The Funk Firm Technics Platter

[MartinT]

I've just looked at your profile, Russell. Your deck is begging for a platter upgrade. Have you upgraded the bearing yet? If not, that needs to come first.

Where in the SW are you?

[drrd]

You're right I'm sure, I don't mind taking my time though Still got the stock internal power supply but I did upgrade to a MN bearing. I've been happily tweaking my phono stage and AD-converter this last year. Platter and PSU seem to be the obvious tweaks for the turntable when I get round to it.
I'm in Bristol btw.

[MCRU]

You're right I'm sure, I don't mind taking my time though Still got the stock internal power supply but I did upgrade to a MN bearing. I've been happily tweaking my phono stage and AD-converter this last year. Platter and PSU seem to be the obvious tweaks for the turntable when I get round to it.
I'm in Bristol btw.

only 2 months to wait and you can see all the marvellous tech up-grades at the bristol show, looking forward to it myself

[drrd]

I'll try and get along to that

[WOStantonCS100]

Ok, Martin, it's been a week. Any "lived in" observations? Have you swapped back to confirm? Is it still in situ? Are you still loving it??

[MartinT]

Any "lived in" observations?

Yes, many of them confirming what I observed above. The thing which is so startling is that the 'sound' of each record is different and the acoustic of the space that the performance was made in (even an artificial studio recording) is pronounced. Rather like the feeling of walking into a large, quiet hall - you sense as well as hear the size of the space.

I am still convinced that the tonal slant remains slightly (and I mean a small amount) to the dark side of the Mike New platter.

Bass is most impressive - at once less boomy, more textured and detailed, and very deep and tight. I was playing Yello's Touch last night and the prodigious output was kept well under control, allowing Heidi Happy to sing beautifully above the fundamentals.

Midrange is incredibly transparent with no tonal colourations that I can detect. Like CD with far more resolution, if that doesn't sound odd. Female voice is simply gorgeous but not rich or syrupy - just natural. Never has Jewel's Barcelona from Spirit sounded better, her voice soaring seemingly without limit. Cat Steven's Tea for the Tillerman album also has some large dynamic swings in his voice, really testing the system in the way that I am only used to from massed choral music. The clarity of delivery of my Usher's beryllium midrange driver has never been more obvious where lesser drivers might be exposed by this new-found transparency.

Treble is very natural, not drawing attention to itself except where some tinkly chimes or a lightly played cymbal becomes apparent for the first time.

Are you still loving it??

I can't get enough of it! Read the above in the context of my whole system, it's not just the new platter but the synergy between all the components, especially the Dynavector arm, Shelter cartridge and Choir Audio SUT.

Marco has been quiet on his findings with the Funk platter, so I'll let him offer his opinion in order to give a fuller picture to you guys

[Marco]

Oh, trust me, I'm loving it, too - and how!! Trouble is, there just aren't enough hours in the day at the moment to do everything that's required...

Still, that's Del and I finished now for Christmas, so things should be less hectic.

There are a couple of reviews that I intend to write; the Funk Techy platter being one, and David Brook's 'Ultimate' mains leads, being another. Both, when written, should hopefully give our members something thought provoking and interesting to read!

Marco.

[jandl100]

I have built an acrylic platter in the past ..... I just don't like the sound of it when it is used as a record interface.

Fair enough, I don't have an opinion on that as as far as I can recall I never tried a decent mat atop an acrylic platter, as the designers were always (?) in favour of direct contact.

What I will say is that the 'rubber band around the rim' damping rings did seem to work quite nicely in reducing / eliminating the boingngng colourations I heard.

[jostber]

Does the Funk Firm platter require that you also remove the power supply and get an external one like the Mike New platter seems to do?

[MartinT]

It may not require an external PSU, Jostein, but more to the point why would you want to? You really need to perform the external PSU upgrade first as otherwise you won't get the best from the platter.