$2,828.00
The Prime is designed to offer hi-end sound while taking advantage in improvements in Turntable technology. The shape is designed to have a more aesthetic look, while having the footprint to accommodate the space needed for a 10 inch 3D arm.
| Settings | VPI Prime Manual Belt Drive Turntable - Walnut remove | VPI Prime Manual Belt Drive Turntable - Black remove | Pro-ject RPM 10 Carbon Manual Belt Drive Turntable w/ 10cc EVO Tonearm remove | EAT B-Sharp Manual Belt Drive Turntable w/ Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge - White remove | Andover Audio Turntable Music System remove | Music Hall MMF-5.3 Manual Belt Drive Turntable w/ Ortofon 2m Blue Cartridge remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | |  |  |  |  |  |
| SKU | 9120050435308 | 9120071656256 | 810039090008 | 9120071654948 | ||
| Rating | ||||||
| Price | $2,828.00 | $2,828.00 | $3,887.79 | $1,413.29 | $1,413.29 | $703.47 |
| Stock | ||||||
| Availability | ||||||
| Add to cart | ||||||
| Description | ||||||
| Content | The Prime is designed to offer hi-end sound while taking advantage in improvements in Turntable technology. The shape is designed to have a more aesthetic look, while having the footprint to accommodate the space needed for a 10 inch 3D arm.
| Now it’s time for the heavy lifting. The motor alone weighs in at over 5lbs. This massive AC motor sits to the side of the table, providing complete isolation, and has a pulley for the belt that is machined to .0005% tolerance to achieve perfect speed. If you find the motor heavy, wait until you pick up the platter. This 20lb. beast is made out of aluminum and damping materials. It’s 39” circumference is machined to a +/- .001” tolerance. Coupled to the hardened steel bearing, this system spins at a perfectly constant speed. We believe this characteristic is essential when trying to achieve the “live” feeling from music. If the speed is off, the music does not sound realistic. VPI’s method of mass is one of the best ways to accomplish this since the heavy platter will maintain consistency once it gets up to speed. The first time you flip the switch on the motor, you’ll hear it squelch as it torques up, but don’t let this worry you. While it sounds a bit odd, it’s normal.
The Prime’s 10” 3D tonearm is quite a feat. Ideally, a tonearm would be one single piece of material, yet until 3D printing, this has been almost impossible to manufacture. VPI was able to use anti-resonant materials, and the end result is an elegant one-piece tonearm.
The tonearm is a unipivot type, meaning it’s free to move around in all directions and only has one bearing. Many in the audio industry believe this is the most friction-free bearing around, allowing your phono cartridge to do its job. The unipivot bearing even has two side outriggers to fine tune its level position. VPI includes a 6” lightweight rod you rest in a groove on the top of the headshell section, allowing you to easily determine whether its level.
Another impressive tonearm feature is its fully adjustable VTA (vertical tracking angle), which allows you to move the tonearm in order to align the top of the phono cartridge parallel to the record surface in order to achieve the best possible sound. With most tonearms, this is done by loosening screws in the side or base to raise or lower the arm, which makes it difficult to fine-tune the height. With the VPI arm, however, you simply loosen up two large screws, then use a large round knob to move the height up or down in small increments. Just as coffee fanatics experiment with achieving the perfect grind, VTA allows audio fanatics to experiment with achieving the perfect sound. There is even the option to make minor adjustments based on the thickness of your vinyl records, and the arm has a scale so you can record the exact setting for each record.
Finally, to couple the record better to the damped platter, VTA includes a stainless steel and delrin record clamp, which simply drops down over the center spindle to hold down the record.
At Audio Advice, we’re very particular about cables included with turntables. Since the signal coming out of your phono cartridge is extremely low in output, it’s necessary to use a higher-end set of cables so nothing is lost in the transfer of the signal from your turntable to the phono preamp. The Prime does not come with cables, which we actually prefer, since it allows you to choose from any of the aftermarket cables on the market today. Your choices are unlimited and whatever model you select will fit firmly onto the high-end RCA jacks found on the back of your Prime table.
One final word of advice: you must ensure your Prime is set up by a professional. They can mount and align the cartridge perfectly, and should also preset the VTA to the right height for an average record. From there, all you need to do is put it back together and set the recommended tracking force.
PerformanceTo check out the Prime, we used it with the Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC cartridge. Like VPI, Soundsmith has been around for over 30 years and is actually made in the USA right down the road from VPI in Peekskill, NY. This is a $1,749 low output moving iron cartridge. The Zephyr was very easy to get setup properly with it’s square body. It also has very good channel separation. One of our favorite test LPs is Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman and the Prime perfectly captures his somewhat gravelly voice. The first cut, “Where Do the Children Play,” has a variety of sounds and rhythm changes that are a noteworthy test for a high-end turntable. In the first 5 seconds, you can tell the Prime is special. we’ve never heard bass notes reach down so low while maintaining such a realistic tonal quality. This same track has some very close mic’d guitar lines throughout the song. There are actually two guitars playing which on some rigs is hard to distinguish. Not so on the Prime! They each stand out alone even when things really build up towards the end of the track. The 3D arm really lets your phono cartridge do its job, too. Once everything was set up we were not able to detect a shred of cartridge mistracking. In terms of dynamics, the percussion sounds explode to life with the Prime. After critically listening to a few more tracks, we ended up turning off the lights and putting on an old favorite, the first Chicago Album, CTA. We were instantly immersed in the music. The 3D representation afforded by the Prime is almost spooky. As we played more records, we found the presentation of the music on almost every recording was extending wider left to right than our speakers. We believe part of this is the outstanding audio quality of the Zephyr MIMC, but if the table and tonearm are not going a great job, you would never get that type of soundstage. The Zephyr is certainly a great match for this outstanding turntable. The combination produced deep rich bass, with a high-end extension that was never harsh -- always smooth and liquid.
