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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
pindac's avatar
pindac
3,903 posts
 

The Support for a TT has to be considered from the Floor Upwards or the bypass of the Floor and using the wall as a Anchor Point.

I have used a shelve and suspended a platform from a shelf, but for myself, the best outcome is building a structure from the floor.

Starting point is a Plinth for the Rack to sit on using an isolation footer, and work up to the multi tier sub support for the TT. 

ledoux1238 OP
421 posts
 

@mr_gray I place both TT and motor on a 5cm thick rosewood platform, 110 cm x 50cm. This platform rests on six adjustable ebony cone footers. A salvaged 8cm thick solid teak block, 40 cm x 40cm, sits on top of the real wood and below the TT. It rests on four adjustable ebony footers. The plinth sits on top of the teak block with four ebony cones. The motor sits on two platforms: a 2cm marble slab is on top of  a 5cm rosewood shelf, all on ebony footers. It is rudimentary, with the idea of using different materials and thickness to mitigate vibration. 

mr_gray
188 posts
 

@dover i find your comment quite difficult to parse.  what do you mean?  because what is under the isolation platform is a solid but otherwise pretty standard credenza.

@ledoux1238 this sounds like quite the arrangement of woods and footers you have there.  i thought my cms footers on the isolation platform were a bit much but it sounds like you have two layers of wood and footer.  love to see a photo.

@pindac you seem to have the same idea as @dover perhaps.  i wish the turntable would be OK on my wall platform but frankly i think 50kg might be too much.  also fitting motor in is tricky,  one day i will get serious and get a stand, but until that time it is the credenza for me.

lewm
14,669 posts
 

If your system is on a concrete slab supported by earth underneath, you can get away with almost any sort of stable stand or shelving and even better with some vibration absorbing footer or shelf directly under the TT itself.

dover
2,498 posts
 

@dover i find your comment quite difficult to parse.  what do you mean?  because what is under the isolation platform is a solid but otherwise pretty standard credenza.

Credenzas are typically a conglomeration of complex uncontrolled resonances.

They are usually the worst type of furniture for a turntable. That’s why Linn promoted light rigid TT stands all those years ago. If they are solid wood, they still have uncontrolled panel resonances, if they have MDF or HDF then your TT is sitting on weetbix.

Light frames don’t store as much energy, and therefore the resonances are easier to control.

Racks are really a nightmare for any audiophile, because there is no perfect rack.

Most use combinations of materials to control resonances and vibrations from the floor.

I don’t like steel because it is magnetic

I don’t like aluminium because aluminium can cause hysteresis distortion with electrical signals.

Wood has resonances.

If I was a gazillionaire I would probably get something made from bronze/copper/carbonfiber composite.

I think if you get rid of the credenza, even a basic rigid steel audio rack will improve the sound quite substantially, you can play around with footers, provided it is rigid.

With my reference TT which weighs 130kg - I currently have it on a rigid steel rack sitting on 2ft thick concrete slab floor sitting on scoria/ground. No lossy materials, I want all energy running to ground. The key is rigidity and direct path to ground. The TT has no suspension, not required by design.

When I had a house with a sprung wooden floor, I put additional vertical beams in a structural wall  and hung it on the wall. 2 men could jump on the wall shelf - no movement.

My second TT ( Garrard 301 which replaced the Verdier ) sits on a Symposium Foundation Ultra rack which seems pretty good without spending a fortune - it is very dead. I’ve heard both a Kuzma M and various Garrards on it - all with excellent results. My reference TT is too heavy for most standard racks.

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