VPI Signature 21: belt-drive turntable with the Fatboy Gimbal 10-3D arm wired in Nordost Reference
The Signature 21 is a belt-drive turntable for 33 and 45 rpm records, supplied with the 10-inch Fatboy Gimbal 10-3D tonearm already mounted. VPI describes it as a blend of aluminium, stainless steel and 3D-printed parts, the result of more than forty years of refinement. Compared with the Prime 21 it changes the arm, here the Fatboy with Nordost Reference wiring, the feet, the clamp and the total weight, which is higher.
The chassis is made of vinyl-covered MDF and steel. The aluminium platter is 5 cm thick and weighs about 9.1 kg. The 300 rpm motor stands apart from the chassis in a steel and aluminium enclosure. The arm sits on a tower with VTA and SRA adjustment. The turntable rests on four steel cone feet, mechanically isolated from the chassis, and the supplied clamp is made of steel.
Key features
- Belt drive, 33 and 45 rpm speeds
- 300 rpm motor in a separate unit, with a pulley machined to a tolerance of about 0.013 mm
- Aluminium platter: diameter about 305 mm, thickness 5 cm, weight about 9.1 kg
- Wow and flutter 0.03%, speed accuracy 0.04%
- Rumble at -82 dB
- Overall size about 543 x 400 x 279 mm (width, depth, height), footprint of about 495 x 349 mm
- Total weight about 29.9 kg
Supplied tonearm
The Fatboy Gimbal 10-3D has a full gimbal bearing and internal wiring in Nordost Reference cable. Its construction relies on 3D printing with materials that include epoxy resin and Delrin, along with copper, aluminium and steel. The arm measures 258 mm from pivot to spindle, with an effective length of 273.4 mm and an effective mass of 10.7 g; its overhang is 15.4 mm, the offset angle 19.98 degrees and the mean RMS distortion 0.31%. Counterweight, side weights for azimuth and VTA can be adjusted; the output uses a Limo connection.
Finishes
The Signature 21 is offered in Piano Black and in Rosewood; VPI presents the latter finish as a limited edition. The accessories listed for the model are the Periphery Ring Clamp, the Reference feet and the Analog Drive System (ADS) unit.
