VPI Prime Signature
How do you improve on arguably the best-value high-end record player on the market? That question must have taxed the engineering minds behind the VPI Prime – an Award winner in 2015.
VPI’S solution is a range of sensible and wide-ranging enhancements that improve the deck notably without spoiling its appealing character. The most obvious upgrade is to the plinth, made up of two layers of gloss MDF sandwiching a chunky aluminium plate, to improve damping and rigidity. The deck’s four feet have been upgraded to improve isolation and the motor housing is taller to compensate for the extra height of the new plinth and feet.
The motor housing (made mostly of steel) has more mass, which means lower resonance and greater damping of vibrations. The result is less energy being fed back into the deck’s structure through the surface it’s sitting on– and, usually, better sound.
Switch to manual
Changing speed from 33 ⅓ to 45rpm is done manually, by moving the drive belt from one step of the motor pulley to the next. At this level, it’s not too much to ask for this task to be done electronically.
The 3D-printed unipivot arm has a black, speckled finish and is rewired with high-grade Nordost cable. Compared with multi-bearing alternatives, it has an impressive freedom of movement, but it wobbles when first placed on a record.
The thick 9kg aluminium platter, 24-pole AC motor and main bearing all remain unchanged from the original – and that’s no bad thing. At 54cm wide and 40cm deep, this isn’t a particularly large deck, but it weighs in at just under 37kg, so make sure your support is comfortably able cope.
Quality back-up
You’ll need a good system to make the most of this package, so don’t be tempted to skimp on the phono stage. We use Cyrus’s Phono Signature/psx-r2 combination, with the rest of our system made up of Gamut’s D3i/ D200i pre/power amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers.
While clearly more insightful and authoritative, the new model hasn’t strayed far from the superbly balanced sonic presentation of its forebear. We start with Four Tet’s There Is Love In You and the Signature’s presentation is bold, punchy and solid. There’s so much detail on offer, and it’s organised superbly.
This VPI is terrific at conveying the rhythmic patterns on this album, and the ebb and flow of music is conveyed with a determined and assured quality.
We play Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the VPI responds with a grand soundstage populated with precisely positioned instruments. The dynamics are impressive too. There’s an imposing sense of scale as the orchestra builds to a climax, but just as pleasing is the way the VPI keeps a handle on the subtleties, refusing to lose information on the way.
A step further
The standard VPI Prime remains an excellent buy. It’s a hugely talented record player that is capable of seeing off all-comers at its price. But the Signature takes everything the standard model does and builds on it. There’s more insight, stronger dynamics and a lovely stability. If your budget extends to the Prime Signature, this is the one to beat.