VPI at Capital Audiofest

Physical Location:1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20850
Website: Capital Audiofest

I fired my PR guy a long time ago so we are going to skip the marketing language and get to the good stuff… Capital Audiofest is here! VPI is excited and ready to attend.  The past two years have been rough for everyone and who knows what “normal” is anymore.  My VPI team has moved mountains to keep the tables turning while doing our part to keep the world safe.  We are proud and ready to show everyone what we are made of and have been working on.  However, before we talk product lets talk about about being connected!  That is what we lost, that is what we miss, and that is what some of us still struggle to achieve.  Not everyone is ready for an in-person experience. We respect their precautions/decisions for their safety.  So we are going to bring the show to you!  This year whether you are at home, across the country, or across the world…    

CAF Connected News: You are Invited

We will be virtually hosting multiple CAF Connected Audio experiences.  It is all an experiment but one we have all experienced the past few years with Zoom meetings, Live streams, and more!

Print Screen from NJ Audio Society Meeting Featuring some guy name Gary Gill… he sounded important :)While nothing  will be finalized until we setup and have an idea on our technological capabilities; our plan is to have a Zoom room open throughout the show for both the Adams and Jefferson room which are our main locations.  In addition there will be scheduled live streams for specific events for everyone throughout the day.  We got two gigantic TVs for each room so everyone can see and connect with each other during the show.  We will also be sending VPI team members throughout the show live streaming their experience.  Going to be attending the show and still apprehensive about being indoors?  We are bringing a firepit to safely use in the outside courtyard area.  Giving people an opportunity to have longer conversations while outside.

Staying inside?  We are bringing a HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier 2.0 for each room to help filters 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns and 99.95% of particles between 0.3 – 0.1 microns. (I copied that right off their website, I’m not an expert on this machine or firepits!  Also note, I borrowed this idea from Garry Koh)

Another precaution we are taking in an interest to encourage safe practices is giving out our Hand Sanitizer to everyone at the show!  During the Pandemic our company changed and shifted all manufacturing to making Hand Sanitizer and Face shields among other PPE for first responders.  We are bringing some for everyone and bringing alcohol from Skunktown Distillery!   Skunktown was our hero supplier who kept us stocked on our needed Ethanol Alcohol to make thousands of bottles of sanitizer!  

Product News: The VPI 21 Series!

While it was originally meant to celebrate 2021 (we thought it couldn’t be worse that 2020!) we revamped and launched our former Prime line as the 21 series with the minor refinements to each of the three turntables based off customer, dealer, and reviewer feedback.

Scout 21 (MSRP 2,850.00 USD)

Prime 21 ​(MSRP 5,000.00 USD)

Signature 21 (MSRP 8,250.00 USD)

The VPI Avenger Direct ​(MSRP 30,000 USD)

CAF 2019 we showed the State-of-the-art Vanquish turntable but also loosely showed a heavy prototype for our potential Avenger Direct.  Had CAF 2020 happened this was one of the many products we had planned for a production launch.  Part of the higher price tag on the Vanquish was from us using the larger motor.  The Avenger Direct uses the same motor as the HW-40 with some minor engineering refinements.  The Avenger Direct completes the line by offering listeners a high end VPI option with multiple tonearms as a belt, rim, and now Direct Drive.  The table features our Pneumatic Air Suspension Feet as well as a brand new tonearm that is so new we haven’t even named it yet and we don’t have pictures!

The New SDS (Estimated MSRP TBD)

The New SDS (Estimated MSRP TBD)

This product is a long time coming!  We had a prototype made and shown at a dealer event before the Pandemic.  When COVID-19 hit all of our suppliers and engineers were unable to continue due to everyone’s own personal situations.  We were forced to go back to the drawing board which brought life to a more robust, quitter, and diverse product.  Our new SDS(SDS 2?) has the following features to name a few:

• Digital readout display
• Easy Adjustment between 33 and 45
• Phase angel adjustment between the voltage and current going to the motor to make the motor super quite, no capacitor needed
• Can install a Feed back loop to set speed
• Can be used with an Ac Synchronize, BLDC, or a 3 phase motor
• Potential capability to run and adjust off your phone, Bluetooth compatible 
• Keeps time of rotation, useful for cartridge life.

Note: due to supplier delays the faceplate didn’t make it in time so at the moment the box doesn’t look all that pretty!   

VPI Phono by Genesis (MSRP estimated 5,000 USD) 

Prototype unit which was born from the continued conversations between Mat Weisfeld (that’s me) and Gary Koh of Genesis Advanced Technology about how complicated everything has gotten for the customer.  In house we made another phono that was fantastic but offered so many adjustments and configurations it didn’t feel right (at least at this time).  Gary design and sent over something that was inline with our goals and listening to it made it a reality.  Note this unit is a prototype and while the guts/circuitry is final, the actual box is “on the way”.

• Embodies the principle – as simple as possible but no simpler.  Plug and play.  No adjustments needed!
• No settings for cartridge loading needed.
• While it works and will be demonstrated with a wide range of Moving Coils, it is recommended for the VPI Shyla cartridge. (or any 0.3mV to 0.9mV moving coil)
• Single RIAA-Shaped gain stage with only 2 components in the signal path.
• RIAA equalization accomplished via shunt feedback using precision hand-matched components.
• Critically important that each component is the best quality.
• Uses an even better opamp than the legendary OPA627 – the OPA637 (faster and higher bandwidth.
• Battery power supply with twenty alkaline AA’s which will last about 350 hours of play (you should change the batteries at least once every year anyway).

VPI Shirley MM Cartridge (MSRP 100 USD)

Earlier this year we unfortunately lost our VPI Grandma, Shirley Green who has been with our company since the beginning.  The mother of VPI founder Sheila Weisfeld, Shirley was initially helping her daughter and her husband Harry in the VPI office which ended up being her new career.  Sheila and Shirley were the heroes of the VPI office.  Shirley was low maintenance, strong, and got the job done.  This is why it made sense to name our new entry level Moving Magnet cartridge after here.  Introducing the VPI Shirley cartridge!     

Looking forward to seeing you all in person or virtually this weekend!