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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
132 posts
 

will do if he ever replies to my initial enquiry.  

i cleaned up my platter.  i didn't follow @dover great advice.  i just used sone "gumption" (a cleaning paste).  turns out most of the gunk was sticky tape residue i think from when it was posted to me.  

i also re-levelled.

i then installed fresh silk thread.

the wow and flutter numbers i got and speed stability were very good.  best ever.  wow down to 0.03 on the shaknspin2.

the sound was amazing.  even during the day it was amazing.  late at night (after midnight) it was something else.  there is the music.  nothing mechanical is heard.  the dynamics are great.  the top end is great.  the bass is great.  it makes me wonder what i did to get here.  i think essentially:

- got the platine working as it should (no bearing contact)

- levelled tonearm

- rigid footers (motor and table)

- double silk (gives a little bit and this seems ideal for current setup)

- less variable platter diameter and smoother "release" of thread.  previously lumpy and sticky - no good.

next steps are:

1. try new motor i cobble together (AC synchronous with long dog speed controller)

2. try isoacoustics gaia feet on motor to see if less "chatter" is communicated to table (stethoscope says this should work) than when using CMS feet.

dover
2,360 posts
 

Personally I'm not a fan of DC motors - they are used because they are cheap and easy to control. DC motors essentially require constant measurement and speed correction, they only produce torque when the speed is out and being corrected,  whereas AC motors lock to frequency. There is a lot more to say but it would take a book.

In terms of speed correction from undulating loads, AC motors self correct due to the fields inside the motor. DC motors can mimic this, but the important thing is that of you scope the error correction AC motors self correct sinusoidally, whereas DC motors self correct in a saw tooth fashion ( rough ).

The Long Dog with AC motor should be interesting.

I think the Sota eclipse system would also be interesting - controller and feedback loop with AC motor.

mr_gray
132 posts
 

@dover - for sure.  this AC motor experiment will hopefully yield some discernible result.

i did put the motor on iso acoustics gaia feet last night.  i had done this previously and hadn't liked it.  but i guess i wanted to try again because the logic of it is that the motor as it is produced alot of "chatter" which then goes into the credenza and then into the table etc.  if i could stymie that at source perhaps we get an improvement.  stethoscope said i was onto a winner for sure.  the Gaia feet vastly reduced mechanical noise in credenza.  

the music was sublime.  it was much improved.  i would describe this situation as me having fixed an actual problem.  not just a tweak.  the problem being the motor chatter being transmitted into the credenza.  

the outcome was more range.  more highs.  more lows.  greater differentiation of lows.  it wasn't subtle.  i am now at the point where it is hard to believe it could get much better.  whilst wow and flutter is very low (0.03/0.02) speed variation of 0.2 rpm continues.  

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