VPI Avenger Reference vs VPI HW-40
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: VPI Avenger Reference · VPI HW-40.
| Specification | VPI Avenger Reference |
VPI HW-40 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £22,000 | Highlighted difference. £18,000 |
| Category | High-end | High-end |
| Status | current | current |
| Years | 2016–present | 2018–present |
| Drive | belt drive | direct drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare | sold bare |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium, 30 lb | aluminium |
| Tonearm | VPI 3D-printed 12" | VPI Fatboy 3D |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
On price alone the VPI HW-40 costs less, coming in £4,000 (about 22%) below the VPI Avenger Reference.
The mechanics differ too: the VPI Avenger Reference is belt-drive, the VPI HW-40 is direct-drive. The VPI HW-40 gets instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.
Bottom line: £4,000 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Live merchant offers
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Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for VPI HW-40…