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I find it nuts that the Traveler thread grew so large when in reality we have no idea who or what was done with this table. My response was generic to a Traveler having a switch problem and the fact that my Ford dealer fixes my Ford car - BOOM!!
It really is a lot easier to answer customers on VA when we know posters names and dealers names. I tried to figure out the full story behind this but to no avail without proper documentation.
Bottom line is that if a dealer calls up and says they have a defective turntable or RCM we tell them to replace it, if they do not have stock we send them one or the customer one. If the customer has a RED Traveler or a WALNUT Classic and we are running BLUE Travelers and BLACK OAK Classics the customer has to wait, there is nothing we can do about that.
I am truly sorry that we are not a huge Japanese or Chinese company cranking out hundreds of thousands of units every year but the industry will have to live with that. No one seems to remember the 10 or so years when most table makers disappeared leaving customers with unfixable units while SOTA, VPI, WT, REGA, etc. stayed the course and kept this business alive.
My son runs VPI now and if you have a problem call him up, or Jason, or Jane, or Steve, and yell at them. Remember when it slows down again that picture on my wall of the great Audio Companies of the 80's are now mostly gone but we are still here and you can fix a table bought in 1982 with a phone call or an HW-16 made in 1978. Think about all the great Japanese equipment you bought 30 years ago that cannot be fixed by the company that made them because they walked away when it was no longer profitable.
HW
Follow Ups:
...just read this thread.....put me on the list of those who think Middleground is just plain stupid and not representative of the majority of us on these pages.
When I went to upgrade my TT ( i had a used Project Xpressions mki) I wanted the best I could afford, one that had a solid build but was one I could take care of if needed. To get the best for the money meant buying used.
I did the research and found that many serious audiophiles had the HW-19 of various models even when it looked like they could afford a unit costing 2-3x as much.
So I scored a HW-19 mkiv. VPI helped me set it up with some phone calls and emails. I didnt buy it from them but they were so helpful.
My next turntable if my HW-19 goes away will be the Classic
Thanks for support and help VPI
Well, this all certainly made for some interesting reading! Since we are dealing with a troll I'll be direct and bullet point :)
- Regarding the Traveler delay, we have an understanding with our dealership that if a customer has a problem replace out their unit to keep them listening music. If they don't have that specific model... get them SOMETHING to keep them listening music. While the customer is happily listening to music (I think there might be a listening to music theme going on here) VPI and the dealership will work out replacing the defective/damage/broken/beaten with a stick product.
- Previous bullet point being considered, why did it take 5 weeks? We were away one of those weeks for the Capital Audio Show, then closed essentially for 2 weeks for vacation. A vacation which a portion of my staff didn't take (including myself) that we worked straight through. Also we have been building 5 VPI listening showcase rooms for both dealer training and listening events.
- VPI has tripled in size in the past 3 years and we are trying to keep up with the growth. We have increased our staff, and the size of our facilities. We are actually having our first dealership training course this weekend to help educate and support our dealership so they can continue supporting YOU.
- middleground, knowledge is power... read and learn before casting judgment :) http://vpiindustries.com/table-traveler.htm
To help in your education, why would we name something "Traveler" for someone name "Sheila". Great question! Sheila AND Harry were the founders of VPI. Sheila ran the office while Harry ran the factory. Three years ago she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the SOB doctor told her she would be dead in 3 weeks. Sheila/Mom essentially said screw that and lived for 6 more months. During that time she TRAVELed to Australia and Texas. On the Traveler web page, there is a picture of Sheila and me after she got back from Texas. Her body was riddled with cancer and in that picture she looks healthier than me! She was even planning to attend CES to say goodbye to all of her friends in the industry and accept the Stereophile Product of the Year Award for the Classic 3. She didn't live long enough to make it to CES so I went in her place. She loved to travel and traveled all over in the end. That is why something called a "Traveler" is named after someone name "Sheila".
Furthermore, HW is retired but still my mentor and helps me and my team when we face problems on VPI products that were made while I was still in middle school. Actually, we spend most of the time in the office answering emails and questions on how customers can upgrade their HW-19 and TNT tables.
"Now to have the founder of VPI come and say that because he is now retired he can be as bold and abrupt as his true nature impels him and then blame VPI dealers for obvious manufacturing defects is abit too rich for me, not you?"
Now you have the current owner of VPI here to say that the founder is right! The dealership of any company needs to take ownership of customer service to keep the customer happy. A defective product is another topic entirely. Harry isn't bold because he is retired, he is bold because he knows what he is talking about!
I doubt HW will be back this time. However, there will be a VPI forum on our site soon that will be monitored both by Harry and me. This way we can help others having VPI problems/concerns and stick to constructive criticism. Customers can have an open dialogue with each other and VPI staff!
