2020 update : JC Verdier La Platine

@ledoux1238 

thank you for your kind comments about my system . It has significantly changed since I posted the pictures . With couple of rtr decks . Will be updating the pictures and the components in my system .

I will defenitely try to compare the platine and nouvelle platine in his shop . That would give me a good idea.

I am upgrading my catridge in my sme from lyra etna lambda sl to lyra atlas lambda sl . Expecting a good improvement.

I am so hooked to analogue with my reel tape machine and vinyl that I think a second table will be an investment that I will be listening to every day .

will listen in my dealers shop and then go from there .

@newtoncr If you do venture into a Verdier, I would sincerely appreciate a follow-up from you. My friend has a SME 30/2 with various arms / cartridge changes, and  I could never get a handle of the differences between the two TT, too many variables. In addition, he has a much more resolved system than mine with Dartzeel and Magico in the loop. I have always been curious about the the true measure of the 30/2. The Lyra Etna Lambda SL is high on my list of the next step up. 

@ledoux1238 

i sure will .

I am also considering the Grand Prix parabolica table. A direct drive table .

another totally different direction of music reproduction.

the platine with the magnet my  audio friends are advising against because of the magnet .  They are sure the flux magnetic head on the atr with the mr70 head amps will pick it up for sure . So the decision is between nouvelle vs parabolica. 

I plan to demo them within a month and decide .

@phantom_av Sorry to be a nuisance, but I was wondering if your Japanese motor experiment is bearing fruit? 

No worries,

Its from Vietnam both motor and controller.

The seller ended up sending me a unit that would not power up. Firstly i asked for the Steel casing he sent me aluminum casing for the motor housing. I was already pissed of about that, second, the motor controller was not working i asked him to send me another one. im still waiting for the controller,

I dont recommend this seller at all, he took the funds really fast kept changing my order, spec and sent me stuff that does not work.

This is why i am not dare to talk about the motor or conroller on here.

@phantom_av Thanks for the update.

I experimented with defeating the suspension of the Verdier using macassar ebony footers. These foorters were sourced locally, 2.5 cm dia. x 5 cm tall. They rest on a 1 cm dia. crystal ball and ebony cup. I use a total of six, four at each corner and two near the spindle. 

The result sonically is a blacker background, better clarity and smoothness on both ends of the frequencies, and more stable imaging with the soundstage. The width and depth of the soundstage seems unaffected. 

I have read in this forum thread from folks who advocate keeping the suspension intact, even for the black MDF plinth version which I own. However, re-reading information on motor control by Thom @thom_at_galibier_design , it seemed to make sense. He is an advocate of tight coupling of motor and platter. And it turns out in my case, I do hear improvement in sound quality. And this is a first step in the road to maybe improving the motor aligning myself with advocates of non-suspended plinth. 

I also use an air bearing linear tracking tonearm and often wondered might it not work better on a non-suspended plinth. Again, there are folks who use ET arms on the Verdier although most LT arms, that I know of, are used on the concrete polymer plinth. In any case, I am happy to report that this sound improving tweak  is working for me. YMMV

@ledoux1238 

Been there, done that, It will sound a lot better again if you use 3 feet only.

@dover Thanks for that tip, written by a true veteran. It took me until yesterday to try it out. I cannot hear a definite improvement, but certainly didn’t hurt.

I know you have moved on from the Verdier, but I am still continually intrigued so I muddle along quite happily.