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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
ct0517's avatar
ct0517
1,798 posts
 
Hi Maril555 – Looking forward to your impressions as well.

When looking at the manual I smile when I read how Mr Verdier discusses the install options for the Platine.
It probably has something to do with the French-English translation.

Install options.

1) heavy and hard wearing furniture.
2) solid wood or steel tubes mounted on wall bearing wall.
3) Sandbox made of wood filled with sand. Lay in the board the table will rest on. :^)

How simple can it get ? Three very clear options offered up for his table.

IMO – based on my experience so far the suspension deals with structure feedback really well in option 1.

I am very interested Maril in hearing how the motor unit on the wall shelf works out.

Platines can support 8 kg center weights.

Hi Pani

My reference arm is a
modded ET 2.5 air bearing tonearm

When Mr. Verdier saw a picture of the Eminent Technology ET2.5 Tonearm he did not recognize it, but he did ask me a few questions. Its not sold in France I guess. I am currently using it with a Soundsmith Retipped Ruby Cantilever Benc Micro MC3. Will be putting my XV1 back on soon. It was rebuilt for me by Axel of Germany.

Cheers
pani OP
1,049 posts
 
Ct0517, it is interesting that I have not yet tried any of the three options mentioned by Mr.Verdier. When I move into my own house, possibly the first thing I will do is to place the TT on a wall mount shelf. However, when Mr.Verdier talks about solid wood heavy furniture I wonder which solid wood is preferable. There is Teak, Rosewood, Maple, Ebony, so many to choose from.

By the way, your setup is very very good. The ET tonearm is highly acclaimed and so is the Granito plinth version of Platine. Have you ever listened to a later generation Platine which has a mdf plinth ? Any impressions ?
ct0517's avatar
ct0517
1,798 posts
 
Thanks Pani – That ET2 tonearm and the Platine share 2
common dna elements. They have both passed the test of time
and both can be highly tweaked / hot-rodded. The room is the
big rock in audio. I have heard two SP10MKII’s in the same
room with different plinths but same tonearm/cartridge. Not
two Platines however. Once into different rooms its apples
and oranges.
imo - How good a table will sound is based more on who set
it up and their knowledge of the gear and room. Its a
learned process, I am still learning with both the ET2 and
Platine. Cheers
pani OP
1,049 posts
 
My initial question remains kind of unanswered, is there a replacement motor and belt drive system for Verdier that I can look at ?
maril555
618 posts
 
Pani,
I would like to know exact the same thing. In my investigations so far, I have found the following options:
Teres- various models, belt, or rim-drive
Galibier-
Red Point-
Battery PS option for stock Verdier motor by Graham Tricker
TW motor and speed controller.
Also various threads (linen, silk, floss, etc.) options for the stock Verdier motor
All of these options are fairly expensive- appr. $1000- 2500, maybe even more (with the exception of Tricker's battery option, which I don't know how much $$$)
I'm not sure about a degree of improvement, those upgrades will afford over the stock motor.
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