2020 update : JC Verdier La Platine
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!
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AC motors vs DC. I'm sure some will debate but here is my take - AC motors lock to frequency and any speed errors are self corrected by the fields within the motor. DC motors rely on measurement and feedback to maintain speed, in other words they require speed error to draw more power from the power supply. Also AC motors, when they speed correct, the recovery behaviour is sinusoidal. When DC motors are corrected, the recovery behaviour is trapezoidal. So in my view the speed correction is smoother and more benign with an AC motor. DC motors rose to prominence because DC controllers are simple ( voltage controlled ) and cheap to make. Speed controllers for AC motors are far more complex because you have to control frequency rather than voltage. Now from my experience with a huge range of TT's I have a view that you want a big AC motor. My reference TT uses a regenerated power supply, a preamplifier that generates both a regulated sine wave, and a separate regulated cosine wave to drive the two sides of the motor. The preamplifier feeds the sine and cosine waves into a power amplifier that drives the AC motor. The motor is about the size of a decent sized fist and drives a 26kg platter. Compared to the big Micro Seikis that use DC motors, my reference has far better speed stability and precision. Same when I tried the reference motor on the Verdier - massive improvement. Specifically the bottom end is much cleaner and tighter. I also have a couple of idlers - Garrard 301 & Pioneer/Exclusive broadcast idler. The idlers slaughtered my Platine Verdier again on speed stability and precision, bottom end timing. Though not up to my reference TT they are the closest of any other TT's I have experienced. I omit the Technics SP10mk3 from this comment - it has a very tight bottom end and good timing, but the grey wash and lack of transparency compared to my reference I find not musical. I have come to the conclusion that the key to the idlers is not just the lack of elastic rubber belt, but I think the large AC motors employed contribute to the "idler" sound. Discussions I have had with Win who designed the Saskia suggest we are in agreement. His suggestion for the Verdier was exactly what I proposed - pull a big AC Paps motor out of an Empire - no-one makes AC motors as good as these any more. The AC motor in my Pioneer/Exclusive broadcast idler is about 50% bigger than the Garrard and it is dead quiet, as in dead, unless the idler wheel is engaged you cannot hear a thing. Nobody makes these AC motors today. I note that the new reference from SME, the model 60 has an AC motor.
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@ledoux1238 There is a Thread on this forum that made a reference to the LDA. The use of the device is to have it receiving the Input Power from the Power Cord and the output from the device will connect to the TT's IEC Power Cord Connector, hence supplying the TT with a improved power upply. The first time I ever heard it in use was as a prototype, on a system that has a substantial purchase value, and the Idler Drive and Belt Drive it was used with showed substantial improvements. Later down the line I had a loan of the final design for a few months, and put it to use in other systems and against other Speed Controllers the LDA was the preferred device being made known by all attendees at the arranged demonstrations. On a UK forum there were also reports being made where it was stated attaching this device to CDP's or CDT's ? had a very noticeable effect for the better as well. |
@dover Thank you for the primer of AC motor. Going down this route in search of an upgraded motor would really require quite a bit of research, certainly not a plug and play option. Just a quick search on ebay on ac motors turned up various vintage models. Quite bewildering! I will report back. @pindac I reached out to Nick, though I am quite out of my depth here. The LDA is not a drop-in solution vis-a-vis the existing Verdier Motor / controller. Modifications will have to be preformed to the existing or coupled to a new ac motor? It has been quite an interesting turn of discussion. @phantom_av This line of discussion may not have been what you were looking for, but certainly food for thought. It was certainly for me. Thanks all! |
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