2020 update : JC Verdier La Platine

I had to watch a video of Royal Trux as I was unfamiliar with the band. 
 

Your cartridge choice for the Safir is interesting, light and high compliance. But I remember Safir being a very heavy and stiff arm, so a heavier and low compliant cartridge might obtain even better results? The Safir with its unique bearing and stiff wand is really quite nice. I wondered if you could comment a bit more on the Safir as compared to other arms in your stable. Fremer’s review described how the bass produced by the Safir without resonant coloration brought forth the clarity, detail and transparency of the entire sound spectrum. I guess that’s what you mean by no ‘mechanical artefacts’.

How did you come upon the Transrotor belt? It has a round profile instead of flat ? What material ? 
 

when fremer reviewed the safir i recall he used a variety of carts that wouldn't traditionally work with something of such high eff. mass.  i can't say i see any issues in use.  i agree it seems likely that another cart might do even better.  i have a used lyra delos i will try.  but the art9/safir combo seems extremely good.

i think the lack of artefact is a "sense" that is to a large extent contributed by the la platine.  for example one doesn't hear the drive of the tt3 in it.  i will need to hear the setup more to try and locate any specific contribution from Safir relative to others.  definitely an aspect of its performance is bass and a lack of distortion.

i caved and have applied thread already.  the transrotor is round and skinny and was recommended by an experienced la platine user.  however i had to try thread (not the "right" thread, but instead synthetic sewing thread that is very skinny).  it sounds even better with the skinny thread i think.  soon i will have thread that is closer to the originally endorsed "Verdier" thread and i will give that a shot.  

last night i listened to Princess Chelsea's latest record (NZ band - "everything is going to be alright").  it felt like i could hear everything without any distortion.  clean and clear bass.  backing vocals that are just tiny touches.  i had atmosphere but no sterility. the art9 is a great cartridge i think and the very cheap AT 670T SUT i bought to use with it is unbelievable.  $400 aud and it sounds flawless.  it even can be used with a range of carts.  i look forward to comparing it to a Silvercore sut i have coming but for now, it doesn't feel like it is doing anything wrong.

i  do think floppiness can be an issue with the verdier.  so with original feet on i am trying to not introduce other forms of floppiness.  i tend to think the synthetic thread is slightly stretchy but not as stretchy as a rubber belt.  rubber belt under tension sounded a bit "meh" and rubber belt with no tension was better but not as good as skinny thread with minor amount of tension.  

i will also see how the "EPDM" belts fair before i come to any final conclusions about preferences.  i have a gold ring belt that is thicker than transrotor but made of epdm and i know from my work with a garrard 401 that the kind of rubber makes a difference.  silicon being about the worst and Viton being one of best.  epdm i have less experience with but others have highly recommended it.

It’s very interesting your comment of the La Platine vs TT3, the former being the more ‘neutral’ deck. I just read through a Safir thread on WBF ( 30 pages  in all ), and it was mounted on more than four or five different La Platines. Please give further impressions of the Safir on the La Platine as you live with it more. I would be very interested. 

I think on various aspect of the La Platine, it comes down to preferences. On the WBF, there are as many who defeat the suspension as there are sticking with it. There is a user, @thekong, who uses a pneumatic platform under the La Platine. And he defeated the suspension of the table to prevent interference. I have a solid wooden platform under both the plinth and the motor. And I would eventually like to place Townshend seismic pods, spring loaded, underneath, so defeating the table’s suspension is a first step.

