What do Formula 1 race cars, satellites, surgical robots, and high-end turntables have in common? All have benefitted from the low profile, smooth motion, and highly linear output of ThinGap’s slotless motor kits. One application that has gotten our attention has been our friends at VPI Industries, who have leveraged the benefits of cogless motors for their turntables.
Over the last decade, music enthusiasts have rediscovered the authentic, warm sound of vinyl records, even in the era of convenient streaming. For high-end turntables, direct-drive motor designs ensure reliable and consistent motion for music playback through Hi-Fi systems. Historically turntables have been belt-driven, which though cost-effective, wear down over time affecting music playback and requiring replacement. While more expensive, “direct-drive” turntables get around this by mounting the record platter directly to the motor, making it more reliable as well as having smoother playback.
Precision direct-drive motors, such as those made by ThinGap are an ideal solution for modern turntables. A high-performance stereo system is nothing without clean input sources, and ThinGap’s smooth, zero-cogging motion profile is key to precise playback. Another contributing factor to the long-standing relationship between VPI and ThinGap has been the shared pride in American-made products. Since the beginning, VPI has been both sourcing components from American suppliers, as well as manufacturing their turntables in-house in New Jersey.
The re-emergence of demand for vinyl records, especially by audiophiles has shown that you can’t be too sentimental, and that when music is played on a modern direct-drive turntable it sounds better than it did when new. No matter if you’re listening to the next phase, new wave, dance craze, so long as there is a ThinGap motor powering a VPI turntable, it’s still rock and roll to us.