Please help with VPI 3d set up

kleinbje

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2012
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How do you move the counter weight?. Is it the Allen screw on the end of the arm tube, didn't seem to make a difference. Please help. Thanks
Jeff
 
How do you move the counter weight?. Is it the Allen screw on the end of the arm tube, didn't seem to make a difference. Please help. Thanks
Jeff

The nut at the end of the arm has nothing to do with the CW. Make sure that the black thumbscrew on top of the CW is loose. Otherwise the CW/arm interface is very, very tight. It can be a little of a PITA and I found had to hold the arm when moving the CW back and forth or side to side. At least for gross changes and after that the Counterintuitive then really help out. Be careful not to overtighten the black thumbscrew or headshell screws as you can crack the plastic.
 
The nut at the end of the arm has nothing to do with the CW. Make sure that the black thumbscrew on top of the CW is loose. Otherwise the CW/arm interface is very, very tight. It can be a little of a PITA and I found had to hold the arm when moving the CW back and forth or side to side. At least for gross changes and after that the Counterintuitive then really help out. Be careful not to overtighten the black thumbscrew or headshell screws as you can crack the plastic.
Myles my CW has no thumb screw. I got it to move it is just crazy tight. What does that nut do? I messed with it. Where should it be. Thanks.
 
Myles my CW has no thumb screw. I got it to move it is just crazy tight. What does that nut do? I messed with it. Where should it be. Thanks.

Mine have a black plastic thumb screw on top that helps ensure the CW is secure.
 
I got everything set up nicely, BUT I have been getting these horrific popping vs skipping sounds. It is violently loud, but proportional to volume, seems to occur in both channels as both speakers show very scary woofer excursion during these events. The music is disrupted but continues to play linearly always, no jumping ahead. It is not repeatable, but seems to occur at least once song. It occurs on mint and vg vinyl, everything is audiodesked. When playing it outperforms my previous arm sound wise, but these noises are horrific. Never heard them before on my system. I feel like set up issues would cause poorer sound, and trouble in the same area of records. I am using a Tube phono pre which seems otherwise quiet, no loud noises when a record is not playing, but then again the volume is always way down when I change lps. Please help this is killing me, it is every record.
 
I got everything set up nicely, BUT I have been getting these horrific popping vs skipping sounds. It is violently loud, but proportional to volume, seems to occur in both channels as both speakers show very scary woofer excursion during these events. The music is disrupted but continues to play linearly always, no jumping ahead. It is not repeatable, but seems to occur at least once song. It occurs on mint and vg vinyl, everything is audiodesked. When playing it outperforms my previous arm sound wise, but these noises are horrific. Never heard them before on my system. I feel like set up issues would cause poorer sound, and trouble in the same area of records. I am using a Tube phono pre which seems otherwise quiet, no loud noises when a record is not playing, but then again the volume is always way down when I change lps. Please help this is killing me, it is every record.

What cartridge did you mount in the arm? Could their be a mismatch eg. compliance?

Is it just popping sounds? Did you ground the arm?
 
How do you move the counter weight?. Is it the Allen screw on the end of the arm tube, didn't seem to make a difference. Please help. Thanks
Jeff

What ever happened to the concept of your dealer setting it up and precisely aligning your cartridge, giving you a good deal and not charging extra?
Customers must stand up for their rights and demand this to be provided with their purchases, regardless of customer abilities. The dealer has to be expected to do better than the customer can.
Call me old school, 'cause that's how I roll.
 
I'm betting that's there's no dealer involved here.
 
A $3000 arm and no setup provided?

What's wrong with this picture?

Brian-What if you live where there is no VPI dealer and you buy the product straight from the factory. Do you really think VPI is going to pay someone to fly to your town, rent a car, set up your table, spend the night in a hotel, and pay for meals for a $3k sale?
 
before you jump on Jeffs ass, I would encourage he get acquainted with his gear ESPECIALLY your turntable, 'arm and cartridge set-up. my only question is the lack of any meaningful instructions that came with the arm and using the dealer as your 'instruction manual' wouldn't fly with me.
 
I got everything set up nicely, BUT I have been getting these horrific popping vs skipping sounds. It is violently loud, but proportional to volume, seems to occur in both channels as both speakers show very scary woofer excursion during these events. The music is disrupted but continues to play linearly always, no jumping ahead. It is not repeatable, but seems to occur at least once song. It occurs on mint and vg vinyl, everything is audiodesked. When playing it outperforms my previous arm sound wise, but these noises are horrific. Never heard them before on my system. I feel like set up issues would cause poorer sound, and trouble in the same area of records. I am using a Tube phono pre which seems otherwise quiet, no loud noises when a record is not playing, but then again the volume is always way down when I change lps. Please help this is killing me, it is every record.


I would say that means that you don't have things setup nicely. What are you using to setup your tracking weight?
 
I would say that means that you don't have things setup nicely. What are you using to setup your tracking weight?

All that's fine and well gentleman but it ain't helping Jeff right now. Now we just need some more info from him.
 
What if it's purchased through Soundstage, Elusive or MD?
 
