The Mike New Bearing Base Plate

Hi Ron,

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Getting back to the bearing base plate, if you dig around here you will find that Marco took his highly hot rodded Tekko, minus the base plate over to MartinT also with a highly spected up Tek plus MN base plate installed and Marco could detect hardly any difference? Of course this was some time ago and maybe Marco can jump in here and advise whether he eventually had the MN base plate installed?

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Nope, mate, not yet. But it's something that I may consider doing in future. I'm not really in any hurry to start dismantling my T/T again; I'm more interested in just enjoying the music it makes :)

However, the fact that I didn't really hear any difference at Martin's, with the bearing base plate, I'd suggest isn't indicative of it not making any, but rather the presence of many other variables (the different tonearms on both T/Ts being one such case in point) making it impossible to arrive at any firm conclusions.....

My advice for anyone intending on buying one of Mike's bearings, would be if possible, to buy the bearing and base plate together in one hit, thereby ensuring optimum performance, and the removal of any niggling doubt that one hasn't maxed things out, which is precisely what I would've done had the base plate been available when I bought the bearing, and had it fitted to my T/T, by DC :cool:

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Hi Ron,



Nope, mate, not yet. But it's something that I may consider doing in future. I
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My advice for anyone intending on buying one of Mike's bearings, would be if possible, to buy the bearing and base plate together in one hit, thereby ensuring optimum performance, and the removal of any niggling doubt that one hasn't maxed things out, which is precisely what I would've done, had the base plate been available when I bought the bearing, and had it fitted by DC :cool:

Marco.

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Thanks Marco, thats exactly what I would have done had there been a MN base plate available when I installed my MN bearing, we must have got ours around the same time, thats what ya call a pioneering spirit. I endorse buying the base plate and bearing together both and I would have done this too, its a tedious job forever having to dismantle and then reassemble any turntable, at least with the El Tekko you don't have three springs or more to faff about with to get the bounce perfect :steam:

Ron

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Originally Posted by JazzBones

Robert, this was the question I had in mind as I too have the Mike New bearing, I was a very early adopter of this bearing when there was alot of controvesy going on about it, and before the MN base plate came into existence. I also have the TimeStep HE outboard PSU but I have a Kondo silver wired Linn Ekos arm worked on by Audio Origami. I have retained the original platter but augmented it with a constrained layer sub platter (copper, damped aluminium, 5mm Acromat) thus making the overall platter inert and well damped. The MN platter and Funk Firm acrylic platters at circa GBP600.oo a piece is an expense to far for me, but who knows maybe one day?

Getting back to the bearing base plate, if you dig around here you will find that Marco took his highly hot rodded Tekko, minus the base plate over to MartinT also with a highly spected up Tek plus MN base plate installed and Marco could detect hardly any difference? Of course this was some time ago and maybe Marco can jump in here and advise whether he eventually had the MN base plate installed?

What I strongly believe is that the 12XX can only be taken so far before the laws of diminished returns bite with a vengeance, all okay if you're a Mr or Mrs Moneypockets but I have to live in today's real world :( Having taken my deck apart on a number of occassions one last time to install the base plate would be it, there after lock it and throw the key away! :eek:

Get your T/table to a standard that you enjoy and then forget about the 'what if I do this or buy that for it' syndrome or you'll forever be on Hi Fi's merry go round :rolleyes:

Ron

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Hi Ron, Valid and fair point. I've actually been thinking this for a while. Money is money at the end of the day and if you've got it to indulge then why not go as far as you want and can I believe, its addictive and a buzz for sure. Nothing can match that feeling when your deck / system is sounding superb and singing in a way that brings a smile. That said, It certainly can be a merry go round, wanting more, getting further in, trying and wanting everything towards vinyl sonic heaven. It takes time, patience, fiddling, culling, changing, trying, liking, hating, adding, removing, setting, re-setting, pull up, put back lol - not to mention a heck of a lot of chi ching !! and then you sometimes still find you dont feel your quite there yet :scratch:- ha ha Hence I aint going through all the forementioned stuf to add a baseplate to my techy at this stage, three hours or so major surgery for how much benefit ??. I'm fairly happy with mine at the mo and may look at something to help the stock platter and give me hopefully even nicer sonics and insight in the future - I still have stock mat and I know the hassle of trying mats can be a right frustration too - Any recommendations for me anyone re: platter / mat improvement ? :eyebrows: - Please dont suggest MN platter - I'm skint !! :lolsign:

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Originally Posted by RobbieGong

I still have stock mat and I know the hassle of trying mats can be a right frustration too - Any recommendations for me anyone re: platter / mat improvement ? :eyebrows: - Please dont suggest MN platter - I'm skint !!
:lolsign:

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Platter/Mat combo?
For the stock platter - The Herbies Mat Performed well - most economical. To move a step up, Funk Firms Achromat. After that, a copper mat - which adds mass to the platter. Whoah... $$$$

Someone suggested here that they had great results with sending their stock platter to have it copper-topped and bonded to the platter by Vantage Audio. I do not know the cost or the final results of doing that vs. getting a copper mat, but you may want to ask around.