The least elastic the belt / thread the better is the way to go. I too am using synthetic sewing thread interchanging with pure silk sewing threads. I feel they are better than the original linen thread; but with the linen thread incoming, I would appreciate your thoughts on the matterAnd as mentioned , Galibier Design, sells a Kevlar tape / belt that seems to work best with a suspension less La Platine. 
 

i agree, alot of Safir plus La Platine action.  i asked one user what cart he recommended with the Safir and he said the Aidas Mammoth.  unfortunately that cart costs more than i paid for the la platine!

i have defeated suspension again.  it sounds good.

one thing re: thread/belts.  for me, i almost am too fast with the belts (too fast for 45 rpm, lowest i can achieve is 46).  with tiny synthetic thread i am just making 33.3 but can't get within cooee of 45 rpm.  so i need the thread to solve that issue really (i did previously trial floss and hence my confidence).

it does seem the la platine gets "better" the more squishiness we can pull out of it.  so stiff feet, stiff base for motor, less elastic belt material.  leaving the only squishiness to the magnetic bearing.

speculating but a reason the safir might be a good fit with la platine is because it is very good at extracting bass which hasn't been a reputed strength of la platine.

thread versus rubber belt, the difference to me is the slightest amount more air in the thread presentation.  

ok rec'd thread today.  this is linen thread with light waxing so a good match for Verdier's recommendation i believe.  instantly the speed was perfect for both 33 and 45.  as in i could dial in the speed and be around half way in range.  that felt good.  

sound wise i thought it was instantly better.  the skinny thread i use is slightly elastic and this linen thread is not elastic at all.  

so count me as another vote for linen thread!

it is in extremely poor taste for me to be making a series of posts however:

1.  platine users aren't thick on the trees

2.  i just tried a new cart last night and i just have to say how thrilling it was with the la platine/safir combo.  

a second hand lyra delos i picked up.  magical!  dynamic.  fleshy.  detailed.  perfect fit with my tube system.  really spiced things up!  platine sounding like nothing has ever sounded before.  so seamless.  not hifi but pure and fun and beautiful.  i've got footers on motor, no footers for table and loving the thread!

ledoux, Did you ever get a response from either SOTA or Bill Carlin about whether the magnetic suspension would interfere with the Eclipse/Roadrunner system? Or maybe you have not yet asked.

Lew, thanks for asking but I am not there yet. I rather entertain a second arm than tinker with the motor at this point. 
 

@mr_gray  I think Herb Reichert recently  had a very really positive write-up of the Delos. It’s funny how I lust for the higher level Lyras’, Etna or the Atlas. But I keep hearing good things about the Kleos and Delos. Basically my recent acquisitions of a re-tipped Transfiguration Proteus and a top notch ZYX Ultimate Astro will keep me quite content for a while, but  very happy to know about your Delos experience. 

yes i was inspired by Herb to be sure.  it is really him that's gotten me into a vinyl switch it up mindset rather than "ultimate system" type thinking.

i am using a cheap SUT with the Delos that i picked up for 375 USD.  total expenditure something like 650 USD for cart and SUT.  it is a once in blue moon event but cheap thrills in high end audio!

i have a silvercore SUT coming in 1:10 so we will see if that improves on the 1:14 winding i am currently using via AT 670T

@mr_gray Having now owned cartridges from over $10,000 to vintage MM at $ 375, I, too, subscribe to HR’s approach, as you say a ‘ switch it up mindset’. The MM I have, Audio. Technica AT-170ML stylus in a AT-180ML body, was also TOTL during the 80’s and you learn / hear different qualities from this cartridge. And most certainly it is enjoyable and a keeper. 

What phono stage are you using?

delos with silvercore is a home run.  early days but sounds great.

i have a Audio Note M6 as my RIAA.  it plugs into my integrated amp.

things almost perfect with my turntable setup.  only thought left now is toward an isolating base.  would radically increase expense of project but :

1. i have a footfall issue.  even walking away after dropping needle i might make a skip happen.  not good.

2. everyone says the la platine really does well on a platform like vibraplane etc.  

i guess i would have the la platine on platform and motor not on the platform.  

the main features i find of the la platine that might distinguish it are:

- continuity - no feeling of effort or mechanical intrusion.  with the 401 for example or tt3, one can hear the intense "push push" of the setup. this is nice in some ways. but it seems more pure when it is not there

- silence - small sounds and large sounds occur on a very soundless back ground.  it is as some say "just the music"

i do not have any speed issues nor any w/f issues.  i am on thread and it is excellent.  i might give it one more crack with the cms footers.