Original VPI Scout - The audiophiles best kept secret?

assessor43

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2018
312
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After many years of listening to many turntables, I have found that the venerable VPI scout well isolated can be one of the best values and best sounding turntables period. I have some secrets to share from my years with the scout. YMMV but I am really enjoying my humble scout and these are a few things I learned over the years to make this table sound like tables costing much more

1. Get the original scout w/acrylic platter sound better to my ears than the aluminum platter version.
2. Get the JMW 9t arm (stainless steel - back headshell and black unipivot housing)) - better for MC cartridges. A little more effective mass than the original. Use the tonearm tower for the original JMW 9 as it was made for the acrylic platter or so they say. It does sound better than the one that comes with the 9T. you can try either but I like the original tower.
3. Use the original 600 RPM motor. It just sounds right with this motor.
4 Get a Lyra Delos track it at 1.70 grams.
5 Position the motor so that you cannot feel any vibrations (very important). Keep it there and when you start or stop the motor, keep two fingers pressed down on the motor to avoiding it moving when you press the stop /stop button. This really helps the quietness of the table. It is very important to do this.
6. Use original clamp if any.

I have found that doing this elevates the performance of this table to levels it should not be at or has no business being at. It has a beautiful analog sound that few can match for this price or any for that matter. Just detailed enough and right sounding enough to make one happy for a long time.

It is a very simple design in a very good way.

It took a long time and a lot of listening to figure this out.

Happy Listening!
 
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Vienna

VIP/Donor
+1
 

Joto

New Member
Apr 21, 2019
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Another VPI Scout iwner here.Has anyone tried an XLR connector box on their VPI
What were the results?
I find the clamp does help coupling the lp to the platter.
Has anyone tried a different screw down weight.
 

edwyun

Well-Known Member
Feb 27, 2019
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Agreed. And adding the Classic platter was the biggest improvement for the Scout IMHO.
 

Vienna

VIP/Donor
what is the current condition of your bearing and thrust pad?
 

Phoenix Engineering

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2016
75
124
165
Behind the Cheddar Curtain
I agree with you about the acrylic platter and the 600 RPM motor. I did a comparison of the 300RPM and 600 RPM motor Here. The Hurst motors are just too noisy for me. I replaced it with a 3 phase BLDC motor and Condor 3 phase drive.

I thought the MDF plinth was a bit lively and didn't control resonances very well so I replaced it with a Corian and epoxy soaked MDF sandwich plinth as detailed Here.

Also not a fan of the unipivot arm; I replaced mine with a Jelco 750 and added the VTA adjustment:

DSCN1458.JPG



DSCN1598.JPG



DSCN1602.JPG
 

Abbinormal

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2020
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I honestly believe that the original Scout was one of the best turntables to come out of VPI. It offered an awful lot of bang for the buck as they say.
 

Hi-FiGuy

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2015
2,235
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I agree with you about the acrylic platter and the 600 RPM motor. I did a comparison of the 300RPM and 600 RPM motor Here. The Hurst motors are just too noisy for me. I replaced it with a 3 phase BLDC motor and Condor 3 phase drive.

I thought the MDF plinth was a bit lively and didn't control resonances very well so I replaced it with a Corian and epoxy soaked MDF sandwich plinth as detailed Here.

Also not a fan of the unipivot arm; I replaced mine with a Jelco 750 and added the VTA adjustment:

View attachment 61861



View attachment 61862



View attachment 61863
So in effect nothing on your table is VPI or am i missing something here. Not meaning this in a bad way, but essentially you have a turntable of personally selected parts to arrive at your desired performance level.
Trust me I know this road as I started down it with my Rega and decided to pump the brakes and invest in a whole new table. back in the day the Scout was high on my list and wished I had gone that route to begin with.
 

Phoenix Engineering

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2016
75
124
165
Behind the Cheddar Curtain
So in effect nothing on your table is VPI or am i missing something here. Not meaning this in a bad way, but essentially you have a turntable of personally selected parts to arrive at your desired performance level.
Trust me I know this road as I started down it with my Rega and decided to pump the brakes and invest in a whole new table. back in the day the Scout was high on my list and wished I had gone that route to begin with.


The platter and bearing are the same, although both of those could be improved upon as well, but for now they seem adequate.

I guess it's similar to the VPI ADS: If you remove the top cover and replace the insides with a good PSU, it's not half bad.
 
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