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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
ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 

@thekong Yes, indeed!

And in fact, the deck is fitted with the Callas Audio Modification Kit. Please note the spindle piece behind the platter on the left. The modification allows the adjustement of the platter weight on the spindle bearing. This presumably enhances the bass performance of the La Platine, among other benefits. 

 

A review of the Mod kit can be viewed here:

www.callas-audio.nl/Callas%20Platine%20Mod%20Kit%20Review.pdf.

 

thekong
203 posts
 

@ledoux1238 , the Callas kit is nice! I have looked carefully at the photos of the parts, and "I think" I know how it works. I would be interested to get a set if it was still available!

 

However, instead of the ability of easily adjusting the height of the spindle, I think the biggest improvement comes from the tighter tolerance bearing. For the spindle height, IF the theory is that the best adjustment is for the ball to just touches the platter, and bear as little weight as possible, then I may have, inadvertently, arrived at the best, or nearly the best, adjustment without the Callas kit. Now, if I only have a bare platter on (i.e. no mat, no LP), the platter floats so slightly above the ball, probably a fraction of a mm. I can push down on the platter with my fingers and feel it sink slightly. With the mat and LP on, the platter rest solidly on the ball with no play. 

ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 

@thekong I suppose with careful adjustment of the ball / platter interface, you could  allow a fraction of the weight of the platter to bear on the bearing. This will achieve a more controlled bass response according to the reviewer of the mod kit above. 

According to an early poster on this thread, Mr. Verdier began supplying the ball after requests from customers, and thought the the deck would work without the ball; so the Mod Kit was an attempt to improve on a perceived weakness by some, but not by the maker.

What is a bit confusing for me regarding the reviewer’s comments on the Mod Kit is the claim that the Continuum Caliburn uses magnetic bearing with adjustable bearing weight. From what I can find, the Caliburn is an air-bearing, vacuum hold-down deck. The newer Continuum Obsidian however does employ magnets.

 

 I am not using the ball.  

ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 

@thekong BTW what record weight are you using?

thekong
203 posts
 

@ledoux1238 , I think you have confused the Continuum with the Rockport. If you look at Fremer’s review on the Caliburn in Stereophile , he clearly stated that the Caliburn used "conventional" ball and thrust plate bearing, but with magnetic levitation, keeping only 6 lbs of pressure on the ball. The review also mentioned, Mark Doehmann, designer of the Calibure, believed without the contact point (the ball), the platter would wobble and vibrate to some degree no matter how carefully the platter was machined. No platter could be 100% perfectly balanced! However, Doehmann’s new turntables, the Helix One and Two, don’t seem to employ magnetic levitation!

 

Also, if you don’t use the ball on the Verdier, then with or without record weight on, or with different record weights, will certainly affect the platter height, therefore the VTA / SRA. That is not something I want to deal with!

 

I have not been experimenting with record clamps and weights. While I have the Goldmund Silver and Black, Sota, Teres on hand, I am just casually using the discontinued KL Audio weight on the Verdier.

 

Bests,

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