Update

What if it's purchased through Soundstage, Elusive or MD?
First of all thanks for all the inquiries I appreciate all the help!! To start with Myles, I mounted a Lyra kleos SL, I purchased through elusive disc who opened a new shipment of arms to check for a manual, found one , and scanned and sent a PDF. Unfortunately it either tells you to loosen a screw that doesn't exist!!! or tells you to just move it. So I got it mounted fleikert lofren, vtf 1.75g . 120g counter weight but they sending me the correct 160g and free return shipping. Grounded TT junction box to pre. So I started listening with my friend around 1am, small sound stage for a first uk press of Veedon Fleece, but the tubes were warm but unplayed, so I played 3 more sides, new and old vinyl, no "pops". Sound improving. I had concomitantly used the vinyl revirginizer(i'll post on it when I can ,love it) and I tried my first new virgin, a German copy of the white album. Now I bought this on discogs, looked like it had gone through a war, opaque marks on almost all sides, but it plays beautiful with a nude line contact stylus. Side 3 is my favorite side this week, so I started and birthday great, yer blues.....Pow! POP! I almost ****. And it was sounding so good! Then 1-2 for each song. Thought maybe pieces of revirginizer???, but I audiodesked them all after and the stuff came off pretty clean. So I tried a real slut(could' not resist no offense intended.)and there were still pops every song. Tried to watch the stylus nothing seemed to be happening to it during these events. The woofer excursion scared the hell out of me. I upped the vtf a box or two on the counter and no change. Replay a side pops are not in same place any more. It sounded so amazing we listened till 6 am. Today I started trouble shooting.

Thought it could be a tube but I am a newb and never had a tube go, no to mention they are 7308 and should last forever. I had my Alephono around so I hooked it up, bingo, brown sugar- no pops!! Sound not so good, but I need to let it warm up and possibly change cables and loading(100). But still no pops after 2 hours. Tried a bunch of tubes in the Manley, pops with all of them, including the unplayed stock sovteks:)
So I guess it needs service unless anyone has any ideas.

Now I need a new phono pre...just payed for the arm. Want it to really elevate the sound over the chinook, no lateral moves:). 5k new or used.

So that leaves anti-skate, when I connect the loop to the to shaft with the indented regions it is a little to long and disconnects, when I shorten it a bit, the tonearm pulls the whole shaft toward it until itflips over and turns off the anti skate itself, toward the end of the record!! Any ideas I know about the wire twist and may go there, but Jonathan Carr has been pretty clear that he prefers the sound of his cartridges on VPI with the anti skate attachment on. Thanks again everyone!!

Jeff
 
First of all thanks for all the inquiries I appreciate all the help!! To start with Myles, I mounted a Lyra kleos SL, I purchased through elusive disc who opened a new shipment of arms to check for a manual, found one , and scanned and sent a PDF. Unfortunately it either tells you to loosen a screw that doesn't exist!!! or tells you to just move it. So I got it mounted fleikert lofren, vtf 1.75g . 120g counter weight but they sending me the correct 160g and free return shipping. Grounded TT junction box to pre. So I started listening with my friend around 1am, small sound stage for a first uk press of Veedon Fleece, but the tubes were warm but unplayed, so I played 3 more sides, new and old vinyl, no "pops". Sound improving. I had concomitantly used the vinyl revirginizer(i'll post on it when I can ,love it) and I tried my first new virgin, a German copy of the white album. Now I bought this on discogs, looked like it had gone through a war, opaque marks on almost all sides, but it plays beautiful with a nude line contact stylus. Side 3 is my favorite side this week, so I started and birthday great, yer blues.....Pow! POP! I almost ****. And it was sounding so good! Then 1-2 for each song. Thought maybe pieces of revirginizer???, but I audiodesked them all after and the stuff came off pretty clean. So I tried a real slut(could' not resist no offense intended.)and there were still pops every song. Tried to watch the stylus nothing seemed to be happening to it during these events. The woofer excursion scared the hell out of me. I upped the vtf a box or two on the counter and no change. Replay a side pops are not in same place any more. It sounded so amazing we listened till 6 am. Today I started trouble shooting.

Thought it could be a tube but I am a newb and never had a tube go, no to mention they are 7308 and should last forever. I had my Alephono around so I hooked it up, bingo, brown sugar- no pops!! Sound not so good, but I need to let it warm up and possibly change cables and loading(100). But still no pops after 2 hours. Tried a bunch of tubes in the Manley, pops with all of them, including the unplayed stock sovteks:)
So I guess it needs service unless anyone has any ideas.

Now I need a new phono pre...just payed for the arm. Want it to really elevate the sound over the chinook, no lateral moves:). 5k new or used.

So that leaves anti-skate, when I connect the loop to the to shaft with the indented regions it is a little to long and disconnects, when I shorten it a bit, the tonearm pulls the whole shaft toward it until itflips over and turns off the anti skate itself, toward the end of the record!! Any ideas I know about the wire twist and may go there, but Jonathan Carr has been pretty clear that he prefers the sound of his cartridges on VPI with the anti skate attachment on. Thanks again everyone!!

Jeff

I was thinking next about the antiskating. You don't use the traditional methods for the VPI arm. Try disconnecting the antiskate totally (I don't use mine) and see if the same thing happens.
 
Anti skate has no effect. Of note things are really opening up. Sounds very nice, no fatigue at all, especially impressive considering the move back to solid state. This arm is much less sharp, no harshness really at all. Sure the tone arm wire needs a bit of break in.
 
Anti skate has no effect. Of note things are really opening up. Sounds very nice, no fatigue at all, especially impressive considering the move back to solid state. This arm is much less sharp, no harshness really at all. Sure the tone arm wire needs a bit of break in.


If you can run your CD player or tuner thru the tonearm wiring. Or use something like the cable cooker.

But just to clarify things: the popping is gone.
 
yes! no more popping. I isolated it to the chinook, about 5 hours of straight listening with the alephono, not one pop! Still playing with loading, miss the tubes tremendously. This arm is amazing, but so many variable have changed now, set up, arm, phonopre, loading, its hard to accurately compare.
 

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