PDA

View Full Version : Introduction and technics turntable mat and feet



johncaul
11-04-2011, 19:17
Hello all, it's my first post, so go easy on me! I recently dug an out old technics 1210 that i first bought almost 20 years ago as a mixing deck. I wanted to see if the warmth, detail and involvement I'd read you got from listening to vinyl was all it was cracked up to be. I slapped some old favourites on, sat back and.... Well, the results were disappointing to say the least, muffled, crackly, 2 dimensional... But I'm a fiddler :lolsign: I had a look at the deck and realised the arm was cracked and the stanton cartridge with a stylus the size of knitting needle probably wasn't helping, and so I started walking down the slippery upgrade road. An origin live tonearm, grado cartridge, ISOKinetik rewire, ISOWeight, KAB PSU later and the difference in sound is staggering. Having read a couple of posts here though I wonder if I've missed a few easy mods along the way. Firstly it seems as though the mat is worth replacing- has anyone got any suggestions? Likewise feet?! Also, should I replace the mat completely or just put the new one on top of the old one?! Sorry I know this is a long post, but finally, if anyone's wondering about whether they should buy the KAB record cleaner, do it! I picked one up when I was last over in the US, but i think you can get them shipped for the USD 200 mark. It's a no brainer.

Cheers all :cool:
John

MCRU
11-04-2011, 19:47
There are some technics KIA's here, I started the same path myself a while ago, I recommend the isonoe feet, staggering improvement for under £100, I use the existing technics platter with the power supply removed and a seperate one from time step but there are others. The mat that is the best for use on the stock Technics platter is the Oyaide MJ-12, it is aluminium and requires no other aids apart from a weight of 300g or more to put on top while the record is spinning, the mat is angled by 1 degree and with the weight on top stops the vinyl from warping so it's completely flat and the sound as a result is far better.

If you don't want to spend £200 on the Oyaide mat (it is worth every penny but I sell them so seek opinions from others) the Blue Horizon mat is excellent, better than the Herbies mat and at £65 good value, I would try that first and see how you get on, if you have not heard of Blue Horizon it is owned by the same guy who owns Isotek, they make some seriously good vinyl accessories.

Forum members have used various mats but the Blue Horizon and Oyaide reign supreme for all who have listened to them and now use them.

johncaul
12-04-2011, 15:52
Thanks David, so i guess the new mat would go straight onto the bare platter rather than on the original rubber mat?

Cheers
John

MCRU
12-04-2011, 16:07
Yes it does and suprisingly it does not slip or move as 2 metals together may do! That is the Oyaide one, the blue horizon one is the same goes on top of the technics platter.

chris_broadbent
13-04-2011, 20:51
My SL1210 has time step PSU (original gubbins removed), sorbothane feet, Jelco 750D and Denon DL103 with wood body. Massive improvement over the bog std techy with the arm making the major difference.

However, Ive just taken it a step further and bought and fitted an Applied Fidelity Bearing and Delrin Heavy Platter Mat from the states. I have also sent my cart to esco for a ruby antilever and paratrace diamond.

So how does it sound? Sorry, watch this space, im still waiting for the cart to come back which should be next week!!!!!

John
14-04-2011, 06:51
John could you please pop into the welcome secton here and introduce yourself, we have lots of people who like to help around the 1210 but we a friendly bunch here so introductions are important

Ammonite Audio
14-04-2011, 08:33
My SL1210 has time step PSU (original gubbins removed), sorbothane feet, Jelco 750D and Denon DL103 with wood body. Massive improvement over the bog std techy with the arm making the major difference.

However, Ive just taken it a step further and bought and fitted an Applied Fidelity Bearing and Delrin Heavy Platter Mat from the states. I have also sent my cart to esco for a ruby antilever and paratrace diamond.

So how does it sound? Sorry, watch this space, im still waiting for the cart to come back which should be next week!!!!!

I am no longer a Techy owner, but I would hazard a guess that the Applied Fidelity Delrin platter goes a long way towards matching what the full MN replacement platter can do, since it is designed to be bolted firmly to the (rather flimsy) Technics platter, so the combination should be much stiffer and stronger as a result. Together with a more robust bearing, I think you'll have something rather good to listen to.

MCRU
14-04-2011, 08:41
I am no longer a Techy owner, but I would hazard a guess that the Applied Fidelity Delrin platter goes a long way towards
matching what the full MN replacement platter can do, since it is designed to be bolted firmly to the (rather flimsy) Technics platter, so the combination should be much stiffer and stronger as a result. Together with a more robust bearing, I think you'll have something rather good to listen to.

hugo that should stir things up a bit, until someone has heard both options no one can really say for sure, personally I would say that a delrin mat bolted onto the platter (I have seen the pictures of it) will be much the same as the oyaide mat not bolted on and not knowing what the delrin mat costs I would guess its no cheaper than an oyaide mat and I know which one I would go for, even if I had to pay full price.

