Verdier Upgrade Kit

Hi Tuboo,

The concept of the magnetic platter is that it would float free from the plinth of the TT with the only point of contact at the spindle. A part of your mod kit addresses problems that arises at this point of contact. Correct?

The opposing magnets will always be parallel to each other. As long as the plinth is level, then the platter should be level. The thread/o-ring imposes a lateral force on the platter which will disrupt the stablity of the magnetic platter. And part of your mod addresses the o'ring and the spindle problems. Correct?

Excuse my non-technical discription. But I just want to get a general sense of what you are trying to do. Because as you have said the concept of the Platine is brilliant. So much so, that a non-techie like me could grasp, appriciate, and 'buy' the concept at once.

How did you experiment while coming up with all the mods? I can't imagine you taking a part several Platines.

Again, thank you for your commnets.

Hello Ledoux,

thank you for your genuine interest in the matter.
The Platine is indeed very interesting from an mechanically / acoustically point of view. the idea is utter simple and so brilliant. the paperclip as an invention scores highest.

the levitated platter can be done via opposed magnets or an aircushion. there was an TT (can't remember which make) who achieved just that by having a bath of quicksilver in which the platter floated. it had three motors to centre the platter.
nice idea too, but living with a couple of litres quicksilver in your living room is a very bad idea! it is very toxic matter.

yes in theory all will be parallel, base and platter.
we have to count in the machining tolerances*. i level my own Platine with a very accurate digital leveller but thats more due to the Kuzma Airline which needs extremely precise levelling and need of beeing exactly parallel with the platter. (boy did i spend time here to get that)

yes indeed the thread (or any drive) will impose instability and will impose a very low frequency resonance at the springs suspension.
the TT iself by its big mass is a very non-resonant beeing.
as said any mass above a spring suspension is instable, and vice versa.
with any TT the resonance or any deviation in speed etc will be magnified at the needle, and again magnified by amplification and speakers. so we have a perfect laboratorium to listen to anything bad happening at the beginning.
that's why it is so obvious that when discarding the thread drive (with a 'better' motor or whatever) everybody reports on having much better performance.
as said the impression is so strong that the stock motor gets the full blame in some cases. "throw it away !"

any Platine owner using the stock thread can very easily try out the 'solid base' experiment. put three wooden blocks or whatever under the Platine base and listen to what happens before and after.
with such sensitive arms like the Schroder or even the Airline it get's even more magnified.
such an experiment will give great insight, and will inspire to further investigate and maybe put a reply here :-)

the stock motor with this setup (and preferably with the special rubber o-ring) will give a speed accuracy and evenness that is beyond remarkeable.
i remember the moment that the most important mods got together and i re-discovered my own Platine yet again.
that moment i knew i was onto something.
i will take more -and hopefully better- pictures of the kit in which any Platine owner can get a better clue.

* with the stock Platine bearing and spindle i've measured 7/100th to 1/10th of a millimetre axial play at the perimeter (unevenness) and with my new bearing and spindle i measured 5/100th to 7/100th. this is done by further minimising tolerances at the bearing. if the tolerances between spindle and platter could be minimised too that figure would maybe drop (guess) to a 4/100th mm. with these tolerances different oil comes into play, thats why the VDH oil.

exciting message: i scored another 28 pristine Vinyl ECM titles at Ebay.. sooo many records soo little time.

i will take more -and hopefully better- pictures of the kit in which any Platine owner can get a better clue.

Hi Tuboo,

Yes you should take better photos and make a better presentation to the audiophile public of your mod.

I am reminded of the new Wilson Audio marketing compaign for its speaker. While you could hardly 'see' anything, and certainly hear nothing, the responses have been more woo's and ah's. Now that's marketing for you.