The Mike New Technics Bearing

[MikeMusic]

Certainly can.

Thanks for showing those pics Mike

[Mike_New]

Hi Folks,
I am now preparing to post out 10 Bearings to lucky customers who persuaded me to make another batch of 25.
Some of these people placed their orders in mid Feb. (3 from Norway) and I thank them for their patience.
I now have a further 4 for delivery in about 10 days time, so if you are seriously thinking that you should get one, now
is your chance, as this may really have to be the last batch.
And you now know what is inside!!! (see pics on page 118)

[Mike_New]

Hi Folks,
Well I guess now that Ian Mac has discovered that it is to much effort in making one-off mods to the old OEM bearings that people send him. I am the last one standing that can offer a totally re-designed Bearing manufactured in batches of 25, that actually does provide superior sonics as 300 happy users will attest to.
However interest apart from sales, has now very much declined to the point where I must state that I do not believe that I will be producing any more. (*I know I have said this before!!)
I was persuaded to produce this last batch by 11 people who were happy to put down a deposit on one.
I now have 14 available, and I think these will be the very last to be made. A sort of late 2016 vintage.

[CageyH]

I wish you all the best in the sale of the remaining bearings, but must point out that you keep forgetting about the Funk Firm bearing.

[Mike_New]

Hi folks,
I have a small number of precision shafts for my Bearings, that are available to be made up into finished Bearings.
However I still need to purchase the brass bar, carbide pads and the ceramic precision balls.
I am reluctant to do this unless I can be sure of getting at least a few more users. As things are, sales for any upgrades to the venerable SL1200 are now very few and far between.
If I can attract another 5-6 customers then I will proceed to make up 10.
I will accept a pre-payment of $300 by PayPal.
Please make sure that you use the ‘payment to friends or family’ option, otherwise PayPal rip me off $25.00 for supposedly buyer protection, whether the buyer wants it or not. And the supplier has to pay!!!!!
I now do really believe that these will be the last Bearings to be available from me. Sad as it may be for the many people who have enthusiastically embraced my upgrades over the past 5 years. And the just over 300 happy users of the ultimate bearing for the Techie.

I can still offer my ETP Platter and Base Plates as these are totally machined up in my own workshop.

[Mike_New]

I must apologise Cagey,
I tend to overlook all those many people who have tried hard to emulate or copy what I did 6 years ago!!
There are always many snake oil salesmen who try to embellish their efforts by adapting an existing bearing to look like
the totally re-engineered bearing which I designed and manufactured 6 years ago. Before they thought that there may be a few dollars in it for them.
The funk bearing is perhaps an attempt to produce a bearing worthy of comparison with my design. Unfortunately it would seem that he waited to long to do it and has missed the proverbial bus as the interactive interest and enthusiasm for the venerable SL1200 has all but dissipated on a global scale.

The same occured with my original Alluminium Platter, the Copper Bonded Platter and then the ETP version.
I pioneered the concept (and method) that the ferrite magnet could be correctly orientated with the pulse generator, onto
my platters. And of course it was copied by others.
The only upgrade product that no one tried to copy was the Bearing Base Plate which would have been the easiest!!
I do however feel gratified that so many have tried to piggy-back what I have done in the past 6 years, so I will now move on to other challenges.

[Audio Al]

Hi Mike

Sorry to say this but you are beginning to sound like a record that has stuck in the groove

Nobody has exclusivity on any products , look at fishing gear , golf gear , cameras , the list goes on and on

In most things competition is a good thing , Take cars for a example , you could have a 1 million pound vehicle or a £10.000 car they both do the same job , you pays your money and take your pick

I have supported you as I had a choice and own both your bearing and platter ( only because I had the funds at the time )

I say hats off to all who have the skills re designing and producing hifi components , there is a market for everyone , the lower priced items fit in with some budgets and people will buy them , Some people are brand loyal ( as in cameras I'm a Canon man ) other will have used Funk products and will have been happy , some will think improving the std bearing is a upgrade and good for them , they are getting stuck into the hobby and trying these upgrades

Move on Mike , please except you will never have exclusivity same as Funk and Ian Mac won't

PS , I am still enjoying my choice of bearing and platter > YOURS

[Mike_New]

You are up early Al.
I think in your haste to repudiate my observations you have totally missed the point I was making.

[CageyH]

Mike,

Without your products on the market, there will be less choice.
It's a shame, but I wish you all the best with your future endeavours.

[Marco]

+1, and I would like to thank and congratulate Mike for all his work to date in producing the superb products he has for the Technics, which have succeeded in transforming both the performance of my T/T, and most importantly, my enjoyment of music on vinyl. Thanks to him (and Paul Hynes) I now own a turntable that, sonically, is world class!

However, Mike, I can't help but detect an underlying resentment of Ian Mac, and his modified Technics bearings (note that I said modified Technics, not uniquely designed from the ground up like yours), which he's offering our members at not much more than cost, and as such providing a valuable service for those who wish to improve the performance of the Techies, but who unfortunately don't have the wherewithal to buy one of yours.

If I'm right, then unfortunately that attitude, mate, doesn't reflect well on you. It's mean-spirited, smacks of bitterness, and trust me, is doing no favours whatsoever for your reputation....

The fact is, Ian's bearings are aimed at a different market from yours, and as such don't represent *real* competition, but what he does, he does well and fulfils a useful purpose, so you should welcome the fact that even if your 'heyday' is coming to an end [and it wouldn't be, IMO, if you marketed and promoted yourself more, but that's an old story], someone else is taking on the mantle of ensuring that the modified Technics is kept alive!

*That* is the important thing, when looking at the bigger picture, and also the fact that with Ian's bearings, more folks than ever are hearing better music from their Technics T/Ts. For that I wish him all the success in the world, and will continue to support him in any way I can, just as I did you, when you first appeared on the scene, as I applauded what you were doing.

Now it's time for Ian to enjoy that applause, so be gracious and allow someone else to have 'their day', and with it thankful for what you've achieved to date in designing what will for me always be known, with your bearings and platters, as the finest aftermarket upgrades ever produced for the Technics SL-1200

Marco.