VPI LAUNCH A LOAD OF NEW PRODUCTS AT CAPITAL AUDIOFEST 2021

VPI President, Mat Weisfeld, got in touch to tell us what they will be unveiling at Capital Audiofest 2021 this week.

Mat told us: “The past two years have been rough for everyone and who knows what “normal” is anymore.  My VPI team has moved mountains to keep the tables turning while doing our part to keep the world safe.  We are proud and ready to show everyone what we are made of and have been working on”.

Mat Weisfeld and the VPI Team will be live at Capital Audiofest 2021

CAF CONNECTED

Mat continued: “Not everyone is ready for an in-person experience. We respect their precautions/decisions for their safety.  So we are going to bring the show to you!  This year whether you are at home, across the country, or across the world…

We will be virtually hosting multiple CAF Connected Audio experiences.  It is all an experiment but one we have all experienced the past few years with Zoom meetings, Live streams, and more!”.

LIVE STREAMS

While nothing will be finalized until the show setup the VPI team plan is to have a Zoom room open throughout the show for both the Adams and Jefferson rooms which are their main locations. In addition there will be scheduled live streams for specific events for everyone throughout the day. VPI will set up two gigantic TVs for each room so everyone can see and connect with each other during the show.  They will also be sending VPI team members throughout the show live streaming their experience.

COVID 19 PRECAUTIONS

For those attending the Capital Audiofest 2021 who are still apprehensive about being indoors, VPI is bringing a firepit to safely use in the outside courtyard area, giving people an opportunity to have longer conversations while outside.

VPI is also bringing a HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier 2.0 for each of their rooms to help keep visitors comfortable and the air fresh and clean. They are also giving out their Hand Sanitizer to everyone at the show. During the Pandemic, VPI changed and shifted all manufacturing to making Hand Sanitizer and Face shields among other PPE for first responders.

VPI 21 SERIES

While it was originally meant to celebrate 2021 VPI has revamped and relaunched their former VPI Prime line as the VPI 21 series with the minor refinements to each of the three turntables based on customer, dealer, and reviewer feedback.

The series consists of:

VPI Scout 21 (MSRP 2,850 USD)

VPI Prime 21 ​(MSRP 5,000 USD)

VPI Signature 21 (MSRP 8,250 USD)

VPI Scout 21, Prime 21 and Signature 21 turntables

THE VPI AVENGER DIRECT

At CAF 2019 VPI showed the State-of-the-art VPI Vanquish turntable but also loosely showed a heavy prototype for their potential Avenger Direct. The VPI Avenger Direct uses the same motor as the HW-40 with some minor engineering refinements.  The Avenger Direct completes the line by offering listeners a high end VPI option with multiple tonearms as a belt, rim, and now Direct Drive. The table features VPI Pneumatic Air Suspension Feet as well as a brand new tonearm that is so new it doesn’t have a name yet.

The VPI Avenger Direct will retail at an MSRP of $30,000 USD

VPI SHIRLEY MM CARTRIDGE

Mat told us: “Earlier this year we unfortunately lost our VPI Grandma, Shirley Green who has been with our company since the beginning.  The mother of VPI founder Sheila Weisfeld, Shirley was initially helping her daughter and her husband Harry in the VPI office which ended up being her new career.  Sheila and Shirley were the heroes of the VPI office.  Shirley was low maintenance, strong, and got the job done.  This is why it made sense to name our new entry-level Moving Magnet cartridge after her”. The VPI Shirley MM Cartridge will retail at $100.

The VPI Shirley MM Cartridge

There will also be new nearly finished and prototype VPI products including the new SDS (price TBC) and the VPI Phono by Genesis (estimated at $5,000 USD).

CAPITAL AUDIOFEST 2021

VPI will host the Adams and Jefferson rooms at CAF 2021 which runs from November the 5^th to 7^th at the Twinbrook Hilton, Rockville Maryland.

HiFi Pig Says: VPI are really addressing the Covid 19 issues and will be putting on an exciting and safe show from what Mat has to say!

Get all the latest Hifi News with Hifi Pig here!