VPI HW-40

VPI HW-40: limited-edition direct-drive turntable marking 40 years of VPI

The HW-40 is the direct-drive turntable with which VPI marked its fortieth year in business. It plays 33 and 45 rpm records and is supplied with the 12-inch Fatboy Gimbal tonearm already mounted. The limited edition runs to 400 units and can be recognised by its wooden side panels and by the Fatboy Anniversary arm.

The design updates the direct-drive motor technology VPI introduced in 2012 with the Classic Direct, taking in progress made in motion control and in materials. The aluminium platter acts as the rotor, while the stator is formed in the internal printed circuit board. The motor is servo-controlled: an active feedback circuit measures and corrects the rotation speed of the platter directly. The plinth is 12 mm thick aluminium and incorporates the arm base; the structure pairs aluminium with stained solid black walnut. The turntable is built in the United States and a dust cover comes with it.

Key features

• Direct drive, 33 and 45 rpm speeds
• Aluminium platter: diameter 30.48 cm, weight about 11.3 kg
• Torque of the motor, as stated by VPI: 2.68 Nm/sec
• Start and stop time: 1 second
• Speed monitoring with 2,500 pulses per revolution
• Overall size about 559 x 432 x 254 mm, footprint of about 552 x 425 mm
• Total weight about 31.8 kg

Supplied tonearm

The arm is the JMW-12 Fatboy Gimbal, a 12-inch design with a gimbal bearing, wired internally with Nordost Reference cable. It is mounted on a new base that allows the VTA to be adjusted during playback.

Finishes

The HW-40 has a matte black finish, completed by the wooden side panels.