Hi @ledoux1238 , yes, this kind of optical table is old technology already and you can get them from many different places now! Since I live in Hong Kong, I have easy access to similar optical tables from China costing as low as US$700-800. However, I have not tried them yet, so can’t tell whether they can perform at similar level as the TMC.
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!
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!
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- 537 posts total
@ledoux1238 the rack was made for me by my Audio Note dealer who is also it seems an excellent carpenter/cabinet maker. It is well secured into the double brick wall and the rack itself fit onto a "thing" that he bolted to the wall. Making the main issue shear force I feel which the brick seems well able to resist. you can see it in the photo i posted 2 pages back. i really like the look of your la platine @ledoux1238 . your layered cake of isolation looks incredible (accentuated by how the photo has been stretched i am sure). i really like the thick blocks of wood. you have an enviable amount of magnet lift too.
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@ledoux1238 any update on your new motor? after mounting the platine on a wall shelf i haven't tweaked anything in 5 days. feel bereft. i think i have ended up precisely where @dover might have predicted. totally rigid setup, suture silk, light weight on ball, original motor. i was reading about turntables in some regard the other day and the idea was made that a TT can either do a disappearing act or be brash and dynamic. i don't know if i could buy in to the dichotomy but certainly amongst other properties perhaps the platine does disappear. the music peels out without any mechanical artifact.
i do have one thought and that is to try and run the platine more in the fashion Verdier did. so i thought i might try and get the fr64s arm on with say a denon-103 cart. get it off the ball and let it rip. |
- 537 posts total