VPI HW-19 MKIII, ****

TroyD
TroyD Posts: 13,077
edited April 2006 in 2 Channel Audio
Vinyl nirvana has descended upon Chez BDT.

My travelling companion, Dave and I trekked up I-26 to the fair burgh of Columbia SC to meet up with a fellow audiophool to aquire the latest piece of gear:

VPI HW-19 MKIII w/ Rega RB300 arm. It has upgraded wiring, counterweight, Dynavector 10x5 cartridge yada yada yada...

After spinning a few records all I can say is WOW. This is GREAT sound. More later but I wanted to share my good humor....review to follow after I get more intimate with it.

BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
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Comments

  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited April 2006
    As your doing your intimate thing be careful something does not get caught under the table as its spinning, it hurts, I know.

    Congrats my man.

    RT1

    Oh yea, I forgot I was just reading somewhere how that tonearm got mentioned for another award.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2006
    awesome.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited April 2006
    And what better to test the new machine than Alison Krauss & Union Station, So Long So Wrong (at least the LP is in the picture so I assume It has been or will be played). Nice TT, enjoy.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited April 2006
    Upgrading vinyl systems becomes a madness. You heard it here first. :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,497
    edited April 2006
    Nice upgrade. Congrats, Njoy.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,335
    edited April 2006
    Real nice Troy!
    Carl

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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited April 2006
    Shweet...
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    I've spun some MFSL Steely Dan and Alison Krauss... my mint copies of Willie Nelson's Stardust along with some Dusty Springfield for good measure...

    Oh baby...this thing is talking DIRTY to me.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited April 2006
    Neat.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,411
    edited April 2006
    Very nice set up there Troy.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited April 2006
    Cool - looks to be in mint condition.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    Thanks guys....the previous owner is probably the most anal person I've ever met, he had the original packaging, receipts etc for everything and not a scratch on anything.

    Dave was over last night and we ran through quite a bit of material.....first impressions are that it is just on the warm side of neutral. Bass impact and weight is better than the MMF5 was. The noise floor is signifigantly lower. Quiet passages are quiet and the music just appears from a black background, if that makes sense......more to follow as I get used to it.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • BSUfbfan
    BSUfbfan Posts: 201
    edited April 2006
    Please, no more positive posts to this topic, I just upgraded to a tube CD player and now you're gonna go and give me the vinyl bug again.....;)

    Seriously though, that looks to be a sweet setup, congrats Troy.
    SDA SRS 2.3
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited April 2006
    TroyD wrote:
    it is just on the warm side of neutral. Bass impact and weight is better than the MMF5 was. The noise floor is signifigantly lower. Quiet passages are quiet and the music just appears from a black background
    Sounds like audio nirvana to me. Congrats!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    BSUfbfan wrote:
    Please, no more positive posts to this topic, I just upgraded to a tube CD player and now you're gonna go and give me the vinyl bug again.....;)
    QUOTE]

    Why not have both? I do!

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • BSUfbfan
    BSUfbfan Posts: 201
    edited April 2006

    Why not have both? I do!

    BDT

    You got it! Just when I think i'm done, there is always that "next step".

    Gotta love this hobby/passion/addiction.....
    SDA SRS 2.3
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Nice...

    Just to recap, what's the current line-up?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    VPI HW-19mkIII
    Jolida JD100 tube CD player
    Melos SHA-1 linestage
    Kenwood C-2 preamp (used for phono stage in interim)
    Conrad Johnson MV-75A1 tube amp
    SDA SRS 2.3tl's

    Associated Gear:
    VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine
    MIT Term4 speaker cables
    Signal Cable IC's

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited April 2006
    That's the same table I've got.

    F'n sweet. Now all that is left, post PF '06, is to get you some real speakers in there.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited April 2006
    Although my friend is imaginary, BDT's speaks are not. Rock on SDA.

    RT1
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited April 2006
    Hey Troy,

    You may find a phono stage that looks better on the gear list than that old C-2, but you may have a hard time finding anything that sounds better and I've never found a preamp with more control. I have tried more phono boxes than I can count, both tube & SS and just when I think I like something, the C-2 Basic puts them back into the box. This is one piece of gear that Kenwood actually got right. Audio Research and Sonic Frontier still await my trials but I won't get my hopes up. The C2 may still be sitting in my rack at the end.

    Nice table, keep us posted on your listening/learning curve with it.

    DG
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • szhleppy
    szhleppy Posts: 320
    edited April 2006
    Nice table. If this is the one that was on Audiogon, thanks for buying it before I added another to my collection.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    Ha! There is another one on there now with an RB250 arm.....

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    Dennis Gardner wrote:
    Hey Troy,

    You may find a phono stage that looks better on the gear list than that old C-2, but you may have a hard time finding anything that sounds better and I've never found a preamp with more control. I have tried more phono boxes than I can count, both tube & SS and just when I think I like something, the C-2 Basic puts them back into the box. This is one piece of gear that Kenwood actually got right. Audio Research and Sonic Frontier still await my trials but I won't get my hopes up. The C2 may still be sitting in my rack at the end.

    Nice table, keep us posted on your listening/learning curve with it.

    DG

    I'm actually pretty impressed with the Kenwood...it's a very competent performer. I'm awaiting a tube phono stage as we speak though.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • szhleppy
    szhleppy Posts: 320
    edited April 2006
    TroyD wrote:
    Ha! There is another one on there now with an RB250 arm.....

    BDT

    Looks like it is time to do some research! Thanks for the heads up Troy.
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  • cmy330go
    cmy330go Posts: 2,341
    edited April 2006
    Is that an Extreme Phono None Felt mat? Sure looks like it. If so that is the same mat I have on my MMF-7. I purchased mine at music direct when I was in Chicago about a year ago. I had serious doubts that a mat could make a noticeable difference in sound quality. Boy was I wrong. I have been extremely happy with mine (no pun intended).:rolleyes:

    Anyway. Very nice looking rig. Hope you get much enjoyment from it.

    Dave
    HT
    Mits WD-65737, DirecTV, Oppo DV-970HD, XBOX ONE, Yamaha RX-A1030, Parasound Halo A23, Rotel RB-985, Music Hall MMF-7, Parasound PPH-100, LSi-15, LSi-C, LSi-FX, LSi-7, PSW-1000, Monster HTS2600

    2 CH
    Parasound Halo P3, Parasound Halo A21, Sutherland Ph.D, VPI Classic 3 w/ 3D arm & Soundsmith Aida Cartridge, Arcam CD72T, B&W 802 S3, Monster HTS2500,
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  • starchaser
    starchaser Posts: 354
    edited April 2006
    Sweet Troy, very sweet indeed. Enjoy!
    "There's a lot of places driving up and down I-95 that smell like ****" F1Nut
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited April 2006
    Thanks guys!

    That is a David James Audio Specialties Reference mat. Works like a champ, I didn't like the little foam ring it came with and this was made custom for the VPI MK III platter. Highly recommended.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • DAGLJAM6
    DAGLJAM6 Posts: 635
    edited April 2006
    TroyD wrote:
    Thanks guys!

    That is a David James Audio Specialties Reference mat. Works like a champ, I didn't like the little foam ring it came with and this was made custom for the VPI MK III platter. Highly recommended.

    BDT

    Going through extensive field trials at the moment but it does seem to have a notably different sound compared to the felt mat.
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