VPI Classic

Isn't there a slight problem with VPI arms that don't seat firmly onto the point of the unipivot bearing? (I've seen that before.) It's easy to lift the arm off of pivot and try to make sure it settles back onto the pivot correctly and firmly.

Someone asked about a TTWeights ring with the Classic. I have the 600g ring but find that it imparts an unpleasant metallic brightness to some material (is this what people call ringing? no pun intended) and now generally avoid using it. This is a shame since I very much liked what the ring did with my previous table. Maybe the copper ring is not a good match with the aluminium platter? I've sometimes wondered whether the much heavier (but, unfortunately, also much more expensive) VPI ring would avoid the same problem. Can anybody speak to this?

I was the person who asked about TTW and the Classic and have since purchased the 600g ring. I don't think I'm experiencing what you described; granted, I wasn't blown away as some said I would after using it, including the manual, but certainly now enjoy some of my warped records thanks to the ring, when I would simply not play them at all before.

I also wonder about the "ringing." The ring does not touch the platter; it simply flattens the record. Why and how could it impart any significant aural characteristic on the sound? Is there any science behind this theory, or is it simply nonsense?

Lastly, I don't care who machines the VPI ring and how sophisticated the process is; the price is beyond absurd for an accessory.

Update: I contacted Larry at TTWeights and asked him about ringing some users report with the Classic's aluminum platter and his copper rings. His response suggested that the problem lies not with the ring, as the ring does not resonate, but rather with the platter, which resonates like motherf..k (I'm paraphrasing the symbols he used to describe how badly aluminum platters resonate :). He suggested using the TTW copper mat or the new wood/copper mat designed specifically for the Classic to stop any resonance.

I find this explanation interesting as Harry favors bare platters, including the Classic. If aluminum resonates that badly, why would VPI, first, choose that material, and second, insist that the Classic sounds best with no mat?

Hmmm, I am a bit suspicious of claiming the platter as the culprit. If it is the platter, I assume you would hear the ringing without the copper ring as well, right? More likely to be either the fault of the ring itself or interaction between the copper ring and the platter, perhaps.
I certainly did not hear any strange or unusual ringing using VPI peripheral clamp. Anyhow, I don't have copper ring to compare so I don't really know.
However, I do have TT Weight copper mat with its free 1lb (I think) center weight to go with my Classic. First of all, the TTweight, despite being a bit lighter than VPI center weight that came with peripheral ring clamp, sounds quite a bit more dynamic than VPI clamp and I prefer it. The copper mat also helps quite a bit. The sound is more full body, richer. Without teh copper mat, sounds is a bit flat, a bit drier. However, it is a bit difficult to really compare copper mat and no copper mat properly. The speed will change a bit as confirmed by Sutherland Timeline strobe. I have to adjust SDS quite a bit to get timing just right. However, the change is not big enough for say, KAB strobe disc to pick out the difference. VTA is also a bit difficult and I adjusted these by ears as much as I could, thanks to VTA tower, at least it was reproducible. If you want a bit more body, a bit more warmth and dynamic without losing any detail or if the system is a bit on the cool, analytical side, I think the copper mat/center weight can help quite a bit.