Mat Weisfeld
---
Regardless of what table you buy or own as long as you're spinning vinyl you're doing the right thing!
as Kris Kristofferson once advised Sinead O'Connor in front of millions:
"Don't let the bastards get you down!"
Good advice for you and your pops.
Keep up the great work; VIP remains an important American Audio Institution,
one that still runs on blood, sweat and tears and isn't complacent to rest on
their hindquarters and bask in past glories.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" - Michael McClure
And this was one of the more polite reviews of his 1st Symphony!
"If there were a conservatory in Hell, and if one of its talented students were to compose a programme symphony based on the story of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and if he were to compose a symphony like Mr. Rachmaninoff's, then he would have fulfilled his task brilliantly and would delight the inhabitants of Hell. To us this music leaves an evil impression with its broken rhythms, obscurity and vagueness of form, meaningless repetition of the same short tricks, the nasal sound of the orchestra, the strained crash of the brass, and above all its sickly perverse harmonization and quasi-melodic outlines, the complete absence of simplicity and naturalness, the complete absence of themes" --Cui
Later Gator,
Dave
any reasonable teddybear* will have a rewarding experience with VPI.
Over the years I've owned a few VPI products. Whenever I had an issue with any I found that contact with them brought quick and appropriate answers. Whether it was Mike guiding me in the correct alignment of the suction tube on my (then) new 16.5 RCM or Harry himself suggesting the best potential upgrades to an older JMW 10 arm I bought.
I'm aware they receive some criticism, such as for continually upgrading their products. Sort of like Audio Research. Funny thing that both ARC and VPI are still generally held up as leaders in the audio industry.
In my view our audio hobby would be better off if more companies were as dedicated to developing significant products over such a wide price range, continued research on those products to find further improvements, offered the level of parts and repair for both prior and current models, and displayed the passion for music and analog reproduction of it as does VPI.
So thanks to Harry, Sheila (RIP), Mat, and the whole VPI crew.
BTW, a friend said he saw a picture of middleground and claims he does not appear to be a good person. ;^)
* as in that picnic song; we can't forget the bears!
"You can’t know what the “best” is unless you have heard everything, and keep in mind that given individual tastes, there really isn’t any such thing." HP
It could be she was just having a bad hair day. Sometimes those gals are just so sensitive!
nt
During my few-to-several interactions with VPI and my dealer over the past 2+ years, there's been nothing but fun and information.
Happy days,
-=- Charlie F.
•
nt
"If the audio industry built gear that sounded as good as it did 50 years ago, there would NEVER be a need to re-issued anything!"
That is a wonderful problem to have, though it certainly can be a challenge.
Congratulations & best wishes for continued success!
But I sincerely hope Harry reconsiders. For every jerkoff like Middleground there are dozens of us who respect what he has done for our "addiction" and who would miss his directness and candor.
Best wishes as you carry on his and Sheila's traditions with the company.
Henry
Opus 33 1/3
nt
Don't give this jerk the satisfaction of driving VPI off Audio Asylum.
glad it is going so well. dealing with success is almost as hard as dealing with failure, but at least the lights stay on. as an owner of one of those old tables - thanks. i get much pleasure from it almost every night.
Tom Collins
.
I'm doing just fine here, and using AA to achieve my goals- attempting to get my system to give me the most pleasing reproduction possible.
I DO understand what you are saying though (why am I suddenly thinking of Herbie Hancock and Bose???)...
"If the audio industry built gear that sounded as good as it did 50 years ago, there would NEVER be a need to re-issued anything!"
.
That seems to be the attitude of the trolls on this site: "It's mine, mine, mine and damn anyone who tries to invade it!"
VPI is at least the 2nd mfr to leave VA this month, and I can't say I'd blame either one. I just joined and I've seen just about all I need to see. There are of course, a lot of other more civil blogs out there. When a majority of intelligent posters leave VA, I guess all that will be left are the trolls. Maybe that's why it's called an asylum....
I have been listening and owning different turntables for a long time but the V1 Traveler is my first VPI. As soon as I heard it I understood that there is something special about the VPI sound. It sounds pristine and well balanced. There is so much musical enjoyment playing records through the Traveler. The only regret I have is not buying a VPI higher up the food chain. If the entry level Traveler sounds this good, I could only imagine how good the the Classic would sound.
Edits: 08/19/14
A couple of points to add:
I bought it at Soundscape in Baltimore. They did a great job of setting it up for me when I bought it, were very helpful in choosing a cartridge, and they have a great track record for customer service after the sale. Although my unit has been 100% trouble free, I have no worries about having the problems described by badteacher should that change.
One of the reasons I chose to buy a Traveler instead of one of its excellent competitors is that both Harry and Mat participate on this forum from time to time. It's nice to be a part of a common community.
