VPI Prime 21 - Vinyl Turntable

High-End Belt-Drive Turntable For Serious Vinyl Playback

The VPI Prime 21 is a high-performance audiophile turntable developed as an evolution of the original Prime. It combines a substantial 12-inch, 20 lb aluminium platter, a 10-inch 3D-printed gimbal tonearm, upgraded isolation and a rigid vinyl-wrapped MDF and steel chassis to provide a stable platform for high-quality analogue playback. VPI offers the Prime 21 in Black and Walnut finishes.

Designed and manufactured in the USA, the Prime 21 is intended for listeners who want to build a serious vinyl system around a precision turntable and high-quality cartridge.

Key Features

• JMW-10-3D Gimbal Tonearm – A 10-inch 3D-printed tonearm with a full gimbal bearing and adjustable counterweight, azimuth side weights and VTA.

• 20 lb Aluminium Platter – The substantial 12-inch platter provides high rotational inertia for stable record playback.

• 300 RPM AC Motor – A dedicated motor system drives the platter through a belt-drive arrangement.

• HW-40 Isolation Feet – Upgraded isolation feet help reduce the effects of unwanted vibration reaching the turntable.

• Rigid Chassis Construction – Vinyl-wrapped MDF and steel construction provides a substantial foundation for the platter and tonearm.

• Interchangeable Tonearm Design – The Prime platform supports tonearm upgrades and configuration flexibility.

• Made in the USA – VPI manufactures its turntables in the United States.

Precision Tonearm Design

The included VPI Prime Gimbal 10-3D tonearm uses a full gimbal bearing arrangement and VPI's copper internal wiring. Its 273.4 mm effective length and 10.2 g effective mass are designed to accommodate a wide range of cartridges.

The tonearm incorporates an adjustable counterweight, azimuth side weights and VTA adjustment, allowing careful cartridge setup for accurate analogue playback.

20 Lb Aluminium Platter

The Prime 21 uses a 12-inch aluminium platter weighing approximately 20 lb. Its substantial mass is designed to provide rotational stability and consistent speed during playback. VPI specifies platter accuracy of approximately ±0.001 inch over its circumference.

Stable Chassis & Isolation

The Prime 21 combines a vinyl-wrapped MDF and steel chassis with upgraded isolation feet. This creates a solid mechanical platform for the platter, bearing and tonearm while helping isolate the playback system from unwanted external vibration.

Features

• 12-inch, 20 lb aluminium platter.

• JMW-10-3D full-gimbal tonearm.

• 300 RPM motor.

• ±0.0005" motor pulley accuracy.

• Adjustable counterweight.

• Adjustable azimuth side weights.

• VTA adjustment.

• VPI copper tonearm internal wiring.

• HW-40 isolation feet.

• Interchangeable tonearm capability.

• Black and Walnut finishes available.

• Made in the USA.

Specifications

• Model: VPI Prime 21

• Type: High-end belt-drive vinyl turntable

• Chassis: Vinyl-wrapped MDF and steel

• Platter: 12-inch aluminium, 20 lb

• Tonearm: JMW-10-3D Gimbal

• Tonearm Bearing: Full Gimbal Bearing

• Tonearm Effective Length: 273.4 mm

• Tonearm Effective Mass: 10.2 g

• Pivot-to-Spindle: 258 mm

• Overhang: 15.4 mm

• Offset Angle: 19.98°

• Internal Tonearm Wire: VPI copper weave

• Motor: 300 RPM

• Motor Pulley Accuracy: ±0.0005"

• Wow & Flutter: 0.05%

• Speed Accuracy: 0.05%

• Rumble: 80 dB down

• Footprint: 19½ × 13¾ inches

• Overall Dimensions: 21⅜ × 15¾ inches

• Weight: 44 lb

• Finishes: Black, Walnut

Why Buy From Soundtrails

A high-end turntable performs best when the cartridge, tonearm, phono stage, amplifier and speakers are properly matched. At SoundTrails, our Audio Video Architects can help you build a complete analogue playback system around the VPI Prime 21, from cartridge and phono-stage selection through installation, setup and system optimisation.