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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
Post removed 
mr_gray
143 posts
 

posting photos on here is not so easy i think.

 

anyway i did manage to get my motor going today as the large pulley arrived.  it works great!  i will listen more tonight late when the power is quiet but my impression is very good.  it seems to stay at a speed very well i think.  it is silent in ways the stock motor (which is quite old) is not.  i thought i would have alot of slippage and it might not make speed.  no such issue.  it looks very makeshift right now (taped to a crucible full of coins) but it works quite well.  

dover
2,365 posts
 

@ledoux1234 

You might want to put some CRC/penetrating oil on those rusty screws and let it soak in - otherwise if they are undone they may well break.

I normally replace junk machine screws with T304/316 stainless on my gear and put a dob of oil on the new screws before insertion - this will prevent seized screws.

Might be interesting to try a silk thread on the Jasmine motor.

If you are going to use it long term then I would suggest getting a pulley made with a concave groove which would have significant benefits for both the thin round rubber belt and silk thread. The standard pulley profile on the Jasmine is not ideal for anything.

ledoux1238 OP
353 posts
 

@mr_gray As for posting photos, I use the web-site 'postimages.org'.  Register first  and it will prompt you to upload a photo. Once uploaded, it will provide a link.  Copy the link. Return to your Audiogon discussion and click on the photo icon above. And there will be  two prompts to paste your copied link, one for photo info another for link.  Your photo should appear after you have paste on both prompts. Yes, It's a pain in the *ss. And I don't know how to format the photos therefore they are all distorted.

With the new motor, are you having to fiddle with the speed adjustment at all? Are you using silk thread? What kind of housing are you using?

With the Jasmine motor and this thin belt, I had to adjust the speed quite a bit to get it running at 33.33 rpm. The original La Platine motor also provides a switch between rubber belt and thread belt. 

@dover  Thanks for the advice on changing screws and oil. Changing out the  bulging pulley on the Jasmine definitely would help. 

This much is clear, issues of   motor and the interaction between motor and belt require further invsetigation. 

 

mr_gray
143 posts
 

OK for new motor:

- definitely this is an improvement over the DC motor (which to be fair was quite old)

- it keeps speed much better - mainly during music i don't feel i am hearing any quavering.  it is almost cd like in its speed stability (and frankly astonishing how much the speed controller dictates sound - with the Long Dog it sounds just like it did on my Garrard - a sense of rock solid time)

- i still need to do the normal fussing to get the right speed though.  this involves adjusting belt tension.  it seems to me the new motor wants sone belt tension and i think this is to negate slippage (not so much of a problem with the old motor as i could so readily adjust over a very wide range of speeds by increasing or decreasing voltage).  but once fussing done i can leave it.  it wants to stick at that speed.

- quieter.  better bass.  dynamics are very good.  normal yadda yadda.

- Cabaret is a record that keeps giving.  last night it found a whole nother tranche of thrills to give me.  it is hard to believe.

- with all of my recent improvements which includes new motor, better isolation, better cable management, double silk - i have never heard anything like it.  i have really arrived somewhere.  this is what i dreamt hifi could be.  i find the system far more entertaining away from perfect power (after midnight) times.  

 

i wish i could post a photo of my make shift motor.  but apparently i can stick a motor together but not post photos on audigon.  i almost got there with your help @ledoux1238 but not quite.  what other boxes do i need to fill in?  i posted my link in the two places provided for that.  i will try again with a smaller file size.

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