Happy listening,
Jim
"The passage of my life is measured out in shirts."
- Brian Eno
and it sings with a Pearwood Celebration 2 on it.
But I'm glad your company is around. Truly. It means, in some small way, that my hobby will be supported and my interests sustained by you and others.Not sure what happened to the thread but I hope the problems can be solved to everyone's satisfaction.
There are too few of us vinyl-lovers left and we need all our collective might to sustain the phoenix that is lp-loving so the flame never again goes out.
big j.
"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."
Edits: 08/19/14
I looked at a photo of a Traveler and I sure hope it looks better in person.
It certainly does not have the look of quality looking at it in photos.
Kinda of like a clunky REGA built by a small shop without too many resources.
Maybe it should have been called a "Rambler" in honour of that great clunky car built by American Motors?
Both parties should zip it now.
You are ignorant.You contribute nothing.
Harry are generous and contributes a lot to this forum.
This Forum would be a better place without your stupid rude remarks.
Please get lost or behave yourself.
Rgds Jan
nt
.
Freak out...Far out...In out....
You know what they are like.
That plus the fact he's willing to judge a book by its cover speaks for itself.
The Traveler isn't particularly purty but neither is my VPI HW Jr (upgraded).
It's NOT going anywhere due to that and I'd LOVE to hear the Traveler.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" - Michael McClure
is just as valid as anyone else's.
...his comments have no relevance to the discussion and served no purpose. That's the nicest way I can phrase it.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Too bad you can't see the relevance.
Once I looked at a photo of it I remembered that it was an entry level turntable from that manufacturer and then thought that, maybe, it did not have the same quality built-in as the more expensive ones from VPI. Seems it was a switch that failed on a new turntable. Any switch can be faulty, but cheaper ones more often are than quality ones. At any rate, the wait for repair and return of the turntable was poor service and the excuses from the founder exacerbated the affair.
Looked at a description and more photos of the table and it does look better designed than my first impression led me to believe. The image of VPI turntables conjured up in my mind is that of the older model with four beefy pillars and those pulleys, the TNT I believe, and I don't think that anyone can be bold enough to say that the Traveler is anywhere near that league.
has a look of quality ?
LOL !!!!
Uncle, never said that did I? Simply stated that the VPI looks like a clunky REGA. Maybe you should wear your reading glasses.
You would be wrong. The build quality is exceptional and far superior to Rega, I own both.
-Wendell
nt
Pricks don't apologize.
Opus 33 1/3
No they contact the moderators.
Consider starting a PR agency,
Perhaps write how to amke friends and influence people part deux.
Fred, as soon as the VPI founder goes on a customer care course I promise I will go for the Dale Carnegie courses, assuming they still exist.
"When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion."
Dale Carnegie
See I'm on my way already. I will try to remember that thought the next time I post.
Cheers!
nt
If the moderators were doing their job, YOU wouldn't be here!!
.
Freak out...Far out...In out....
To whom should I apologize to? VPI?
For starters, you should apologize to HW and Sheila.
After that, you could apologize to the other VA members for driving off another mfr.
After that, you can just go away, hopefully for good. I reported your post to the moderators. Hopefully they do the right thing and ban you for life.
What a sad case you are!
You reported my opinion on a product to the moderators!
Too funny.
I live in the town where the Oracle turntable is built. If you want to look at beautiful industrial design that's where you should start. And that goes for all their turntables, not just the top of the line one. Oh, and if you ever want to deal with a gentleman, try Oracle's founder Marcel Riendeau.
I bet you won't report a positive comment I have to the moderators.
I wonder why?
I didn't report you because of your opinion (we all know what those are like). I reported you for the cheap shot you took at Sheila. You of course know that the Traveler was named in honor of Harry's wife who died of cancer several years back. So not only are insulting his products and his company, but his deceased wife as well. You can't get much lower than that. But then again, I see you are a retired attorney, so I stand corrected.
I haven't the foggiest notion who Sheila is so it seems impossible for me to have taken a cheap shot at that person. Why something called "Traveler" would be named for someone called "Sheila" is so obscure that unless designers/builders of audio equipment and their family are seen as gurus or stars worthy of Teen Beat-like devotion how is one supposed to know this? To take a step further, like you did, and to impugn a person's opinion of a manufactured product based on an obsucure fact is, well, silly.
I could demand an apology from you, but I will refrain.
I've always wondered what it would be like to be born without a conscience...
I guess that's what it takes to get through life for some people...
middleground, why don't you just go away, you gutless wonder?
Al
I will let you have the last word as you appear to be incapable of admitting error.
And what error would that be?