| Thanks to extensive research and development, we have now elevated our classic RPM design to an even higher level. The RPM 10 Carbon uses a new extra-heavy chassis which features a special CNC-machined MDF base with resin-coated steel pellets to form an extra-heavy and precise sandwich construction. A special, complex heat treatment and carbon surface coating ensures superior low resonance levels. The mass-loaded chassis is effectively decoupled from its surface using magnetic feet. Combined with a new special polished aluminum platter with internal TPE damping and a vinyl layer on top, the inverted ceramic main bearing delivers an absolutely stable turntable speed with extra-low rumble due to the magnetic suspension of the platter. The heavy outboard motor unit is equipped with precise motor control and features a built-in switch between 33 & 45 rpm. Last but not least, the no-compromise 10" EVO tonearm with conical carbon-fiber arm tube and inverted bearing design ensures perfect tracking, even with demanding cartridges. Highly flexible, top-grade copper internal wiring is used. The RPM 10 Carbon is delivered with Ground it Carbon equipment base and top-grade 5P phono cable "Connect It CC" with RCA plugs (XLR as an option). An acrylic dust cover, "Cover it 1", is also available. Specifications Speed: 33, 45 rpm (electronic speed change) Drive: Belt drive Platter: 10.4 kg aluminum (300mm diameter) Main Bearing: inverted stainless steel with ceramic ball/plate Wow & Flutter: 33 +/- 0.11% 45: +/- 0.10% Speed Drift: 33: +/- 0.01% 45: +/- 0.01% Signal to Noise: -75dB Tonearm: 10" Carbon EVO Effective Arm Length: 254 mm Effective Arm Mass: 8.5 g Overhang: 16mm Tracking Force: 10 - 35mN Supplied Counterweights: 5 - 7.5g / 7 - 10g / 9 - 11g / 10 - 14g External Power Supply: 15 volts DC / 1.6A Power Connection: 110/120 or 230/240 Volt - 50 or 60 Hz Power Consumption: 15 watts max | The B-Sharp sheds all of the non-essential cosmetic adornments of the C-Major without compromising performance or mechanical integrity, providing vinyl enthusiasts with a superb playback option at a more affordable price.
| Model-One is a turntable music system that combines the finest amplifier, turntable, and speaker components, in a beautifully constructed body adorned with high-quality fabric and a furniture grade wood. Featuring impressive performance despite its turntable-sized footprint, Model-One makes it simple to enjoy records and digital sources with premium, room-filling sound. Model-One Model-One is a turntable music system that combines the finest amplifier, turntable, and speaker components, in a beautifully constructed body adorned with high-quality fabric and a furniture grade wood. Featuring impressive performance despite its turntable-sized footprint, Model-One makes it simple to enjoy records and digital sources with premium, room-filling sound. Users can add a dual 10" driver subwoofer and LP storage to the player, making it a complete stand-alone entertainment system. Model-One features a timeless, Mid-Century aesthetic, inspired by the furniture and audio equipment of the era. Clean lines are constructed with natural walnut hardwood and brushed aluminum metal plates. It stays true to a form-follows-function formula, with a compact form factor and look that fits comfortably in any environment. Model-One Technology Isogroove™ is an exclusive Andover Audio technology that eliminates the occurrence of feedback between turntable and speaker. This allows the turntable to be mounted in the same, low-profile enclosure as the speakers, without fidelity-disruptive hum. The result is great sound in a compact package. A custom turntable based on the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Espirit SB turntable is used as a high-grade phono source. It features an Ortofon OM2 Silver cartridge, carbon fiber tonearm, and acrylic platter. The turntable provides pristine, low-noise playback, without the record wear common in lower-grade alternatives. It plays 33, 45, and 78 RPM records (with an optional stylus), giving entry-level users the ease-of-use they desire, with a flexibility that meets the needs of advanced listeners. The integrated loudspeaker system is composed of four 3.5” aluminum diaphragm woofers and two Air Motion Transformer tweeters, bi-amplified by a powerful Class-D 150W amplifier. Listeners will be delighted with the clarity, balance, and frequency-range they find in larger speaker setups, without fatigue that results from improperly tuned systems. Many analog and digital ins/outs are included in the system, as well as a host of customizable options accessible by a front-mounted graphic interface, with the intuitive single-knob operation. Selectable sources include phono, Bluetooth 4.2 (with APT-X), and a dedicated input for a Wi-Fi streaming device. Stereo and Mono listening modes are readily accessible, as well as a Panoramic mode that enhances the stereo image, making the unit sound like a pair of widely-spaced speakers. The settings menu provides custom adjustment of EQ, satisfying listeners seeking a sound balance that better matches their content or room. Specifications Audiophile-Grade All-In-One Turntable Music System Phono (33 / 45 / 78 RPM) Wireless Bluetooth (APT-X Codec) DAC (Sampling Rate: Up to 24b / 192k) Integrated Six-Driver Amplified Audio System Isogroove Feedback Cancelation Technology Analog and Digital Connectivity, Including Streaming Device Support Expandable with Matching Stand and Subwoofer |
The MMF-5.3 turntable is a 2-speed belt driven audiophile turntable employing the unique dual-plinth construction originated by Music Hall.
|
| Weight | ||||||
| Dimensions | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Additional information |
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.