Hey Mat, if you're out there looking on this forum, this is a big thanks to you for replacing my VPI Prime 21. It performes as well as a turntable at 10 times the price. I have been getting hours and hours a day enjoyment out of it. The wow and flutter is as good as the best direct drive using only the synchronous motor. It just boggles my mind! Definitely a precision instrument! Thank you!

VPI is an awesome company. Mat took care of my and I am extremely happy with my Prime 21.

I wanted to update everyone on my "New" VPI Prime 21 Turntable in walnut. It's running like a champ! I'm now at the mercy of Pennsylvania Power & Light regarding line frequency. I guess the next step is an "ADS". PP&L line frequency has been running anywhere from 59.98 Hz to 60.08 Hz. They were much closer to 60 Hz in the summer. Anyway, with an aftermarket belt, I am getting better than rated 0.02% wow RMS. The table performs flawlessly. Plus, it's easy on the eyes to look at. Love the design.

Thanks @Brf The new table is definitely a winner. And yes, the scientific part of me wants to experiment with belts. I was amazed at just how good of a bearing system VPI uses on their turntables when I got the wow down to 0.02% RMS by using a different belt. That's way below the wow that the table is even rated. VPI rated the table very conservatively. It's amazing how much accuracy is built in. My new Prime 21 is a precision instrument! I'm very pleased with it and the way Mat handled the entire situation.

@Brf Check this out. This is a cheap replacement belt that I bought on eBay. 2 for $27. The belt performs amazingly well. % Wow RMS dropped down to 0.02% and speed is almost dead nuts on at 33.34 RPM. This is approaching direct drive specifications! I'm sure by playing with motor to platter distance, I could dial in speed precisely... I'm not sure I'm going to use the belt long-term though. I think I'm going to put the VPI belt that was supplied with the turntable back on. Just thought you may find it interesting.

That would be awesome if you could post the link. My next question would be, what is the exact size of these belts that the Prime series of turntables use? I'm sure I could get the % wow RMS down to an even lower number with a better belt. You can actually see and feel the fused joint on these. That's why I thought of an "O" ring as a replacement...

Yeah, AnalogMagik and a WalkySkater is the way to go for sure. They are both on my way too large wish list!

Mat, I'm definitely one happy VPI family member! This new Prime 21 is built like a tank and runs like a champ! Plus, it's a work of art! As break-in progress, the readings just keep getting better and better! Now, I just have to get that Shyla cartridge that it deserves! Sincere thanks and appreciation to you! The original Prime 21 will be at your facility today it's out for delivery on a FedEx vehicle as I type this. Warm Regards, The_, Chemist

The word was supposed to be circumference. You really have to love my fat finger typing! Ugh..

@Brf The numbers just keep getting better as the break-in period progresses. Wow has decreased again and speed is very stable. I feel if I could find an "O" ring, of the correct circumstances and thickness, to use instead of a belt, the wow would be even lower. There is an indentation where the belt is joined together. That certainly has to have some impact on % wow RMS. None-the-less, outstanding readings. VPI will be receiving the original Prime 21 back this afternoon. I just checked FedEx tracking. The new Prime 21 is under a museum quality dust cover.

Here's a quick photo of the new Prime 21. It really appears to be holding speed quite well from cold to warm runs. Everything appears consistent.

@johnK It's called "Turntable Speed". It's a great app. I use it on Android, but I think it is now available for iOS as well. I believe I have a copy on my iPad Pro, but that's way too big to spin .. When the author originally posted the app, I emailed him and asked if he would add a calibration offset. He emailed me back and liked the idea and asked if it should be linear or logarithmic. I suggested a linear offset. He actually figured out a way to add the feature and implemented it. I always buy the Samsung Note series phones, but now that they are gone, I buy the replacements with the "S" pen. Great phones, but I find that the gyroscopes are very poorly calibrated by Samsung. They can even drift over the course of an evening using them. The Samsung gyroscopes are also affected by temperature. Having the offset feature in the app, it allows you to calibrate the RPM readings. I calibrate using direct drive quartz locked turntables - not Hanpin built turntables, of course... I ensure the turntable that I am using is correct by using Kevin's strobe disc and strobe light from KAB. Then I set the offset to ensure the app reads 33.33 or as close as possible. Of course most of my quartz DD turntables also have a speed lock indicator or their own strobe, but I use Kevin's strobe disc instead. The frequency generated by the turntables to run their own strobe light could be off, which would appear to make the strobe drift ever so slightly. I found this on certain Hanpin built "Audio Technica" turntables and on certain former Hanpin built "Stanton" turntables as well as certain Hanpin built "Reloop" turntables. The turntable speed is actually correct, but the strobe drifts ever so slightly, especially noticable at higher speeds, because the frequency generated to run the strobe LED is off slightly. You can trust the Technics built Quartz DD turntables, Pioneers and Kenwood's. Geez, those are totally out of the VPI league though. 😭 The newer Hanpin built Pioneer PLX 1000 appears to have corrected that issue. I buy quite a few turntables. My ultimate being my prized VPI Prime 21. I have quite a few Thorens as well. For a hobby, I restore the old record changers, so my girlfriend and I can sit down, relax, have a drink and stack old 45's from when we were kids. Garrard, Dual, Elac and Technics. Phone gyroscopes were never intended to detect RPM on a turntable, but the app author did a fantastic job ensuring the highest possible accuracy. I totally trust the % wow RMS readings, as once again, literally every one of my quartz direct drive turntables reads exactly what the manufacturer states the % wow RMS should be - not Hanpin built turntables of course. Without having a wow & flutter meter and a 3150 Hz test tone record, it's a great way to easily compare and judge many turntables performance.

