VPI Model One Turntable Review

Building on the design of the company’s nineteen-eighties-era HW-19, you might say that VPI’s new Model One is a bridge between its past and its future. As owner and President, Mat Weisfeld (above) says, “Model One sits emotionally between our heritage and our current thinking.”

Being a fan of the Prime and the iterations of that simple, minimalist, engineering-led design that Mat was the lead on, it’s interesting that this new deck follows a path more familiar to fans of the Linn Sondek LP12, Thorens TD 150, and TD 125. Measuring 8 x 21.5 x 16 inches [HxWxD] and sporting a substantial 40lb solid oak frame underlines the fact. “Prime makes tremendous sense in its elegant simplicity. We felt there was still unexplored territory in a properly executed suspension, especially one that could remain modular, adjustable, and serviceable long-term”, he says.

Rather than VPI jumping on the retro bandwagon, the Model One is a future-proof system that remains true to its engineering ethos. Mat adds, “When I was spending time with an old HW-19 that had been sitting in our basement for years, I initially planned to bring it into the factory and sell it, but instead started experimenting, changing the platter, trying different arms and armboards. I was having a lot of fun enjoying both the process of working on the turntable and listening to it again. That helped crystallise the idea of a modular design built on consistency and structure, so owners could enjoy a hands-on experience without falling into the frustration of endless, esoteric tweaks.”

The Model One sees VPI return to a suspended design for the first time in nearly fifty years. When asked about the detour from the road taken by the design purity of the Prime and its stablemates, Mat answered, “As much as I agree with you that Prime makes tremendous sense in its elegant simplicity, we felt there was still unexplored territory in a properly executed suspension.”

Up Close

Model One comes specified with VPI’s new S-shaped tonearm (dubbed the S-Tonearm). The 10-inch, statically balanced design is made from 6061 aluminium alloy throughout – armwand, counterweight, cueing lever, base, VTA dial, antiskate rod, fingerlift, and detachable headshell – chosen for its mechanical properties and its suitability for machining and extrusion.

69 VPI Copper wire runs from the cartridge to the RCA jacks, with a direct entry through the tonearm barrel, and is locked in place with a focus on not putting either end of the cable under tension. Meanwhile, the internal sleeving is also treated with Hellerine lubricant to ensure unimpeded arm swing.

This turntable benefits from VPI's new three-point suspension. Precision CNC-machined aluminium suspension parts are used, with the floating subchassis formed from a 0.5-inch-thick 6061 aluminium alloy slab, isolated by three inverted Sorbothane stanchions – not springs. A trio of levelling screws attach to the 0.625-inch-thick upper aluminium plate and armboard. An inverted stainless steel bearing fits into the floating subchassis, effectively isolating the platter and armboard so they work together while remaining isolated from the solid oak frame.

A nonmagnetic stainless steel spindle is affixed within the platter bearing. The deck’s aluminium platter weighs 20lb and is damped by an HDF doughnut on its underside. Using the trusty knuckle-wrap test, I could not elicit any ringing. The belt drive is powered by a 500-RPM motor mounted on the suspended module. Stated wow and flutter is 0.05%, and speed accuracy is said to be 0.05%. The platter is a nod to the company’s classic thinking. “It has high mass, excellent flywheel stability, but is refined with tighter tolerances, improved materials, and better control of resonances than we could achieve in the past”, explains Mat.

Regarding Model One’s modularity, it sounds like we can expect speed control, a range of arms, custom armboards, and more. He says that it was conceived as a platform rather than a fixed statement, something that could evolve with arms, motors, and power solutions over time, without locking the owner into a single expression of the design.

My review sample arrived complete and set up by its UK distributor, Renaissance, who also worked closely with the New Jersey firm on further refinements. That said, looking through the manual, I couldn't see any aspect of a standard setup that would give me cause for concern.

Moreover, it was made easier as the Model One doesn’t rely on springs for its suspension, which can often require careful attention during setup.