Surely counselor, ignorance is no excuse, is it? The fact you didn't research anything about the Traveler turntable doesn't excuse your behaviour, does it? Even a rudimentary search would have turned up the facts of the turntable's namesake.
The fact remains that you leveled a serious insult to HW and his family, whether it was intentional or not. Apparently you are not willing to even acknowledge your transgression, let alone atone for it. How do you look at yourself in the mirror each morning?
Your comment was uncalled for, off topic and rude. We don't have many manufacturer's who participate here - thanks to people like you.
Oh blame me now because Khomenko is too busy with who knows what!I simply voiced an opinion. The thread on the "Traveler" just went on and on. I realized I didn't know what a "Traveler" was, so I did the unthinkable: I looked at pictures of the thing! My conclusion was and is that it is not much to look at based on photos.
Again, and that is something I have repeated often, it does happen that a product is less than photogenic and actually looks better in real life. I left that door open. I guess that's not good enough for proponents of all-out boosterism.
Now to have the founder of VPI come and say that because he is now retired he can be as bold and abrupt as his true nature impels him and then blame VPI dealers for obvious manufacturing defects is abit too rich for me, not you?
My daughter just recently moved to D.C. and ordered some chairs on the web when they arrived she realized the white ones had a different texture to the shell. She called the vendor and complained and this is what the seller did: he told her a new chair was being shipped to her at no cost and to dispose of the chair that didn't match. All comparisons are odious I realize, but my point is that when you want to do good by the consumer you take immediate action and don't start looking for excuses.
Edits: 08/19/14
And that's the point. I see that you're a retired lawyer. In your profession I'm sure you learned not to state an opinion without fact.
By making disparaging comments about a product you freely admit you know nothing about you run the risk of being seen as someone who is casting stones for no good reason - which is exactly what has happened.
I don't know how you believed an off topic comment of that nature would be welcome in the first place.
And now, by trying to justify your actions you're simply making things worse.
Had you looked for reviews of the Traveler rather than simply looking at a couple of pictures you might have a different view on the topic.
Unlike the founder of the company who attempts to shift the blame to the dealers for manufacturing defects to avoid dealing directly with consumer complaints, I simply voiced an opinion as to the look of the thing indicating that it was based on photos.
I would call the Major Crimes Unit and report my comment if I were you.
Middleground---you've got this all wrong. HW is not sidestepping blame for a defect. The dealer could have handled this much better and minimized the impact on the customer. The dealer has an obligation. For a nice percentage of the sale, a dealer agrees to represent that manufacturer. That means Educate--Promote--Sell and Service. Had the dealer replaced the defective table with a new one, we would not be having this conversation. By the way, I've owned VPI products since their business started. They are among the most supportive manufacturers in Audio.
He proves his ignorance every time he opens his mouth.
Opus 33 1/3
Thank you middle ground, you have made my day and made my life easier as I delete VA from my tool bar. Any issues with VPI products call the factory.
HW
Harry,
You've done the "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore" quote once before and reconsidered, and I'm hoping you will again. We're richer for your presence, and I have a feeling you actually, deep down, don't mind the occasional jousting one bit. Cheers, Zach
Harry, I think you should reconsider and come back to VA. One bad apple does not spoil the bunch. Besides if you check out middle grounds system.....why it's all from the same manufacturer ****Asterisk****
He must have something to hide or is embarrassed by it.
Sorry to see you go, but don't blame you a bit. No good deed....
I have owned a TNT for several years now. An obsolete table in production terms, but it is near to my heart.
The TNT is not a work of industrial art in the league of an Oracle or the late, lamented Teres. However, it is handsome and stolid in its way.
The beauty of this table is how it plays music which is pretty darned fine. Additional beauty is that in spite of being long out of production, I can still get everything I need for it from VPI. Here is an example:
I use rim drive with the TNT and was having terrible pitch instability. This was so bad, I was thinking of selling it. The problem was staring me in the face, but it took quite a while to see it, the drive o-ring was aftermarket and close examination of the interface of the ring and the platter showed how there was a gap every revolution thus intorducing a bump each time around. Still, I did not believe it would make that much difference. I posted about this and HW said "o-ring" call Mat. With scepticism, I called and spoke to Mat. He said, I am going to send you a new set of o-ring and motor belts and if that does not solve the problem, don't pay me and send them back. If it does, send a check. I was shocked because I had never gotten anything without paying first. Package arrived, table played perfect, money sent.
This is beauty that is much more than "skin-deep". I have a hard time thinking of any other company foreign or domestic that you could get this level of commitment to the customer. With Mat taking the lead, I am assured that the table will be able to be passed down to the next generation and they will still be able to get parts and service.
So, good bye Harry, you will always be an inspiration to me.
Tom Collins
You should too.
don't be so thin skinned - many of us enjoy and appreciate your comments
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
nt
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