VPI Classic 2 Turntable Setup and Instruction Manual VPI Industries, Inc., 77 Cliffwood Ave. #3B, Cliffwood, NJ 07721 phone: 732-583-6895 fax: 732-946-8578 http://www.vpiindustries.
Important: Read Before Proceeding! Read and follow the Safety Instructions below. Save all packing materials. The Classic 2 should only be moved or shipped in its original packaging to reduce the risk of damage in transit. The Classic 2 must be placed on a flat, level surface. This will make setup easy, provide better sound quality, and put less strain on the main bearing. Safety Instructions Follow the instructions below to reduce risk of electrical hazard or injury. 1.
Unpacking the Box The turntable and tonearm are packed very carefully to avoid damage during shipping. It is important that you save the packing materials and boxes to use for shipping or moving the Classic 2. Set aside the bag containing the drive belt. Complete and return the warranty card. The warranty does not take effect until the warranty card is returned. Remove and set aside the following items: Alignment Jig. Record clamp. Power cord.
The platter bearing is lubricated; no additional lubrication is needed for at least one year. Remove the platter from the smaller box, peel back the tape over the bearing hole and place on the spindle shaft carefully lowering it onto the table. Place the drive belt around the platter and around the pulley on the motor. The belt does not have to be level on the platter. It will self-level when the platter starts rotating. For 33 RPM operation, place the belt on the upper part of the pulley.
A. CARTRIDGE MOUNTING: FOR CARTRIDGES WITH THREADED MOUNTING HOLES: Use the screws supplied by the cartridge manufacturer to mount the cartridge. Any other screws may not fit the thread properly and may even damage the threads and cartridge. USE ONE OF THE SUPPLIED WASHERS UNDER THE SCREW HEAD. For all cartridges with pass through mounting holes use the hardware supplied with the arm. Remember to use the washers under the screw heads to prevent damage to the finish on the JMW arm.
Place the arm tube assembly on the lower bearing, taking care not to strain or damage the 4-color wire and Lemo connector. Place the arm in its rest. At the rear of the arm base assembly is the connector block. Plug the Lemo connector into its receptacle on top of the block. Notice that the connector can plug in only one way. Align the red dots on the arms plug with the red dot on the receptacle. Push gently, do not force the plug.
Place the arm back in its rest. Without letting the cartridge move, tighten the screws holding the cartridge to the arm head. Make it tight, but don't over do it and strip the threads or distort the cartridge body. FIG #2: THE PROPER WAY TO ALIGN A CARTRIDGE, ALIGN THE CARTRIDGE, NOT THE TONEARM HEADSHELL! D. TRACKING FORCE AND AZIMUTH Place the arm tube assembly on the lower bearing, taking care not to strain or damage the 4-color wire and Lemo connector. Place the arm in its rest.
The Classic 2 arm does not have a built-in tracking force gauge, but a Shure Stylus Force Gauge is supplied with your arm. Following the gauge instructions set the tracking force to the cartridge manufacturer recommendation plus 1/10 of a gram more. We always recommend going to the high side when it comes to tracking force. High frequency vibrations can cause a light-tracking cartridge to cause more damage to the grooves than running a cartridge at a heavy setting.
E. ANTI-SKATING: REMEMBER: A 10.5” ARM NEEDS VERY LITTLE ANTI-SKATING FORCE Anti-skating is one of the least understood forces acting on a tonearm. Skating force is created by friction between the stylus and the record, causing a force vector in a direction towards the center of the record when the headshell of the tonearm has an offset angle. Putting a stylus down on a flat, groove less record will cause the arm to move toward the center of the record.
Set the arm height as follows: Start the turntable and place a record on it. Lower the arm onto the record and make the arm tube parallel to the record surface by rotating the arm-height knob as needed. This is a good initial setting. You may wish to vary it depending on the cartridge you are using and or the particular record being played. The knob's scale makes it easy to return to a previous setting by making a note of the number above the index mark and the number of complete turns taken.
Place the rubber washer on the platter spindle, then the record on the platter, then screw the clamp onto the spindle. The clamp will lock the rim of the record down first forcing the air out and acting like a vacuum. Press the power button and sit down and enjoy listening to your records! K. GENERAL USE Allow at least 20 hours of break-in time. The motor will make some low-level noise. This will not get into the system. The motor and bearings will become quieter as you use your Classic 2.
