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Some noise issues with my new VPI Prime

Hi everyone,

Was fortunate enough to purchase a dealer demo VPI Prime.  Have been enjoying it for the last week or so - it's a wonderful sounding table.  However, I am having a couple of noise issues with it.  It's still under warranty, but I was hoping to find a home cure if possible.   There are two issues:

1)  Motor noise.  This is from the mechanical operation of the motor - it doesn't change with volume of the system, but it's audible during quiet passages.  The motor makes a slight buzzing/rubbing noise with each rotation.  I am guessing that some lubrication is all that is needed.  I've tried setting the motor on a rubber pad, but that doesn't make any difference. 

2)  Buzzing from the tonearm wire.  I get a buzzing that increases with the volume. By 50% on the volume dial it is quite pronounced (you can hear it from the next room).  It is coming from the wire that runs from the tonearm to the Lemo connector on the junction box.  If I touch the wire, the buzzing changes as I move the wire around.  If I raise the tonearm very slightly off the unipivot spike, the noise becomes extremely loud.   I tried to wrap some tinfoil around it, but that didn't make any difference.  Could this be a defect?  

Any thoughts on some simple fixes that might address these issues?

Thanks,
Scott
smrex13
smrex13 OP
423 posts
 
Thanks everyone for the input. As an update, I let the motor run overnight for a couple of evenings.  It has quieted a bit, so some break in may be involved.  It's still can be heard at a very low level from my listening position (and sometimes it seems louder than others) when nothing is playing, but it's not intrusive.  

So, the main issue is trying to control the buzz that seems to be related to the tonearm wire.  For those who asked about the set-up...I'm using the same cartridge and loading that I was using with the VPI Traveler that I had before (Clearaudio Maestro 2, Silnote phono cable, Manley Chinook Phono Stage (MM setting, 47K, 0pF).  Grounding wire is attached from the junction box on the Prime to the grounding post not the Chinook.  At moderate listening levels the hum is not a problem, but when I want to crank it a bit it does begin to intrude.  I had planned to try some other phono cables, so I'll see how much difference that makes.

Thanks, Scott
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
try to run wire directly from arm tube to ground pin of preamp and see if buzz goes away. if it does, than problem definitely in manufacturing.
mb1audio
151 posts
 
If the grounding solution doesn't fix the problem, lower the gain from 60db to 45db (if you haven't already done so). Also, have you made any other changes to your system like speakers, cables, etc...? Its hard to troubleshoot without knowing the entire system.
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
Fairly recently I had buzz that I thought coming from amp. When I brought it to my lab, there was no buzz when connected and hooked up. I literally checked all of my main system components, but it turned out the light bulb that was buzzing very loud. It's one of those crappy energy efficient coiled one. Definitely they're not 'audio grade' ones. Replaced by 60cent regular light bulb and problem was fixed.
yani55404's avatar
yani55404
8 posts
 
I had the same problem with my Prime. After a conversation with a Tech at my local VPI Dealer I discovered the 3D Arm was not grounded, the needle or pin that the arm balances on is painted. So I took some very fine sandpaper and sanded the tip of the spike the arm balances on, and low and behold my hum problem went away. I was a little miffed that I had to sand that point myself, but it only took a little time and I learned a lot about getting loop ground noise out of a system. I really think this Prime is going to be the last TT I buy, dead quite, and that 3D arm really lets the cartridge do it's thing. 
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