DMC-6 Series II with one.) I also have a Rothwell MCL Transformer, which I am working with, and with the OC9-III it does away with ALL the pesky phono noise, but I have to check a few things before I implement it.
Thank you or the review Michael! I bought one of your DVD’s, and learned a TON.

otaku's picture

Mikey,

Did you catch Harry at Stereo Exchange unloading and loading LPs on the Direct Drive while it was still spinning?

DaveThreshold's picture

Michael, have you ever used a dual head stethoscope, for a quick TT noise listen? I bought one, and it is FANTASTIC. The membrane side is about 15 times more sensitive than the normal, cone side.
From it I have experienced the following: Older, 70’s era belt drive tables with the tiny diameter pulley's and the higher speed motors, (Pioneer, etc.) Sound like the inside of a WW2 submarine. A couple of older rim drives, sound like Sherman TANKS. My Sumiko Pro-Ject RM-9 (belt) was audible.

Now for the quiet ones:
The third quietest was my Technics M5G stock. Tied for first are my modified M5G with EXTERNAL transformer, I can no longer hear ANYTHING, and the real shocker: A Vintage, Sony TTS-3000 BELT drive! The way they engineered the motor was genius: It is literally suspended by small and very compliant rubber bands. With the Sony, after a clean/lube, I disconnected the belt, spun it as fast as I could, and checked it again. Nothing! DEAD quiet.
I realize that sound is more important than specs, but I think it BEHOOVES V.P.I. to include a rumble spec. – I bet it’s a low rumble record breaker.

Doctor Fine's picture

Don't get me wrong I spend a ton of money on things that really matter like set up, acoustic treatments, wiring, prime quality components with "life" in them, etc. Speakers, amps and sources all have to have a palpable sense of real quality or all is lost later in the playback chain. You can't get back what isn't there in the first place.

But it makes me crazy to see folks spend big money on things with tiny acoustic returns on investment. Belt drive turntables in general will sound terrible using a low compliance cartridge as the belt will start wobbling as it pulls the cart through tough passages.

A direct drive table will just sail on through the mess.

So if a direct drive is well made otherwise AND it has speed stability using vintage cartridges---what's not to like?

Spending big bucks on a platter so big it is ridiculous and looks like a "wedding cake." I mean, c'mon are you kidding?

stereophilereader's picture

the new generation of direct drives are light years ahead of the sl1200, which was a pale shadow of the sp10.
i've heard the vpi and it is nothing like an sl1200.

otaku's picture

Just noticed Mikey's comments about not stopping a direct-drive turntable by hand. Seems counter-intuitive to me, but I guess that is why Harry was not stopping and starting the turntable at the show.

morricab's picture

I think Mikey you have forgotten that the great Japanese companies effectively beat the "cogging" issue by the late 70s. The Kenwood/Trio L-07, Yamaha GT2000 and others all sported their own proprietary cog free drive systems. The Kenwood and Yamaha both had coreless, slotless motors with no iron in the stators or rotors. Also, they applied much more sophisiticated control systems that effectively eliminated "hunting" of early quartz locked PLL systems. Finally, they employed high mass metal platters (7Kg for the Kenwood and 6kg for the Yamaha) and heavy solid non-suspended plinths (The Kenwood weighs 35Kg and the Yamaha 30kg). The only problem with the Kenwood was RFI leakage, which is easily solved by putting a layer of mu metal on the bottom of the platter.

So, while I admire what VPI has done, they are really retreading the same ground that was perfected by the Japanese just as the "end" of vinyl was near due to the introduction of cd. It is important to note though that the Japanese super tables of that day would be VERY expensive today as well (probably close to the $30K of the VPI).

Vinyl Love's picture

The interesting fact here is that Mr. Fremer uses the Continuum Caliburn as his yardstick judge all turntables. If it sounds close to the Caliburn, it's good. If not it isn't.

soundofvoid's picture

Direct drive was getting there at the end of the '80s.
There were BIG direct drive tables that were silent,non cogging and musical.
It's just that when CD came, the small firms that kept the analog scene alive didn't have the resources and knowledge to make a superb DD table...and when they did it was ultra expensive.
It's crucial NOT to load the motor with a flimsy platter.
You need mass and inertia acting as a smoothing agent to the power of the motor.
They -the japanese i mean- had got it at the end AND gradually got away from the flimsy wooden chassis ...but then the CD hurricane came and the rest is history...

ConcernedDJagainstFalseProductClaims's picture

I am sorry to report to our shrinking community that the claims that are made by this firm are completely without merit. To claim that spending $30,000.00 dollars on this unit as designed are in any way warranted is complete bullshit and unwarranted as proven by the reviewers own testing. Id like to know particularly WHAT market is it that this company is working to win over. Is it the Audiophile market? or is it the DJ market? As an Audiophile table it is a complete failure. Adversely speaking, as a DJ product it is ALSO a complete failure. Lets begin first in the audiophile market; This unit CANNOT be compared to an SME Turntable. It is an utter failure with wow and flutter that are so high and noisy one wonders what it is that one gains from such an expensive price tag. NO this unit can not be considered a fine SME horsehair belt driven unit with a separate power supply. DONE, FINI. and to think they market this unit with a $2500.00 dollar cartridge made by Ortofon - of all manufacturers is a joke to out right hilarious. Before an Audiophile spends his hard earned money on this unit I recommend looking into a comparable priced SME Unit with a Ruby Dynavector moving coil cartridge with both a separate outboard power supply and a seperate moving coil cartridge preamp. and then do a side by side comparison. Now as for a comparison to other DJ tables this unit is a failure hands down compared to a Technics SL-1210 M5G either purchased stock or mod enabled with a number of options. I have what I believe is the finest DJ table there is that I have purchased and then moded with a number of options. It is an SL-1100 AC with an SME 3001 tone arm with a tone arm end Mod that allows me to change cartridges from a Stanton 680-EL or 890-EL together with a Dynavector SUP-200 Step-up Transformer which is a moderately priced moving coil stepup transformer that I choice due to my choice of using 2 Ruby Dynavector MC carts. I must admit I DO NOT ue these carts for DJ use as it is a fools dream to even place yournands on a record while the Ruby D is in contact with the record on the platter. You will snap the shank right off the cartridge if you attempt such a dumb move as to use this cart in a dj setting. I use my Dynavectors as cartridges for audiophile use and/or transferring to a digital medium - understood! For DJ use I use a properly mounted 680-EL cart as my dj cartridge. Another Mod I have installed is an outboard power supply for the 1100 AC which reduces the wow & Flutter to under .010 to .07. This is far, far under .25 to.35 W&F found on both standard Technics and the Vintages own measurements. As you may be aware of the Technics SL-1100 and 1100 AC are NO Quartz tables. Quartz control is a wow and Flutter BOMB that causes all the noise in these units. These units are Servo Controlled motors that if have been properly cared for are very silent. These turntables are made for people that are MASTERS of Mixing records that are not based or created by computer locked beats but are old school classics filled with human error. It takes years to work with your music learning all the nuances of each record and mastering how each record plays. Making being a DJ the TRUE ART that it is. I can't complain further - 30 G's for a turntable is ridiculous as it can be.

rom661's picture

Leaving aside your invaluable DJ advice, I've always found SME's to sound rather overdamped. Better than underdamped but, much as I admire their incredible build quality and enjoy working on them, not my thing. I do own a Dynavector XV1-S with their SUP. Very nice indeed. You might try proofreading and being a bit less of an absolutist. Lots of room for opinions other than yours. I'm being much more polite than your comments. Best wishes.

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