High-end turntable maker VPI Industries has announced its first Forever Series vinyl spinner. Instead of having to invest in a brand new system when something better inevitably comes along, the Model One's modular components can be upgraded.
Thanks to a steady rise in sales in recent years, vinyl records have started to reappear in high-street music stores as well as online. So you might want to surf the new wave and dust off the old turntable in the attic, only to find it woefully outdated when it's plugged in – if it works at all.
New Jersey's VPI Industries is looking to future proof its Forever Series by building the turntables around upgradeable component modules. "Four years ago, we had a vision that was paused due to global events, but now we’re ready to make it a reality and turn the tables for VPI Forever," said the 45-year-old maker of high-end audio gear on a Facebook post.
Breaking down the design into modules will allow the owner to upgrade the system to match the specifications of a future Model Two or Model Three turntable, using Forever Series components that are designed to "seamlessly integrate" with earlier versions. Not only that but users should be able to service, adjust or replace modules themselves – extending the operational life of the product.
The first of the new line is the Model One, which features a combined motor drive and platter module mounted on an aluminum plate that benefits from vibration-reducing damping. The belt-drive motor features an inverted bearing to minimize contact between the platter and bearing, while a two-speed pulley makes for precision speed control. The turntable also introduces a new three-point floating suspension system "designed for superior isolation from external vibrations."
The Model One boasts a gorgeous new S-Tonearm Module too. The statically balanced 10-inch tonearm is fashioned from resonance-hating solid aluminum, employs ultra-low-friction bearings and delivers its signal payload from the headshell to the RCA connections via "one continuous length of VPI high-purity copper wire." Azimuth tweaking is available at the headshell, and precise height adjustment is undertaken at the base of the arm.
The turntable's plinth is finished in black ash veneer, and the system comes with a hinged dust cover. As you might expect for a high-end audio product, the price of entry is quite high at US$5,250 – though that actually places it at the lower end of the VPI product line, which is topped by the $80,000 Vanquish system.
The Model One is yet to be added to VPI's product list, but will make its public debut at Capital Audiofest in Rockville, Maryland, starting on November 8.
Source: VPI Industries