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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
mr_gray
188 posts
 

PLATINE UPDATE

I got the pip night before last and decided to decommission the Platine and reinstall the garrard 401.  i was just hating the sound.  this lasted one evening (garrard is a tad thick versus platine and i don't want that). 

i then spent alot of time sulking and reading about micro seiki's and techdas af3p's and galibier "savoies" and stelvio mark 2s.

i was convinced the platine was doomed even if i upgraded the motor.  i felt trapped.

i then last night at midnight put the platine back together and used my old motor.  the original verdier DC motor which i described as "broken" for all intents and purposes not 2 weeks or so ago.

oh glory!  oh beauty!  i had not seen your face for days nor felt your heart, but here you are, returned!

the music hangs in space.  it is enchanting.  almost timeless.  i can now hear that the ac motor (shabbily mounted of course) was fuzzy (i actually started to think this was the platter - i was wrong).  the verdier motor lets me hear all the way into the music but not in a left brain dissect a frog kind of way.  i think to some degree i am reaping the benefits of my new isolation platform more fulsomely with the quieter verdier motor.  also the Baerwald alignment which is a real hit with me.

a very excited and happy platine owner once more!

 

ledoux1238 OP
421 posts
 

@mr_gray The original motor is temperamental. With silk thread I make adjustments every other listening session. In the summer, my room would be in the low 30’s in Celsius and 90% humidity before I turn on the AC. However, with the Jasmine DC motor, it has been quite consistent for the past few months. 
 I wonder might there be other factors that is affecting what you heat with the difference motors? 
 

Christan from SOTA responded to my initial email regarding the Eclipse motor. He can machine a pulley, a flat cylinder, that will work with tape drive, if I supplied a drawing. He would fit the motor into a pod, if I supply the pod. Magnet update to follow. 

mr_gray
188 posts
 

i think the SOTA motor is a great idea.  that sounds very encouraging @ledoux1238 .  i saw sone stats re: American Sounds AS2000 speed stability the other day.  it of course uses the roadrunner speed controller the SOTA uses (maybe pretty much same motor - i am not sure).  the numbers were amazing.  33.332 to 33.334 i think.  out of this world.  i have speed variation of 0.15-0.2 rpm and think i am in heaven!

lewm
14,675 posts
 

Mr gray, if music is “timeless “, you’ve got a serious problem with speed stability. (Kidding)  But I think Dover had a good point; you might want to go slower with changing motors, belts, etc, to get a better bead on what does what.

thekong
251 posts
 

As far as I understand, the motor used in the American Sound is an NOS Papst three-phase motor, which is similar / same as the one used in the TechDas Airforce Zero but TechDas has further modified it with an airbearing!

 

I am pretty sure the motor used in the SOTA eclipse system is a lot smaller than the ones in the American Sound / Airforce Zero, but it is also a three-phase motor.

 

I wonder whether the SOTA’s pulley is fixed to the motor spindle by pressure fit or by grubs screws. I am thinking of ordering one pulley with straight wall and another one with convex wall. But if the pulley is pressure fit and can’t be changed easily, I may have to order 2 motors! 

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