Funk SL-1200 Platter & Arm

[Ammonite Audio]

I see that the new Funk platter and arm mods for the SL-1200/1210 are out at select dealers. Although I don't have my SL-1210 any more, I have to say that the platter does look the business, and I shall make a point of seeking out Sound HiFi's stand and having a listen to the combination at this weekend's show.

[DSJR]

I'm sure the performance is splendid, but why does the platter have to cost £500 or so and the arm mod around a grand at least? Surely these people realise that money is tight, even for the better off amongst us and selling at 1970's-1980's margins ain't the done deal these days - seen how many dealers are closing or being taken over recently?????????

[Ammonite Audio]

£500 including a dealer margin for the platter seems reasonable to me. As for the arm, I'm presuming that there's a fair amount of work involved in converting the Technics original. As ever, the market will decide how relevant these things are, but I can't help but admire what Arthur has done here.

[RobbieGong]

I see that the new Funk platter and arm mods for the SL-1200/1210 are out at select dealers. Although I don't have my SL-1210 any more, I have to say that the platter does look the business, and I shall make a point of seeking out Sound HiFi's stand and having a listen to the combination at this weekend's show.

Wow!! Very nice indeed. I wonder how this platter compares to the very heavy and seriously engineered Mike New Platter. I know Marco said the Mike New is a fantastic upgrade and got rid of the shouty presentation the Techies tend to have due to their ringy stock platter. Shuggie, please feed back if you get a chance to listen. I can only say that unfortunately for us modders these things are never cheap generally but more choice can't be a bad thing. As for the arm, well congrats to it's creator for incorporating the brilliant vta fly on the wheel adjust, such a brilliant component of the stock arm, as such it always bugged me that this tends to have to be disgarded / binned with the majority of arm upgrades hence my arm has remained stock. This arm looks like one I would seriously consider upgrading to if reports are favourably positive - Looks good !!

[DSJR]

But for twice the price of a Jelco plus arm-board?

Continued apologies guys, but these bodgers/modifiers must price themselves in a realistic manner IMO, otherwise it can come across as mere greed - IMO.....

[JazzBones]

£500 including a dealer margin for the platter seems reasonable to me. As for the arm, I'm presuming that there's a fair amount of work involved in converting the Technics original. As ever, the market will decide how relevant these things are, but I can't help but admire what Arthur has done here.

Not so long ago I emailed an enquiry to Arthur (Funk Firm) about an acrylic platter and was quoted £600.00 plus extra if I wanted it chamfered and was my enquiry serious/ All I can say is that I lost interest. I know Arthur is held in high esteem on this forum but he does charge mightly high for his stuff and seems to pluck high prices out of the air AND YUP I do know the costs of manufacturing and dealer margins. Personally, I would be more interested in hearing how it performs against a Vantage Audio platter mod at a third of the cost let alone a Mike New platter, Or the stock platter plus the Oyaide sub platter at c£250.oo dealer cost, viz MCRU for instance? I don't think that half the work that goes into making the Mike New copper/ali platter goes into machining the one piece Funk acrylic platter but I guess there is someone who will tell me otherwise? On the other hand should the Funk effort be better than the Mike New one then I shall await the latter platters being up for sale here or on Ebay, Mmm! As for the arm mod I'm sure J7 of Audio Origami could perform his magic on the stock arm just as well and for less?

[Ammonite Audio]

Well, moving the platter into production has clearly made it more affordable, particularly when the price includes a dealer margin. Whether it's as good as or better than the Vantage Audio or MN platters is quite another question; at least it's a different approach. As for the arm, I had my Technics arm rewired by Johnnie at Audio Origami and it was definitely better for it, and may have been better still with foam filling; however it was still a pretty ropey thing compared with a Jelco SA-750, itself summarily outclassed by my old Ittok LVII and (relatively) inexpensive Audio Note Arm 1. I will charitably assume that the Funk FX arm tube does the job that it claims to do and lifts the Technics arm out of the ordinary into a higher league of musical competency, while retaining its fabulous ease of use. I will also charitably assume that the cost of machining that platter correctly and to a high cosmetic standard is not so cheap as you think.

I'm certainly not going to buy either of these items because I have no need for a Technics, but I do applaud Funk Firm for bringing them to market, and doing so via dealers.

[RobbieGong]

Yes, The Mike New Platter looks like a seriously engineered peice of kit, just look at it (check AOS images from previous threads, google images or even Mikes site). Mike will also tell you whatever you want to know about it, the hard work and heavy metal that goes into making one of those babies etc. I've had dealings with him re: my purchase of the Mike New bearing and his platter / bearing are quality stuf that look like they would cost all factors considered. If this platter is £500ish then it is around the same as Mikes - does it look and feel the weight of quality machined solid alluminium and copper ?? I'd really need to hear this Platter against the Mike New. Also does this platter sit over the stock bearing ? the Mike New bearing is a 'serious' bearing for a serious platter.
Again, arm looks nice and retaining the techy vta is a big positive in my book but it has to be heard !

[DSJR]

So Hugo, the Jelco 750 is outclassed by an Ittok eh? maybe I took my Ittoks totally for granted back then, but I'd trade it's clanky treble now for the slick and solid build of the Jelco 750 I think

[Audioman]

To put the platter into context. An Orbe platter with clamp etc can be had for £390. This suggests the Funk is well overpriced. What is the point of the upgrade arm when it costs almost as much as the full funk (rega based) arm ?