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From: stiv@stat5.rice.edu
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: VPI vs. Well Tempered Labs phono decks
Message-ID: <7168@uwm.edu>
Date: 23 Oct 90 12:53:16 GMT
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I am considering two turntables, the VPI HW-19 Jr., and the Well Tempered
Labs Record Player.

To my ears, they both sounded very good. Unfortunately, I listened to them
in two very different locations.

The VPI was auditioned in a rectangular room with deep pile on the
floor, and a comforter on the wall behind the speakers.
The set up consisted of VPI Jr. with a Sumiko/Reference MMT arm, and
an AudioQuest (?) cartridge (about $350, as I recall).  The electronics
were Counterpoint SA-5000 and SA-220, driving the big Merlins. Don't recall
what the interconnect were, though they were audiophile grade.

Most noticable faults were what sounded like lack of dynamic
range on an old RCA LSC recording (van Cliburn playing Tchaik. #1),
and occasional harshness on trumput from a Sebastian Whittaker LP
(SB is a local jazz artist-one of the goals on the LP was to re-create
the Blue Note sound-which they've done reasonably well in my uninformed
opinion).
Otherwise, very smooth and open sound, albeit a little bass heavy for
my tastes, though this was only really noticable on the SB record with the
kick drum.
Sound staging was excellent, despite the slightly too live room, and
had very good depth.
It handled a very worn solo voice w/orch recording (Leontyne Price, Barber's
Knoxvill: Summer of 1915) quite well-the voice was smooth and clear,
w/only very occasional harshness.

The WTL was auditioned in a cathedral ceiling living room, with other rooms
opening off of it from the 2nd floor. The room had been treated a little better
in terms of acoustics. Some problems were the presence of other speakers in the
room, and I think that the speakers were placed too far apart (or, more likely,
I was too close to the speakers-but I had no choice because of the position
of the sofa).  Equipment consisted of the WTL with an Alchemist IIb cartridge,
Threshold FET-10 pre-amps and a big Threshold power amp, driving smaller
Merlins. Again, I don't recall the interconnects, but they were audiophile
grade.

Again, a very smooth, detailed presentation. The soundstage lacked a little
depth, but I would attribute this in part at least to the spacing of the
speakers. The van Cliburn was much more dynamic on this set up-I should
probably listen to the van Cliburn again on the VPI just to confirm my
impressions.
This also passed the worn record test very well.

In short, I'm not sure which to purchase. I'll have to have my local 
better-than-my-ear person (my fiance-lucky me :-) check them out as well,
but I'm interested in other people's opinions of these.

The set-ups that I would actually purchase would be the VPI with either the
AudioQuest arm, or the Sumiko FT-3, and Sumiko Blue-Point (The MMT has a
removable headshell). The advantage that
the Sumiko has over the Audioquest is that the Sumiko has a RCA termination box,
so you can use your own cables from it to your pre-amp. Also there is an option
for better wiring in the arm itself. An advantage that the VPI has is that there
is a clear upgrade path from the Jr. to the Mk III.

The WTL would be purchased with the Record Player arm, and a Sumiko BP cart.
The WTL's arm also calls for the use of cables from a termination box on the
deck to preamp.  There is a less clear upgrade path from the RP to the
more expensive ($1895 list) Classic (which used to be called the Turntable).
The motors are the same, and the bearings are the same, but the plinth, platter,
and spindle are different.

I am, quite frankly, more inclined to purchase the WTL, because I like the
dealer better, and I can get a better price on the WTL (at least for awhile)
than on the VPI. For those who care, the VPI set up described above (with the
more expensive Sumiko arm) is ~$1000, w/o the upgraded arm wiring and inter-
connects, while the WTL set-up would be $890, w/decent interconnects.

Any opinions?
Thanks very much,

david n stivers stiv@rice.edu