Change of supplier for the SL-1200 bearing and platter

[Dave Cawley]

Some AoS members might have wondered why I recently resisted giving any information about the SL-1200 PSU/bearing/platter issue?

I posted this earlier on my new forum www.time-step.net where I will entertain 'some' questions. It does explain things I hope?

__________

Some of you might know the history and pedigree of our Timestep weather satellite receivers? The PROscan receiver is now over 20 years old and is the first choice for the Worlds Military. The design hasn't changed one bit in those 20 years and many of the very first batch are still working without ever having being repaired or serviced.

We aim to do the same with our Hi Fi products. All our products need to be serviceable, reliable and of the very best performance/quality achievable. It should be noted that I as MD of Timestep first proposed in public three ideas for the SL-1200 and they are, a new bearing with captive oil and a ball/thrust pad, a solid aluminium platter and a new plinth/chassis. OK someone got the PSU idea before me, damn!

We have commissioned one of the very best turntable manufacturers to make the ultimate SL-1200 bearing and platter for us. Our existing low cost Timestep bearing will stay, as it punches far above its weight for a very modest price. However the Mike New bearing and platter have been discontinued by us. Until the end of this year, customers who have bought either bearing from us will be eligible for an upgrade. The Timestep bearing will qualify for a 100% part exchange, so what you paid for it will be given in part exchange. The Mike New bearing will qualify for a completely free upgrade and we recommend all users avail themselves of the offer as we can not provide any service, back up or warrantee/guarantee for this bearing after 2010.

We are dedicated to the SL-1200 and have quite a few tricks up our sleeve, and also the SP-10!

Regards

Dave



_______________

[Nigel]

So the new bearing will be even better than Mike New's?

[kininigin]

What will happen to the bearings that have been part exchanged?

[DSJR]

One doesn't ask questions like that....... ;)

[kininigin]

i couldn't help myself ;)

[SteveW]

Thanks for clearing up that little mystery Dave.
Great to see you back on here, and even more to see that the development of the techy has not faltered.

[YNWaN]

How does Mike New feel about this - did he not develop these items?

[kininigin]

__________



We are dedicated to the SL-1200 and have quite a few tricks up our sleeve, and also the SP-10!

Regards

Dave



_______________
Would this be regarding the new plinth/chassis? This is the upgrade that really intrigues me.

[YNWaN]

How does Mike New feel about this - did he not develop these items?

Ah, I now see precisely how he feels about it :(.

[chris@panteg]

So Dave and Mike are now in direct competion ! .

We now have more choice and Mike already hitting the ground running with some competetive pricing ' its getting interesting .

[Dave Cawley]

Guys

It's been over a day now and some answers are to be found at http://www.time-step.net/showthread.php?72-Change-of-supplier-for-the-SL-1200-bearing-and-platter Marco asked me to address 'some' of the others, so here goes!

The other answers are:-

The Mike New bearings returned will be destroyed. The Timestep bearings will be refurbished and offered to Timestep and AoS forum members at just over half price with a lifetime guarantee.

Members who bought a Mike New bearing from me, will be able absolutely free of charge to upgrade to our Timestep HR bearing. It will retail at the same price and there will be no cost, nothing to pay. We will absorb this loss as a gesture of good will and give a lifetime warrantee. Customers of our 20 year old PROscan receiver know and trust us, we have been around a long time, and plan to be here for another 40 years.

It is well known that we will eventually release a new plinth and new electronics. However recent events have hardened my philosophy that hurrying to bring untested products to the market place may be a short term gain, but a long term loss, to everyone.

Direct competition? no not really. When you see the new bearing and platter, admire the professional design and finish, and word leaks out about which turntable manufacturer made them for us, then in my view, there will be no competition.

Is the new bearing/plinth better than xxxx's, yes they are and they are designed to work in a holistic way with our new (not yet released) PSU and future upgrades. Having this control is good for us and for our customers.

