VPI Avenger Plus is a turntable with rim drive, ADS speed control and the Fatboy Gimbal 12-3D tonearm
Avenger Plus sits between Avenger and Avenger Reference: it starts from the base turntable of the series and adds a higher-grade tonearm, the periphery ring, the speed control unit and the rim drive assembly. It plays 33 and 45 rpm records and, like the other models in the family, accepts as many as three tonearms of whatever brand and length.
Drive comes from VPI's Harry Weisfeld Signature Rim Drive assembly, a motor unit derived from the engineering of the Titan and powered by the Analog Drive System (ADS) that is part of the package; an adjustable knob moves the mechanism that works on the platter rim. The chassis is the one shared by the series: three bonded layers of acrylic, aluminium and acrylic again, with damping material in between, held by three steel isolating corner posts, three bolts and the bearing assembly. The knobs on the posts change the height to level the turntable, and the 6061 aluminium arm boards are adjustable. The aluminium platter is 5 cm thick; the record is secured by the HR-X clamp and the steel periphery ring. The finish is black lacquer.
Key features
- Rim drive motor unit with adjustment knob, powered by the included ADS
- Speeds of 33 and 45 rpm
- 12-inch aluminium platter (about 30.5 cm), weighing about 11.3 kg
- 24-pole AC synchronous motor 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 34.9 kg
Supplied tonearm
The Fatboy Gimbal 12-3D uses a full gimbal bearing and Nordost Reference internal wiring. Pivot-to-spindle distance is 300 mm, effective length 313 mm, effective mass 12.5 g; offset angle 17.37 degrees, overhang 13 mm, stated average RMS distortion 0.267%. It is built with 3D technology using, among other materials, epoxy resin, Delrin, copper, aluminium and steel. It has an adjustable dropped counterweight, side weights for azimuth, VTA adjustment and the Limo connection.
Available accessories
The accessories VPI lists for Avenger Plus include the Avenger Reference Magnetic Drive, the Avenger Reference feet, further JMW and Fatboy tonearms and extra arm boards for tonearms from other makers.
