VPI Prime 21+
EXPENSIVE, YES. BUT YOU KNOW YOU WANT THEM
Image: VPI
This year’s changes have brought a smarter, more conventional look
“The most obvious difference is to the tonearm, which now has a gimbal bearing design rather than a uni-pivot”
VPI’s Prime record player has been something of a favourite of ours since we reviewed it back in 2015. Since then, it has become one of our go-to recommendations for anyone wanting a true taste of high-end vinyl replay without a five-figure budget.
The new Prime 21 (the number signifies the model year) aims to build on that solid foundation with a series of well-considered changes aimed at improving performance, ease of use and cosmetics.
There are two versions of this deck. The ‘+’ model we have on test here includes the brand new VPI Shyla moving-coil cartridge (custom made by Audio Technica) and the company’s Weisline tonearm cable (manufactured by Nordost). The base version of the 21 comes without these two options and costs £4500.
A CALL TO REARM
While this deck is instantly recognisable as a Prime, VPI’s changes have resulted in a smarter but more conventional deck. The most obvious difference is to the tonearm, which now has a gimbal bearing design rather than the less common uni-pivot of the original. It seems that some people took against the wobbling that’s part and parcel of a uni-pivot when it’s being handled (but not when it’s actually playing a record).