VPI Prime 21 Plus Turntable at Vinyl Sound Buffalo NY USA

The Prime 21 Plus is the upgraded mid-tier Production Series turntable from VPI Industries (Cliffwood, New Jersey, USA), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY USA. Refining the original Prime turntable with a new machined aluminum top plate, additional chassis bracing, HW-40 anniversary isolation feet, and a 10-inch 3D Gimbal tonearm, the Prime 21 Plus represents 2021-era VPI engineering applied to one of the best-selling turntable platforms in American audio history. Key specifications include a 20-lb 12-inch aluminum platter, 0.08% wow and flutter, 80 dB rumble down, and a total weight of 45 lbs. Reviewed positively by What Hi-Fi?, the Prime 21 Plus is a well-considered evolution of the Prime platform with meaningful performance, aesthetic, and usability upgrades.

Machined Aluminum Top Plate and HW-40 Isolation Feet

Two of the most consequential changes from the original Prime to the Prime 21 Plus are the addition of a machined metal top plate with supplementary bracing, and the adoption of the HW-40 anniversary isolation feet. The metal top plate replaces the original steel plate with additional machined aluminum bracing that stiffens the chassis assembly and reduces flexural resonance under dynamic loads from the record groove. The HW-40-derived isolation feet are a four-layer design providing improved mechanical isolation from rack and floor-borne vibration versus the Delrin feet of the original Prime, a change that What Hi-Fi? noted contributes directly to the Prime 21's improved dynamics and stability over its predecessor.

10-Inch 3D Gimbal Tonearm and Modular Upgrades

The Prime 21 Plus is fitted with a 10-inch 3D Gimbal tonearm, offering full gimbal bearing geometry in a shorter effective length than the Fatboy 12-inch arm found in the Signature 21 above it. The 300 RPM outbound motor uses the same +/- 0.0005-inch pulley accuracy as the rest of the VPI Production Series, and a screw-down stainless steel and Delrin center clamp is included as standard. Optional upgrades available through Vinyl Sound Buffalo include the Periphery Ring Clamp for record warp reduction, the Analog Drive System for precision motor speed control, and Reference Feet for the lowest possible isolation performance.

Key Features

• 10-Inch 3D Gimbal Tonearm: Full gimbal bearing arm in 3D-printed construction for four-axis constraint, tracking stability, and resonance-cancelled arm wand geometry.
• Machined Aluminum Top Plate: Upgraded metal top with additional bracing over the Prime 21 for improved chassis stiffness and reduced flexural resonance.
• 20-lb 12-Inch Aluminum Platter: High-mass machined aluminum platter for stable rotational inertia and consistent platter speed.
• HW-40 Isolation Feet: Four-layer isolation foot design derived from VPI's 40th Anniversary turntable, providing enhanced vibration rejection versus standard feet.
• 300 RPM Outbound Motor: Separate motor housing with +/- 0.0005-inch pulley accuracy for quiet, mechanically isolated drive operation.
• Screw-Down Stainless Steel and Delrin Center Clamp: Record hold-down system combining stainless steel threading with Delrin contact surface to grip the record without sleeve damage.
• Vinyl Wrapped MDF Chassis: 19.5" x 13.5" footprint chassis in vinyl-wrapped MDF providing a stable, cost-effective foundation for the aluminum and steel components above it.
• Made in the USA: Designed and manufactured by VPI Industries in Cliffwood, New Jersey.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VPI Prime 21 Plus turntable?

The VPI Prime 21 Plus is a Production Series belt-drive turntable from VPI Industries (Cliffwood, New Jersey, USA), featuring a 10-inch 3D Gimbal tonearm, a 20-lb 12-inch aluminum platter, a machined aluminum top plate with additional bracing, HW-40 isolation feet, and a 300 RPM outbound motor. It weighs 45 lbs, delivers 0.08% wow and flutter at 80 dB rumble down, and has been reviewed positively by What Hi-Fi?.

How does the VPI Prime 21 Plus compare to the VPI Signature 21?

The Prime 21 Plus sits one step below the Signature 21 in VPI's Production Series. The Signature 21 upgrades the tonearm to the full Fatboy Gimbal design, adds a stainless steel chassis element to the MDF/aluminum construction, increases total weight from 45 lbs to 66 lbs, and includes the Signature Center Weight clamp. The Signature 21 also delivers a slightly lower rumble figure at 82 dB down versus the Prime 21 Plus at 80 dB. Both share the same 20-lb aluminum platter, 300 RPM motor pulley accuracy, and 0.08% wow and flutter specification.

What is the difference between a gimbal tonearm and a unipivot tonearm?

A gimbal tonearm uses bearing races that constrain the arm in all four rotational axes separately, providing mechanical stability and predictable tracking behavior regardless of cartridge compliance. A unipivot arm balances on a single point, relying on stylus force and wire tension for azimuth stability and requiring cartridges and listening conditions that suit its inherent freedom of movement. VPI uses both designs across its lineup: the 3D Gimbal in the Prime 21 Plus provides greater tracking stability and compatibility with a wider range of cartridges, while VPI's unipivot JMW arms are preferred by some listeners for their particular resonance characteristics.

Where can I buy the VPI Prime 21 Plus in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The VPI Prime 21 Plus is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY USA. Vinyl Sound is an authorized VPI dealer and can advise on upgrade options including the Analog Drive System, Periphery Ring Clamp, and Reference Feet. Contact Vinyl Sound Buffalo for current availability and pricing.