Marco
14-04-2011, 08:48
Choice is great, so let's hear about anyone who's used an Applied Fidelity Delrin platter (and bearing) with great results or otherwise!

Look forward to your report, Chris, when the items concerned arrive :cool:

Marco.

Ammonite Audio
14-04-2011, 10:36
hugo that should stir things up a bit, until someone has heard both options no one can really say for sure, personally I would say that a delrin mat bolted onto the platter (I have seen the pictures of it) will be much the same as the oyaide mat not bolted on and not knowing what the delrin mat costs I would guess its no cheaper than an oyaide mat and I know which one I would go for, even if I had to pay full price.

As Mike New has pointed out in the past, the Techy really has issues with the strength and rigidity of core components like the platter, bearing and alloy chassis - hence why he has developed properly engineered solutions for all three. The Oyaide mat itself may be strong, but the underlying platter is not, hence why I hazard a guess that the Delrin mat, bolted to the platter, may be a rather good solution. I don't know what it costs, so price and value do come into the equation. Whatever, I do look forward to reading about Chris's listening experiences with the Delrin mat.

Tarzan
14-04-2011, 15:14
Choice is great, so let's hear about anyone who's used an Applied Fidelity Delrin platter (and bearing) with great results or otherwise!

Look forward to your report, Chris, when the items concerned arrive :cool:

Marco.

x2:cool:

Jim Howard
05-03-2012, 05:35
Hello,

I am Jim Howard of Applied Fidelity. I could probably ask one of my owners to comment on the Delrin mat or I could post their comments they made to me but only with their initials and location.

The concept behind the heavy aluminum/Delrin mat was to provide double the rotating mass of the original platter so it will behave more like the SP 25 or SP 15 models at a reasonable cost.

The Delrin is available in black and this beige off white color. At first I thought the beige was simply de-stressed Delrin so it would stay flat after machining. However the ESd Delrin is actually a static dissapative formulation. If the platter spindle is properly grounded it will function like a zerostat or LP demagnetizer.

I live in a high static area of the United States and this ESd formulation is something really special for us LP lovers.

Feel free to ask any or all questions about the new accoustically decoupled bearing or static dissapative mat.

Kind Regards,

Jim

chris@panteg
05-03-2012, 08:11
Hi Jim

Interesting stuff , but you need to post in the welcome thread next time , ok old chap.

Audioman
05-03-2012, 12:22
Hello,

I am Jim Howard of Applied Fidelity. I could probably ask one of my owners to comment on the Delrin mat or I could post their comments they made to me but only with their initials and location.

The concept behind the heavy aluminum/Delrin mat was to provide double the rotating mass of the original platter so it will behave more like the SP 25 or SP 15 models at a reasonable cost.

The Delrin is available in black and this beige off white color. At first I thought the beige was simply de-stressed Delrin so it would stay flat after machining. However the ESd Delrin is actually a static dissapative formulation. If the platter spindle is properly grounded it will function like a zerostat or LP demagnetizer.

I live in a high static area of the United States and this ESd formulation is something really special for us LP lovers.

Feel free to ask any or all questions about the new accoustically decoupled bearing or static dissapative mat.

Kind Regards,

Jim

Jim. Have you got a web site with prices etc ? I think posting this info in the trade section would be appropriate.

Tarzan
05-03-2012, 19:44
Choice is great, so let's hear about anyone who's used an Applied Fidelity Delrin platter (and bearing) with great results or otherwise!

Look forward to your report, Chris, when the items concerned arrive :cool:

Marco.

x2 Beat me to it Marco:)

Tarzan
05-03-2012, 19:46
Hello,

I am Jim Howard of Applied Fidelity. I could probably ask one of my owners to comment on the Delrin mat or I could post their comments they made to me but only with their initials and location.

The concept behind the heavy aluminum/Delrin mat was to provide double the rotating mass of the original platter so it will behave more like the SP 25 or SP 15 models at a reasonable cost.

The Delrin is available in black and this beige off white color. At first I thought the beige was simply de-stressed Delrin so it would stay flat after machining. However the ESd Delrin is actually a static dissapative formulation. If the platter spindle is properly grounded it will function like a zerostat or LP demagnetizer.

I live in a high static area of the United States and this ESd formulation is something really special for us LP lovers.

Feel free to ask any or all questions about the new accoustically decoupled bearing or static dissapative mat.

Kind Regards,

Jim

Yep could you send me a bearing to review free of charge ta!:lol: