Anybody heard Galibier or JC Verdier turntables?

I have a PV with a Battery PSU made by GT Audio in the UK (www.gt-audio.com). Once set up, the only thing you have to do once in a while is top up the oil in the bearing through a tiny grub screw by the record spindle - easy job , takes two minutes. Like the other comments, the PV is a great platform for the music. The addition of a battery PSU elevates it to a significantly higher plane - it lowers the noise floor substantially and improves the dynamic range and makes it quiet.
Graham Tricker at GT Audio in the UK is also the manufacturer of TRON tube amplifiers. distrbuted by Jeff at Highwater Sound in the US. If you want a 110V Battery PSU, I am sure that Graham can make one for you. He exports to lots of happy clients around the world and is a great and honest guy to deal with.

I own a Galibier table with the new graphite interface platter. I have not owned a PV but have been able to hear one on several occasions. Unfortunately, those listening sessions occured in rooms with poor acoustics.
I agree with Salectric and Doug re: battery power and tape drive. The Galibier is an excellent table which is very much "set it and forget it." The sound is remarkable. I have owned many tables over 40 years and none came close to the Galibier. I was new to the high mass design but I am a true believer now.
One of the more positive aspects of the Galibier is the relationship you will build with Thom. He is fantastic to work with. I felt that I was part of the build process. The PV is a great sounding table but I would definately go for Thom's table.

I've had the PV for over a year. My previous tt for over ten years was a Townshend rock III. The PV is one amazing tt, so much so that I don't listen to cds (through a Wadia 16) anymore. Its strength is its ability to simply let the music flow. Ease of set up and maintenance is also its plus. But most importantly, it just makes you want to listen to music. And mind you, I am pairing it with a SME V and Shelter 501. This is not considered the strongest supporting cast. So the strength of the tt will only improve with further upgrades.

Dear "Sir Douglas",unless you have compared the two tables in A/B comparisons,you are merely speculating as to what should sound like what!Also,an "important" aspect of the PV bearing system(or lack of)is that there will be no friction,like a good air bearing design.This surely will have a beneficial impact on performance.That is the "selling point",not reliability.
Sort of like your second favorite tonearm,s "claim to fame",the lack of a bearing resonant signature which negatively impacts the harmonic structure of music.
I'm assuming this,by now,based upon the time frame I was given,can be confirmed by the "probably great by now" Cello's system(not that it was chopped liver when I heard it).I'm assuming,of course,that he has gotten a nice package from Germany!!
But you most likely know this already. -:)

PS-I hope my post does not get too bad a "shrug" from the "great Paul",since you surely must know,by now,that my set-up has been down for a couple of months,and MR Scorpion is getting agitated,and may be waking again. -:)

Best regards!
Mark

Come to Denver with some of us May 13 and find out for yourself what a Galibier and Teres have to offer. Sorry, you'll have to find out what the PV sounds like on yer own. :)

Doug, your comments leave me wondering about bearings and the experiments you mentioned that Chris had tried. Thom is off, I believe to Toronto for the week, so we may not get a response from Galibier about bearing life. I know that you're probably considering that the Teres and Galibier bearing are similar, but I wonder how much they have grown apart.

I know Basis also uses a fairly hefty platter on their higher end tables. Those bearing last for quite some time. I have to admit I don't know the details of the differences in bearing designs between the tables discussed here.