Trickle-Down Design Technology from the Signature 21
The latest star of VPI's Signature turntable series is the brand-new Signature DS. It takes the best aspects of the famous Signature 21 and trickles down the extraordinary performance into a more affordable package.
Standard with a Gimbal 3D arm, HW-40 isolation feet, and a double stacked chassis with a metal dampening plate.
10" Gimbal Tonearm
The Signature DS comes with a very high-quality 3D-printed gimbal arm, the Gimbal 10-3D. Since VPI began offering its gimbal arm as a readily available option for its turntables in 2017, requests for the gimbal version have slowly but increasingly outpaced requests for the standard uni-pivot mount. Both uni and gimbal arms have their own unique sound signatures, but for the Prime turntable, gimbal has become king. Also, the gimbal mount makes cartridge installation easier, and it has a nicer feel for customers who are new to turntable use.
The Gimbal 10-3D full gimball-bearing tonearm is made with 3D-printed technology and uses materials consisting of, but not limited to, epoxy resin, Delrin, copper, aluminum and steel. Internal wiring is a very high quality VPI copper weave.
This tonearm features full adjustability for maximum compatibility with your cartridge. Tracking force is easily adjusted by turning the adjustment knob left or right to move the counterweight. The fine-adjustable capability makes cartridge set-up easier than ever. You can also set the VTA, azimuth, and anti-skating.
HW-40 Isolation Feet
The HW-40 feet give the Signature DS a significant performance edge. These feet have proven to be VPI's best isolators without breaking the bank. In fact, they are the same isolation feet used on VPI’s five-figure anniversary edition HW40 turntable and offer "supreme balance and dampening." The feet also give the Signature DS a low profile, which makes the whole appearance of the table clean and easy to fit into shelf space.
Double-Stacked Chassis
The double-stacked chassis of the Signature DS provides a very solid, low-resonance platform for your vinyl. It consists of a 'sandwich' construction of vinyl covered MDF with a steel damping plate in the middle. This provides many of the benefits of the Signature 21 chassis, but at a lower price point.
A Serious Synchronous Motor and 20-Pound Platter
The Signature DS uses a 300-rpm AC synchronous motor capable of high torque and quiet operation. For superior isolation, the motor is installed in a separate aluminum and steel machined assembly.
For unsurpassed speed stability, the Signature DS boasts a 20-pound, 12" diameter damped platter machined from aluminum. The motor pulley has an accuracy of +/- .0005” when leaving VPI's factory and has a wow and flutter rating of >0.03%, speed accuracy of >0.04% and rumble of >80db down.
Easy Set-up with Your Own Personal Expert
VPI offers set-up help to make the entire experience much easier via an instructional video provided on a USB thumb drive. Plug it into your laptop or desktop computer (Windows, Mac, or otherwise), and you're ready to go with an expert at your side.
According to VPI, the process has been so well thought out that you can remove your turntable from the box, calibrate and connect it, and be ready to spin some vinyl in under twenty minutes. No special assembly skills are needed, and the tools you need are included in the box.