The deck came loaded with a VPI Shyla MC cartridge, an Audio-Technica-made pickup based on its ART series, built to Harry and Mat Weisfeld's specifications. During the review period, I also paired my Aidas Cartridges Malachite Silver and Nagoaka MP500 MM cart. This was played through a YBA PH1 phono stage and Gryphon Essence Pre/Power combo connected by Siltech cables. Loudspeakers were Audiovector R 6 Arrete.

The Listening

The Model One and Shyla cartridge combo shows precisely why many of us never gave up on vinyl. A great record player, properly set up in a decent system, can present music as if there is nothing between the stylus and the speaker. There’s a vital directness created by the physicality of a needle reading bumps in a groove. The Model One maintains the VPI family sound that I enjoy with the Prime, but in a more grown-up way. Not less fun, just more considered and refined with an air of experience about it.

For example, with Tin Machine’s Under the God the deck picks its way through this four-minute romp, giving each member of the band and their instrumentation plenty of room to groove. The Sales brothers provide an irrepressible rhythm section that propels the music and gives legendary stunt guitarist Reeves Gabrels a safety net for his six-string acrobatics. Bass has plenty of weight, and the distorted guitar cuts through the mix, especially the tremeloed harmonics and feedback. Bowie’s voice is transported into the room with all the attitude and swagger required for such a late-eighties rock song. For all its precision and detail, the VPI still retains the warmth and flow that makes analogue audio so desirable.

This is demonstrable when playing André Previn with the London Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. This 1971 recording sounds sprightly and slinky on the Model One. For me, it excels at the crossover of symphonic and jazz styles thanks to Previn’s skills not only on the piano, but in conducting the LSO. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, there is a sense of both scale and intimacy. The opening famous clarinet line, performed here by Gervase de Peyer, slides into the room from an impressively low noise floor with the accompanying percussion and brass underpinning the clarinet’s flourishes. The entire piece comes across as lush and vibrant. The muted trumpet signposts the piano’s entrance. The keys have a strong presence, rich with harmonic detail. The Model One also tracks the dynamics of this piece incredibly well, from orchestral swells to delicate, intricate piano phrases.

Swapping out the Shyla for my Aidas Malachite Silver, and this turntable sounds even clearer and more agile. This is my main moving-coil cartridge, used on a VPI Prime spinner, but it sounds even better on this arm and deck. I love this cart for its insightful nature, and it delivers the goods with even less restraint than I am used to. There is more snap to the synthetic snare in Trentemøller’s When The Sun Explodes. There’s also a nice low-end articulation of the bass line, which is one of the things I love about this boutique moving coil transducer.

In fact, the Model One is particularly adept at highlighting the characteristics of any cartridge that it is paired to. For instance, Nagaoka’s MP500 high-output moving-permalloy design fleshes out recordings such as Sly & The Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Going On, while still presenting a very even midband and a taut low-end. The jazzy Cowboy Bebop soundtrack by Seatbelts also shows how sweetly this cartridge handles higher frequencies, whilst remaining accurate and detailed.

VPI’s Model One package has plenty going for it then, and while it might have retro looks, the well-considered arm and turntable design make a strong case for it as a contemporary option. My only negative feedback is that changing the belt from its 33.3 to 45 RPM setting is made trickier by the guard. I, for one, hope that this is addressed with a speed control option as one of the modular upgrades.

The Verdict

Suspended chassis designs can be tricky for those approaching them for the first time, yet generally pay dividends if given the due care and attention because they’re so much better at vibration isolation than most non-suspended decks. The VPI Model One makes a strong case for suspended turntables and has been designed to grow with the owner through its upgradeability. It’s also a very smart-looking unit, with physical presence beyond its price point. Most impressively, it sounds more lithe and agile than its retro aesthetic might suggest. An essential audition, then, for those seeking a future with the world’s most popular legacy music medium.

For more information visit VPI Industries