VPI TNT MkIII - pluses and minuses?

Hi Coltrane1
I have owned a HW19MKIV and a TNT2 / both modded.

Pluses

Silent background

Some don’t like the looks – My son thought it looks a big tarantula.

I thought it looked really cool too.

Excellent sounding when hooked up with thread and an SDS – 100% agree with DG.

Minuses.

Hard to move because modular – you need to really think before doing it.

Rubber belts.....

The PLC is a piece of crap. – anyone selling one should discount $500 off the price.

Can’t believe people get $200 -250 used for this light dimmer box on classified.

You need to factor in an SDS used $800. – TNT with SDS and thread competes big.

It was designed to run with a speed controller – it runs way to fast without one.

The Original TNT’s were designed for the ET2. I guess VPI and Eminent technology had a fall out.

Thats why TNT's with other arms have a single hole in them from the original ET2.

Rubber belts :^(

CT0517.....Marketing

04-23-13: Stringreen
CT0517.....Marketing

correction Stringreen.

marketing + PPRROOFFIITT

If this forum allowed it I would have made it a bigger font instead.

Coltrane1
I'm considering a used VPI TNT MkIII. The seller says it was produced between '95-'98. I know nothing about VPI tables. What should be the reasonable value of such a VPI table that's reported to be in excellent condition?

Coltrane1
I would recommend an earlier TNT with SDS to a friend any day for $2000-2500 give or take a few hundred based on condition.

You can use it , tweak it, and then sell it for what you paid for it. It has already passed the test of time.

And could the potential performance of the VPI MkIII be exceeded or equaled by current model TT's selling at the market value of the used VPI TNT MkIII?

A $2000 TT setup correctly will sound better than a $5000 set up wrong. This is a learned mechanical process. You also have not told us what tonearm is involved or the other tables.

Good Luck.

Another shout out for a silk thread to replace the rubber belt, but you will need an SDS or equivalent to make that work. The string diameter is very different from the rubber belt diameter and will result in a different speed.

The old MK III platter was very good, for what it was. Far better than the acrylic crap that followed it for a while and some say more dynamic than the old MK IV platter. The MK IV was quieter but dryer sounding. I do agree that the new Classic platter (especially the brand new ceramic coated one) is quieter still with a better sense of background silence and more dynamics and speed stability. You can see it in my system link.

Enjoy,
Bob