Regards

Dave

[chris@panteg]

Very clear to me Dave '

looking forward to seeing and hearing the bearing and platter , only 2 names that i can think of and yes the quality will be 2nd to none .

SME or Avid ?

[Stratmangler]

Does your bearing and platter manufacturer hail from Steyning perchance, Dave ?

[DSJR]

There are other UK manufacturers you know, making high tolerance parts for their turntables - and tonearms..... ;)

Exciting times for techie owners :)

[YNWaN]

Not SME then

[Stratmangler]

There are other UK manufacturers you know, making high tolerance parts for their turntables - and tonearms..... ;)

Exciting times for techie owners :)

Actually, I'd forgotten the chap whose engineering company made the Blue Pearl Audio Jem, so that's another possibilty.
There's also Avid.

Michell work predominantly with acrylic.

You're not going to include Linn with such exalted company are you ?

[Joe]

Are BSR still going?

[chris@panteg]

Are BSR still going?


Lol ' surprised you didn't say Winfield:rolleyes:

Roksan could do it! as could linn but my money's on SME .

[Snoopdog]

Actually, I'd forgotten the chap whose engineering company made the Blue Pearl Audio Jem, so that's another possibilty.
There's also Avid.

Michell work predominantly with acrylic.

You're not going to include Linn with such exalted company are you ?

Martin Easton was the gifted machinist behing Blue Pearl Audio. I think the JEM was their only product.

[Joe]

There's also Nottingham Analogue ...

[DSJR]

There's also Rega, and they've been involved in other projects too over the years :)

Dave won't say a word until he's ready and by that time, there'll be a lot to tell with other things too I expect.

[Stratmangler]

Martin Easton was the gifted machinist behing Blue Pearl Audio. I think the JEM was their only product.

He did make a baby brother TT - not as massive in the engineering stakes.

I heard that at one of the Manchester Airport shows, and it was scarily good.
He also took the Jem with him, but the arm got smashed in the van by a lump of granite, so I never got to hear that:(
I did play with just spinning the platter on the Jem - I think it weighed around 40 kilos, and utilised a mag-lev bearing.
It took a fair bit of effort to get the platter going, but once moving it just span on, and on, and on........

[Mike]

I think it weighed around 40 kilos, and utilised a mag-lev bearing.

Jeez, must have some magnets!... did wristwatches and stuff start flying across the room toward it? :eek:

[Macca]

He did make a baby brother TT - not as massive in the engineering stakes.

I heard that at one of the Manchester Airport shows, and it was scarily good.
He also took the Jem with him, but the arm got smashed in the van by a lump of granite, so I never got to hear that:(
I did play with just spinning the platter on the Jem - I think it weighed around 40 kilos, and utilised a mag-lev bearing.
It took a fair bit of effort to get the platter going, but once moving it just span on, and on, and on........

A mag-lev turntable? Tell me more...

[Stratmangler]

A mag-lev turntable? Tell me more...

Verdier use the same idea.

[YNWaN]

My deck has a mag-lev bearing - has had for a few years now.

[Dave Cawley]

A mischievous friend of a competitor, on another thread on AoS has tried to suggest our SL-1200 PSU is $600! At today's exchange it is actually $394.56 Or $450 landed, not $600 however you look at it?

Dave

[chris@panteg]

To be fair ,was he not referring to the HR psu @ £399 = $600 of your US dollars give or take ?

[prestonchipfryer]

Even if it was $600 (which it ain't) it would still be a bargain!

John

My t/t: Technics sl1200, SME V, Timestep psu, Mike New bearing (soon to be replaced by the new Timestep bearing and platter), Dynavector 20

[Dave Cawley]

If it's like for like, then it is the stanard one. Otherwise the comparison is even more biased?

Dave

[anthonyTD]

There's an old saying,,,nothing good comes from ill gotten gains!!!
think on.
A...