VPI Classic vs. Well Tempered Amadeus

Stringreen,

How do you use Bearpaws? Do you screw them in? I looked at the website and it looks like you simply put them under equipment. Also, what do you keep your Classic on? I keep mine on a 3-inch maple block and I wonder if brass makes sense on wood. Thanks.

Drubin: William Firebaugh, the (some say genius) designer of the table says he has addressed the geometry issue and it's not a concern. There's a link to a white paper explaining his reasoning on the Well Tempered web site. If you can fully understand it, you're ahead of me. I do know all the Dynavector cartridges work perfectly in the arm. I believe the arm was designed partially with these cartridges in mind.
I also know lots of Amadeus users use a variety of cartridges and have had no issues.

Hey:

From the WT Website

Tonearm Geometry
When I was researching Amadeus, I decided to try a non-standard tonearm geometry. I introduced a tracking
angle error of 15 degrees and was surprised to find the musical result was better!! This led me to investigate
tonearm geometry further with unexpected results. To make a very long story rather short, tracking angle
errors generate 2nd harmonic components to the musical signal and many people interpret this as “sweeter
music”. I have written a computer program to show the amount of 2nd harmonic as a function of tracking
angle error. At tracking angle errors less than 5 degrees, the 2nd harmonic level is essentially negligible.
I have 21 phono cartridges. I used these cartridges to determine a statistically valid fixed tonearm geometry
so the user is relieved of a complex set-up. All who have used this approach have commented on the ease of
set-up and all have been more than satisfied with the result. Users of Amadeus simply mount the cartridge
on the tonearm and proceed to the music.
William Firebaugh, Chief Designer

Thanks Bill.

I've had my WTA for a couple of weeks now and am using a Decca London Super Gold cartridge with it - sounds like a marriage made in heaven!

I've owned many turntables over the years, including a VPI Scout, some costing multiples of the WTA. Based on what I'm hearing IMO the WTA is easily the best turntable I've owned.

The sound seems to come out of nowhere with little or no sensation that it coming off of a record, cartridge, tonearm, turntable. I suppose this is what the reviewers of this TT meant when they refer to the "blackness of the background." However, that doesn't fully describe what it's like to hear it in person.

Yes, it's a bit of a weird apparatus - though not so much to me since I owned an original WTT back in the mid 90's. Good news is that it does an extraordinary job of playing records.