Leonard G., Toronto, Canada
Platine Verdier owner, now a Reference Lenco owner:
Let me begin by saying that for most of my life, music has been a passion, with various kinds of music taking turns attracting my attention. I like Bach, Beethoven and Bob Dylan…John Lee Hooker, Ian and Sylvia and Janet Baker…Thelonious Monk, Rev. Gary Davis and Wilhelm Furtwangler. My record collection reflects this. Up until quite recently I barely connected with audiophiles, content to attend concerts, clubs and my record collection, comparing the sound from the records to live music with varying degrees of satisfaction.
Over ten-12 years my system barely changed. My TT was the well known Verdier, amplification from Wyetech, Lowther speakers and subwoofer. For the most part I was quite happy although in retrospect, after a while I had virtually stopped listening to orchestral or big band music.
I heard a Nantais Lenco for the first time on a visit to Wyetech and I was impressed. Almost a year later I still could not get the sound out of my mind, and finally I ordered a Reference from Jean. I have compared the tables as best I am able but I don’t enjoy “shootouts” as much as just plain listening and all the listening I want to do is thru the Nantais TT. At first I thought the Verdier might be better at capturing low level detail…This is emphatically not the case. The Reference gets all the detail sometimes to a shocking degree but it is always part of the music and because it captures the musical event so well you don’t notice the low level detail, until those small, beautiful background tinkles and whispers suddenly appear filling in and completing the tapestry of the musical whole.
I could go on and on and sometime in future maybe I will, but for now let me say, I am now listening with equal joy to all of my records including Big music and music relying on accurate and powerful bass while still enjoying the small group Jazz and vocals that had become staples with me. I recently played an album from Capitol of Leadbelly singing and playing his 12 string guitar. I have had this record for maybe 40 years and have listened countless times. There is a delightful Christmas song and one line goes (or so I thought) “Children go out in the yard and sing on Christmas Day…” Well the Reference is here to tell you that the children are swinging… not singing.
The Verdier is a great TT and I don’t mean to denigrate it in any way. I was, and a great many people will continue to be, very happy listening to music reproduced on it (for the record mine had a battery power supply and I used a linen thread)…Perhaps some are set up and isolated better than mine…for me the difference has been clear, powerful and unmistakable.
I would add that it is a unique experience to have a table specially built for you (and I am sure very gratifying to build one yourself if you are capable and have the time.) But if you wish to build or buy a better table than a Reference by Jean Nantais, I suggest you be prepared for a very long search.
Len