REVIEW: VPI Industries Fatboy Tone Arms

Model:	Fatboy
Category:	Tone Arms
Suggested Retail Price:	$4000
Description:	Third Generation 12
Manufacturer URL:	VPI Industries

Review by teenage diplomat on June 14, 2018 at 10:07:23
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for the Fatboy

The new 12" Fatboy 3D tonearm replaced a first generation 12" 3D tonearm on my VPI HRX turntable one week ago. The cartridge used on both arms was identical (Audio Technica's ART-7 LOMC) and it was set up with a Mint LP protractor and Fozgometer.

My initial listening sessions showed me that there is a strong family resemblance in the way the two tonearms sound. Everything that the original 3D tonearm did exceptionally well (male and female vocals; instrumental timbre; overall dynamics) the Fatboy did at least as well. For example, both tonearms put Dean Martin "in the room" with me on Dream with Dean (Analogue Productions 200g 45RPM reissue). So the Fatboy passed the Hippocrates test: it did no harm. But the family resemblance diminished the more I listened, replaced by a clear portrait of the Fatboy's sonic superiority.

The Fatboy consistently displayed substantially better, more lifelike bass performance. It was both deeper and more impactful than the original 3D tonearm's. More importantly, the bass was better controlled as well. With the original, deep bass had a slightly diffuse character, and bass transients seemed a bit slower than those at higher frequencies. (Dare I say it wallowed just a bit?) This sensation disappeared with the Fatboy. For example, Ray Brown's bass on Soular Energy (Analogue Productions 200g 45RPM reissue) was tightly focused in the soundstage, rather than being smeared slightly across it as it was with the original tonearm.

This advantage continued in the midrange. With the original tonearm, Barney Bigard's clarinet on "The Mooche" (Ellington and Armstrong Recording Together for the First Time, Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recording reissue) tended to spread toward the center of the soundstage; with the Fatboy, it stayed on the right, where it belonged.

But the biggest advantages I heard with the Fatboy took place in the higher frequencies. With the original 3D tonearm, I could never totally get rid of excessive vocal sibilance. With the Fatboy, excessive sibilance entirely disappeared. In addition, cymbals consistently took on a sheen that I hadn't heard before. Same story with the overtones and reverb tails exhibited by the orchestral bells and xylophone on Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" (Night and Day, A&M Records).

Finally, the Fatboy was noticeably quieter in the groove than the original 3D tonearm. Lead-in and inter-track spaces were almost eerily silent. As a result, live recordings presented more ambient information with the Fatboy than I had previously heard. My stereo copy of Dance to Duke! (Columbia Special Archives Series) showed much more hall sound, as well as a much deeper soundstage, than it had with the original 3D tonearm.

I'm not a professional reviewer, nor am I an audio engineer. I'm not qualified to speculate on the "why" behind what I heard. All I can tell you is that the Fatboy sounds significantly better to me than did the already excellent first generation 3D arm it replaced. I consider the HRX my "destination" turntable - it has now found its "destination" tonearm.

Product Weakness:	Cost, unless you have an existing VPI arm to trade-in
Product Strengths:	Extremely lifelike reproduction of recorded music.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: VAC Phi170iq 75WPC
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): EAR 864 full function preamp
Sources (CDP/Turntable): VPI HRX
Speakers: PSB Imagine T3
Cables/Interconnects: Audience Au24e
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, vocals, pop
Room Size (LxWxH): 21 x 15 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: no special audio treatments
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio P5 power plant
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

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Amplifier:	VAC Phi170iq 75WPC
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	EAR 864 full function preamp
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	VPI HRX
Speakers:	PSB Imagine T3
Cables/Interconnects:	Audience Au24e
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, vocals, pop
Room Size (LxWxH):	21 x 15 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	no special audio treatments
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio P5 power plant
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

REVIEW: VPI Industries Fatboy Tone Arms

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