I'll definitely post a picture and possibly a video. I got to bed at 11:30 and had to get up at 4:15 for work. Ugh... What a world of difference! The VTA dial would turn 40 units before moving the platform on my original 21. This new 21 works so well, each individual graduation on the dial scale moves the VTA platform as it should. Definitely one of the reasons I wanted to set this one up myself. Upscale Audio set up the original 21. I wore gloves every time I touched the platter so as not to impart skin oil on the aluminum. Original speed and wow at first run photo posted below. The wow was pretty high. I cleaned the spindle and bearing, then relubricated it with "Super Lube". Then, everything started to normalize. Below is a screenshot of the table after the "Super Lube". Notice how the wow dropped down. Then, running overnight, the speed increases slightly as the bearings warm up, and the lubrication spreads around. My line frequency is 60.02 Hz which will account for at least 0.01 RPM fast. I'm sure as the belt breaks in, wow will even go below the rated spec. This Prime 21 is definitely a winner. The walnut veneer is perfect, the arm bearings are perfect, it's just a great experience! I am so elated at the way Mat took care of me as a customer. Mat definitely showed that he really does care about his customers and wants to retain them for life. Thank you Mat! Pictures will be forthcoming! What a work of are the Prime 21 in walnut is.

Mat, Thank you so much. I received the replacement Prime 21 this evening. Just finished setting it up. Going to leave it run overnight, to help break-in bearings and belt. Will report back on how phenomenal it is after break-in. Boxed up the original Prime 21 and will drop it off at FedEx after work tomorrow evening. I appreciate all you have done to make this right! Warm Regards, The_Chemist

Yes. Definitely on track! I'll post a video of the new table spinning an LP after I set it up. Luckily, due to the VPI design, setup goes along pretty rapidly. The worst part is fine tuning the cartridge alignment, but not painful at all. I sincerely thank you again for all the help and personal attention. Looking forward to purchasing an HW-40 in walnut at some point in the future! 2 years, 7 months and 16 days until retirement (but who's counting). Maybe the HW-40 will be my retirement gift to myself! 😁. I wouldn't mind being a VPI employee after I hang up the beakers and test tubes! I'd be like a little kid in a candy store. I had quite a nice chat with Jim today as well.

Mat took care of everything! Jim called me today and we chatted for a short time. Jim apologized and got the ball rolling. I received the RA#, and later on, the FedEx return label to ship my original unit back. My new unit is supposed to ship out today on their FedEx pickup this afternoon. So, all is well that ends well. I will personally thank Mat when I receive and set up my replacement Prime 21. All good things take time. In my job, a mistake or delay could mean a soldier's life. Sometimes I forget how the rest of the world operates. With VPI being a small family owned business, I can understand how things can slip through the cracks. In the end, Mat took care of it. I won't hesitate to purchase my HW-40 from VPI in the future.

@Mat Weisfeld Hi Mat. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and shared time with each other. Just to let you know, so far, we do not have a happy ending with my Prime 21. Nothing was ever followed-up, on VPI's end, after the initial long-awaited phone call from Jim. I did not receive an RA# or the FedEx shipping label to send my Prime 21 back for replacement. I know it gets busy around the Holidays, but the required follow-up never happened. Have you ever anonymously called into your own customer service? It's quite the frustrating experience. I'm not complaining, I'm just giving some feedback where I feel VPI could use some improvement. Once again, I'm asking for your help to reach our goal. Thank you so much in advance. Respectfully, The_Chemist

Thank you @Brf I definitely will post a photo when I receive the new Prime 21. I just have to wait for Jim to send me the RA. Hopefully I'll get it shortly after the Holiday madness. VPI showed all the other turntable manufacturers out there how a company should conduct business. The Prime 21 is a Precision instrument The_Chemist

I am most impressed on how VPI really cares about the customer experience! That's half the fun of buying one of these new precision instruments. They give you so much joy, happiness and enjoyment when you place a record on the platter and are totally amazed just how good it sounds! Now all I have to do is wait for Jim to send me the RA. I can't wait to send the original back and receive the replacement. I am also totally amazed at just how well the isolation feet on the Prime 21 do their job. I am not using an isolation platform. There is no need. I sat the Prime 21 on top of my wooden rack and the turntable picks up zero footsteps noise from my wooden floor. Even if I literally stand right in front of the rack and stomp my foot on the floor, I get no noise through the speakers or any stylus skip. What a work of art the turntable feet are. It was really great the way VPI took care of me because I mattered as a customer. Now, I'm a customer for life. Even though I said this was the last turntable I am buying I have got to purchase the HW-40. Shortly in the near future.... As you eluded to, it would be awesome if everyone in the world just loved each other and helped each other. The world would be such a better place! Warm Thanksgiving Wishes, The_Chemist

@Mat Weisfeld Thank you so very much for considering me an important member of the VPI family and replacing my Prime 21 Walnut Turntable! I just received a call from Jim to get the RA started. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this! I am also impressed with the way you conduct business. I can't imagine this kind of attention from any other manufacturer. Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family all the VPI team members and all the members of this forum! Sincerely, The_Chemist