And of course if you want to move up to audio nirvana, why not break the bank on purchasing the Mike New Copper-Top Platter ? :eyebrows: With everything that I read on this forum, people are most satisfied with their platter. Sounds like you cant go wrong if you have the funds to get the platter.

At the moment, all the mods I made to my TT has been for the better.

Of course, there are economical upgrades, middle-of-the-road, and the all-out upgrades. It all depends how far you want and/or can afford to take it.

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Originally Posted by RobbieGong

HI, Yes as already said thanks for taking the time to offer up this step by step write up as well as details and pics :) . Could you kindly let me or us know what the base plates fundamental funtion is ie: is it to provide a better and more stable platform for the bearing to sit ?

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The Bearing Base Plate primary function is to give the Bearing more stability to the turntable. It adds stability by using 5 additional nut/bolt combo by clamping it down to the chassis.

Note that you CANNOT use the Bearing Base Plate with the stock Bearing without doing some work. This is because the original stock bearing is keyed as you can see when removing it from the housing. And you cannot use it with the stock Transformer in place - it needs to be removed.

My primary reason for purchasing the BBP is because I wanted to raise the platter to use it with a copper mat and an SME arm. The Mike New solution allows for that to happen.

Unfortunately, the SME arm does lower itself enough to make contact with the record when using a copper mat. Using a Herbies Mat with the SME arm does not have that problem. But if you want the very best, sometimes you have to make sacrafices.

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Originally Posted by JazzBones

Thanks Marco, thats exactly what I would have done had there been a MN base plate available when I installed my MN bearing, we must have got ours around the same time, thats what ya call a pioneering spirit. I endorse buying the base plate and bearing together both and I would have done this too, its a tedious job forever having to dismantle and then reassemble any turntable, at least with the El Tekko you don't have three springs or more to faff about with to get the bounce perfect :steam:

Ron

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I too was one of the early adopters of Mike New's bearing. I found out about the BBP by Mike himself last year when he was working on the platter - bringing it from prototype to reality. I kept the BBP in the back of my mind wondering if I should go for it. I finally realized a need for it when I went from a Herbies Mat to a copper mat.

Mike

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Originally Posted by RobbieGong

Hi Ron, Valid and fair point. I've actually been thinking this for a while. Money is money at the end of the day and if you've got it to indulge then why not go as far as you want and can I believe, its addictive and a buzz for sure. Nothing can match that feeling when your deck / system is sounding superb and singing in a way that brings a smile. That said, It certainly can be a merry go round, wanting more, getting further in, trying and wanting everything towards vinyl sonic heaven. It takes time, patience, fiddling, culling, changing, trying, liking, hating, adding, removing, setting, re-setting, pull up, put back lol - not to mention a heck of a lot of chi ching !! and then you sometimes still find you dont feel your quite there yet :scratch:- ha ha Hence I aint going through all the forementioned stuf to add a baseplate to my techy at this stage, three hours or so major surgery for how much benefit ??. I'm fairly happy with mine at the mo and may look at something to help the stock platter and give me hopefully even nicer sonics and insight in the future - I still have stock mat and I know the hassle of trying mats can be a right frustration too - Any recommendations for me anyone re: platter / mat improvement ? :eyebrows: - Please dont suggest MN platter - I'm skint !! :lolsign:

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Ron -

Here is something to consider - from my experience, and from all the threads posted so far regarding the avaliable Technics Mods - I have never come across a bad upgrade for my Technics TT. Nor have I heard anyone experience a bad upgrade with upgrading their Technics. This is true especially if you use products from Mike New, Vantage Audio (from what I heard from others on this forum so far), Oyaide products, Funk Firms Achromat, Paul Hynes, SME, Jelco, or even - yes... Dave Cawleys Timestep PSU (no grunting please - I have to say it to be fair although despite the fact where I read that he marginalized Mike New. I do have the PSU and I have not read anyone complaining about the performance it offers).

Perhaps the satisfaction level is so high with these mods is because the people behind these products do extensive research before endorsing their mod for the specific application - in our case - our beloved Technics TT.

Any thoughts?

Mike (Cablemaker1),

I'm normally a reasonably patient person, but you're either selectively blind or deliberately ignoring me, for some unknown reason, but I've asked you about FOUR times now were Westchester is (and to add that info to your profile), which you've so far failed to do.

Therefore, I will ask you ONE FINAL time, as ignoring me is NOT AN OPTION.....

WHERE IS WESTCHESTER???

Your failure to answer the question this time (and add the info to your profile) will result in a week's ban. I do hope I've made myself clear!!

Marco.

Isn't Westchester in Illinois?

New York State, I think?