VPI HW-19 Upgrade question SAMA or SDS?

I recently tried the SDS on my Aries 3 and was impressed with the improvements; better bass, better detail, more dynamic and so on. Watch AudiogoN for a good used one.

I too vote for the SDS

I've run a similar gauntlet of upgrades with my own HW-19 as well, going from Jr to MK-IV Platter, using the SDS, Sutherland PhD Phono, Audiopoint Cone Feet.

Like you, I haven't gone the SAMA, but do have the SDS.
One thing you'll never achieve, not matter if you could somehow convert to Rim Drive, and that is correct speed.

Have you ever checked your speed with a Strobe? While AC line frequency is something that is usually very stable, there's no getting around errors with Pulley-Platter size, state of lubrication on Platter Bearings, condition of Belts, Stylus Drag, etc.

None of these things can be addressed even with the world's finest Line Conditioner.

As an example, you may in one instance need 60.10Hz to attain correct 33-1/3 speed. Relube your bearing, and you may now find 60.10hz is inadequate, and now need 60.20hz to keep a consistent 33-1/3.

The ramp down voltage feature of the SDS supposed to reduce motor noise-vibration. The calibration mode of the SDS also has an hour meter, and with this, you could keep track of hours of play with any given Cartridge.

Lastly, one can always do a "poor man's SAMA", setting Plinth on some type of support under the Plinth, ala "4 tomato cans" thus completly seperating-isolating the Plinth from HW-19 Base, and this will essentially produce the same results. Of course perhaps more finnicky to tweak-dial in, but it can be done.

I believe the SAMA to be bothing more, than the exact same 600rpm Hurst Motor, potted into a seperate Base. Hope this helps, Mark

Unless you have absolute pitch, spot on correct speed is not very important... close is fine. When we tune up before a concert, we have a strobe that provides an "A" in the warm=up room. (When orchestras tune up in front of the audience, its only for tradition) Depending on the conductor, that A can be 440, 442, 430, etc.

The SDS was, by a large margin, the most significant upgrade that I have made to my HW19 MK IV; including the upgrade to the MK IV "TNT" platter. By providing a much more consistent, and stable platter rotation, the SDS improves the areas of sound reproduction having to do with rhythm and pacing. As a result of this, image stability, soundstaging, and overall clarity are also improved.

As far as the importance of correct speed is concerned, I have to respectfully disagree with those that claim that it is not important. Additionally, correct tempo and correct pitch are two mutually exclusive issues; they should be, anyway. Yes, it is true that slowing or speeding up the playback speed also changes the pitch of the music. But that is an unfortunate byproduct of the mechanics of vinyl playback. In live performance, musicians and counductors treat them as two very seperate issues. A very small increase, or decrease, in the tempo of a piece of music can make all the difference between a very exciting performance, and a boring one. The players, or conductor, choose a particular tempo for any given piece of music because they feel that the chosen tempo will best convey the desired emotional effect. The pitch choice, higher or lower, can also be used to accentuate a desired emotional effect; although this can be much more subtle.

I also have to respectfully, and strongly, disagree with Stringreen's comment about orchestras tuning for the sake of tradition. I have been a professional orchestral musician for many years, and I assure you that professional orchestras take tuning very seriously, usually taking two "A's"; one for the winds, and one for the strings. It is true that orchestras, generally speaking, have been tuning to a higher A than in the past. The unfortunate effect of this is that the music tends to sound less full, brighter, and sometimes unnecessarily strident. The parallels to music played back mechanically are obvious.