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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
ledoux1234
2 posts
 

@mr_gray 

For those of us who do not use the ball, the clearance between the two magnets is about 10-11mm. 

I have tried Colton thread to terrible effects. The ones I used were almost wool threads. Both the viscose and silk threads are good. @dover mentioned the Eclipse motor system from SOTA. I wrote to Donna @ SOTA, and she confirmed that the motor works with thread drive. A previous poster from France with a Nouvelle La Platine used the SOTA motor. As SOTAs are suspension type TT, the Eclipse may be a good alternate.

On the other hand, Thom from Galibier has developed a motor for his own design as well as for Verdier. Though he is adamant that his motor only works for non-suspended TT. He recommends defeating the suspension on the La Platine, and use Kapton flat belts. His motors have been used on La Platine. As opposed to the SOTA motor which employs a feedback loop, The Roadrunner, the Galibier runs ‘nude’, so to speak. 

Your enthusiasm for the La Platine is quite infectious. I have taken more relaxed attitude towards the La Platine, preferring to just enjoy the music it produces. But you have force me to maybe take up a few projects on the La Platine to further enhance its abilities. 
 

BTW, I have had problems with signing onto Audiogon, so I changed my user name. 

lewm
13,508 posts
 

I am wondering whether the Eclipse system including the Roadrunner speed monitor can be used with the Verdier, because the Roadrunner depends upon a Hall sensor that "reads" a tiny, weak magnet that rides on the underside of the platter. Thus the huge magnets that levitate the platter and would be in the vicinity of the Hall sensor may interfere with accurate reading, AND the Hall sensor and magnet where they pass over each other require a total of more than 10-11mm of space between platter and base for clearance (referring to the previous post that mentions the width of the space between magnets. You might want to consult with SOTA on this question before proceeding with purchase.  If it’s a problem, there may be ways to get around it.

ledoux1238 OP
315 posts
 

@lewm 

The sensor would be placed on the underside of the aluminum alloy platter which overhangs the magnets by about 4cm. The actual magnet sensor is approximately 5mm. If it is placed close to the edge of the platter, then there would be a 3.5cm clearance from the two La Platine magnets. This  may be enough to avoid any disturbances, but it really has not been tested. 


@xdr wrote about his experience with the Eclipse on the La Nouvelle, the baby brother / sister of the La Platine. The Nouvelle does not use magnetic repulsion on the platter, so his application of the Eclipse motor had no problems. 

lewm
13,508 posts
 

Keep in mind that, at least for the Phoenix Engineering gear, the progenitor of the Eclipse system, the distance between the magnet and the Hall sensor, when the magnet passes over the sensor, is optimally one-eighth of an inch.  That’s about 3mm. If what you describe would permit that close spacing without exposing the sensor or the magnet to the considerable field strength of the magnets that support the platter or if the sensor is impervious to that magnetic field, then fine.

ledoux1238 OP
315 posts
 

@lewm 
The more I look at the La Platine, the more I think you are correct about the incompatibility of the Eclipse drive system with it. 
I doubt if SOTA would provide a definitive answer. It would be good to hear from someone who has tried.

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