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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
3,191 posts
 

The Manual Levelling Designs are much cheaper and also cancel out frequencies desirable to be cancelled in audio.

Migrating Amplitude from Ambient Energies is always worthwhile to look into measures for managing it,  when a TT is the system source and the mounting of the TT and supporting ancillaries are the important consideration.

thekong
217 posts
 

When placing a La Platine with hard footer on a pneumatic platform, I would certainly place both the main unit and the motor on the same platform, and may put a thin layer of Isodamp sheet, or Isodamp footer, under the motor for some further damping. 

ledoux1238 OP
341 posts
 

@thekong

I tend to agree with your view on a continuous platform for both motor and plinth. However, the platform would receive substantial different weight distribution between the two units. My thought was to use Townshend seismic pods with different bearing loads to even out things out. If one were to use a Vibraplane, does it have the footprint to hold both units? I seem to remember someone using a Minus-K under the La Platine and it was difficult to achieve balance.

I recall reading WBF, maybe, that like @mr_gray you also use a Kuzma Safir on the La Platine. Do you still use it? What cartridges have you tried? What other arms have you tried?

lewm
13,775 posts
 

Theory says you want the motor and the chassis to react ideally in the exact same way to external disturbances, so as to maintain stable belt tension at all times. That helps optimize speed constancy. Therefore theory says don’t put isodamp under the motor without similarly treating the chassis and definitely do put both on the same shelf/platform. 

thekong
217 posts
 

Hi @ledoux1238, yes I was using the Safir with the La Platine on an optical pneumatic table, but I have since moved the Safir to another TT. The Safir matches well with the EMT VM as well as the Dynavector XV 1S. My latest arms on the La Platine are the Kuzma 4Point14 and the Schroder CB. Actually I am going to move soon, and I am considering taking this down time to commission a custom plinth made of aluminium/brass or granite, modelled after the Basis Transcendence smiley Maybe I am biased, but I have always felt the MDF plinth of the La Platine could be improved. Actually, I am quite surprised that while many tweaks have been proposed for the La Platine, I have never seen anyone mentioned a change of plinth other than the Auditorium 23 granito plinth and OMA slate plinth!

 

For a pneumatic platform like the Vibraplane, they have 3 to 4 pneumatic “footers” under the platform for levelling！For the passive units, users have to check the levelling periodically, as there could be some leakage. For the active units, after the initial set up and levelling, the platform would automatically level itself every time the pumps are turned on. If needed, a larger piece of granite/aluminium could be placed on the platform to support the large footprint of La Platine. Of course, the maximum support weight of the platform needs to be taken into consideration! 

 

MinusK is very effective in isolating vibration, but levelling it is a bit tricky and time consuming! You have to move  the TT around, and may need to use some ballast weight to achieve levelling, and unless the main unit is placed exactly at the platform’s centre, putting the record weight (if it is heavy) on and of will affect the levelling. Since you have to readjust the motor’s position every time you put on a new string, you also have to rebalance the platform !

 

A word of caution about the Seismion, a few of my friends were using the first generation Seismion and reported reliability issues. 

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