VPI Avenger is a belt-drive turntable with a three-layer chassis and the 12-inch JMW 12 3D tonearm
Avenger is the base model of VPI's series of the same name: a belt-driven turntable for 33 and 45 rpm records, delivered with the JMW 12 3D tonearm already fitted. The design, known during development as the "Tri-Pod Project" and shelved for years, was taken up again by VPI once the Prime had been developed. The chassis stands on three corner posts and takes as many as three tonearms, whatever their maker and length.
The chassis consists of three bonded layers, two of acrylic with one of aluminium in the middle, with damping material separating them; they are clamped together by the three steel corner posts, which also provide isolation, by three bolts and by the bearing assembly. The posts carry the tonearms and have machined knobs that raise or lower each support so the turntable can be levelled. The adjustable arm boards are cut from 6061 aluminium about 16 mm thick, chosen for stiffness and grounding. The aluminium platter is 5 cm thick, the motor is a unit separate from the chassis and the record is held by the HR-X clamp. The finish is black lacquer.
Key features
- Belt drive, speeds of 33 and 45 rpm
- 12-inch aluminium platter (about 30.5 cm), weighing about 11.3 kg
- AC synchronous motor with 24 poles, turning at 300 rpm
- Wow and flutter 0.03%, speed accuracy 0.04%, rumble 82 dB down
- Footprint about 584 x 508 mm; overall dimensions about 686 x 584 x 254 mm
- Total weight about 30.8 kg
- Room for a maximum of three tonearms
Supplied tonearm
The JMW 12 3D has a pivot-to-spindle distance of 300 mm, an effective length of 313 mm and an effective mass of 10.5 g; overhang is 13 mm, the offset angle is 17.37 degrees and the stated average RMS distortion is 0.267%. The wand is made with 3D technology from materials that include epoxy resin and Delrin, and the internal wiring is VPI copper weave. It provides an adjustable dropped counterweight, side weights for azimuth, VTA adjustment and the Limo connection.
Available accessories
For Avenger VPI lists the periphery ring clamp, the ADS (Analog Drive System) supply for fine speed adjustment, the Avenger Rim-Drive, the Avenger Reference Magnetic Drive, the Avenger Reference feet, the JMW-12-3DR and Fatboy tonearms, further JMW tonearms and extra arm boards for tonearms from other makers.
