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After market Motor + Belt drive for Verdier

I have been looking to upgrade my TT motor and belt drive for some time now. I use a Nouvelle Verdier and its only sore point is its motor and silk thread drive. It is not bad, it gets the job done. The sound is neat and in general non-offensive. However, when I used a 0.25 inch magnetic tape (reel to reel) to drive the platter the overall sound became more dynamic, voices sounded younger, instruments sounded happier. It was as if the pitch of all the instruments became more realistic. But then I also heard more of the irregularities of the motor rotation, the timing of instruments messed up a little. The background was no more as clean as the thread drive.

This told me two things:
1. Silk thread is good but it affects music in a way that makes the performance a bit sleepy.

2. The stock motor is not good enough to accommodate a tighter coupling with the platter.

So, I am now looking for after market motor and belt drive solution. I looked at Teres motor but for that to work they require a sensor to be placed under the platter but my TT doesnt have enough gap between the platter and plinth to place the sensor. I am looking for some viable suggestions here.

A friend of mine suggested me to consider a flywheel between the motor and the platter which will absorb the motor irregularities. I dont know if it is worth a try because I see many good TTs do not have a flywheel, that means a good motor is all I need I guess but I am open to the flywheel idea also.
pani
pani OP
1,236 posts
 
Maril555, I am yet to find a platform that is totally satisfying. However I have tried quite a few which includes a solid steel rack, TAOC isolation platform with TAOC spikes, Hutter Rack and currently using a Naim Fraimlite with a MDF platform on top. This MDF platform rests on a Yamamoto PB-4-2 spike systems on the Fraimlite. This is playing well. The Yamamoto spike system is very good compared to typical spikes and spike bases sold by audiophile companies. The problem around Verdier is it doesnt like a very hard surface (granite, marble etc) nor something too soft. Some Verdier users told me that a solid wood platform made of Ebony is supposedly superb, here is an example:
http://www.chameleonracks.com/
pani OP
1,236 posts
 
ct0517, You are quite fortunate to be able to do reel to reel. Someday possibly I will also try to get one.

I agree with one of your suggestions that when the thread is driving the bottom half of the platter the sonics are better. I could not point a finger at why it so happens, but now that you have mentioned, I can see a logical reasoning behind it. Here is a setup which I like just by listening through the Video. This guy is a Verdier dealer and has optimized the Verdier at his shop. He uses a Teres motor with 0.5 inch Mylar tape drive:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVs3XaBGco

BTW, what tonearms and cartridges have you used with the Verdier ?
maril555
619 posts
 
I have m maple rack, that I'm going to try first. Though the size of the top shelf doesn't allow for the pulley-to-spindle distance to be more than 12"
I'm thinking about using wall-mounted shelf just for the motor, it'll be big enough to try various distances b/w TT and the motor
And I'm waiting for 10" GrahamPhantom Supreme arm delivery
My cart is Dynavector XV 1S with Ruby Soundsmith cantilever
pani OP
1,236 posts
 
Very good combination Maril555. Please do report back on what it sounds like.

I am planning on a Naim ARO with either Dynavector XV1s or Lyra Skala.
maril555
619 posts
 
I sure will
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