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2020 update : JC Verdier La Platine

A recent encounter with a JC Verdier dealer as well as a recent Audiogon discussion thread led to the start of this thread. He was in my house updating my La Platine which had been in storage for ten years with thread and oil. While he has high regards for the deck, his newer clients nevertheless prefer a Techdas iii than an 'old' La Platine. Given the proliferation of expensive decks in the past dozen years, La Platine has become very much under-appreciated. 

It's clear to me that the influence of the La Platine is everywhere to be found. Specifically, the magnetic suspension system that was employed 30+ years ago. Even SOTA offers their newer decks with mag. lev. features. And if you read this review: https://www.callas-audio.nl/Callas%20Platine%20Mod%20Kit%20Review.pdf, the Continuum Caliburn uses the same concept, which was not acknowledged in Fremer's review, albeit with more sophisticated , and expensive, execution.

It is also clear to me that there is much misunderstanding of the workings of the La Platine. I for one have contributed to this. The motor of the La Platine, for example, has been much maligned. The thread drive is another aspect of the turntable that have been described as inferior. With regard to the motor and thread drive, I have been set straight by Chris @ct0517 and Lyubomir @lbelchev. Experimenting with the different types of silk threads, the tightness to the platter  and a renewed understanding of the soundness of the Philips motor have been rewarded with better dynamics and transparency. 

The funny thing is that during the past two years of re-engagement with audio, I have questioned ownership of every components in my arsenal except the La Platine. It has always been a keeper. I wonder if La Platine owners would contribute to celebrating this 'old' deck with tales, advice, and insights?

Cheers!
ledoux1238
dover
2,498 posts
 

@thekong 

I am considering taking this down time to commission a custom plinth made of aluminium/brass or granite, 

Please do not use granite - it resonates/rings badly.

Slate is much better due to its stratified composition.

The "Granito" Verdier is NOT Granite - it is terrazzo. Granito refers to French floor tiles made of sand/cement with stone embedded. This is why the original Verdier plinths were prone to crumbling. 

I have used high quality German engineered quartz ( 93% quartz embedded in resin ) - very inert, rigid and available in an array of colours.

Also high density bamboo ply plinths are excellent. High density bamboo ply is considerably more dense than maple.

Personally I would stay away from aluminium/brass. Gunmetal would be ok  - it is bronze with a high lead content.

If you insist on aluminium then at least do a sandwich construction with a layer of carbon fibre to break up resonances.

You could take a leak out of the Audio Tekne TT and use carbon block.

 

 

 

 

lewm
14,669 posts
 

thekong, If the "motor unit is transmitting vibration to the platter", then I would replace that motor. Admittedly, there is no motor with zero vibration, especially as the load is perpendicular to the drive shaft; it's a matter of degree. Any motion of the motor pulley relative to the platter or to the driven portion of the platter is going to cause a speed variation. Sometimes the goal can only be to minimize such problems, rather than to eliminate them totally.

dover
2,498 posts
 

@lewm 

The Verdier motor is garbage - noisy - I could hear mine from the listening chair 4 meters away. This has been well documented in this thread. The theory in the design is that you run the thread very loose such that the platter inertia dominates the motor, not the other way round, but the motor is a major issue for the reason you mentioned.

thekong
251 posts
 

Hi @dover , thank you for the suggestion, really appreciated ! The materials you mentioned, especially the high density bamboo ply, are interesting, and I will certainly look into it! 

 

TT plinth material is a very interesting topic! Just for discussion sake, yes, for a long time, it was common believe among audiophiles that granite rings, and so not a good choice for making TT plinth! However, in recent years, a number of highly regarded TTs have used granite as plinth, including Verdier’s flagship the Magnum, and the CSport. The Kondo Ginga also has a base made of 2 pieces of granite of different thickness with a thin layer of copper/brass sandwich in between. It was because of these that I reconsider using granite as an option. 

 

I wonder if you have auditioned the CSport, and if so, what is your comment? Thanks

thekong
251 posts
 

Hi @dover , one more question, is your TT the Final Audio Research VVT-1 with the outboard motor? I have a friend using this TT and has an extra motor, so I may borrow it to try on the Verdier smiley

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