The Funk Firm Technics Platter

[MartinT]

To be clear: even if the PSU is left in place it must be disconnected before an external PSU is connected to the main PCB. So must the off-board regulator transistor. Frankly, after doing the above, removing the old gubbins is easy!

[MCRU]

It may be easier for technophobes like you dude but not everyone is a DIY expert!

Yes of course remove the wires connecting the existing PSU.

All suppliers of PSU's should provide clear installation instructions as standard one would hope.

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Neil,



As an aside, unless I've missed it written on your website somewhere, I never did get to read your thoughts on the modified Techies you've now had extensive experience of using. It must be well over a year now that you've been playing with them, so you must've formed a reasonably conclusive opinion on them?

I.E, what are your thoughts on the subject of how modded Techies fair in comparison to 'proper' audiophile T/Ts of a similar price, and crucially, how in your opinion have they compared with established 'hi-end' T/Ts in your collection, such as the SME20, or other such designs you've reviewed?

I'm sure that your thoughts on the matter would be the subject of much interest... Even if they aren't yet conclusive, a snapshot of your views so far would be appreciated

Marco.

Hi Marco

Yes quite correct and the actual beginnings of the related reviews are due soon. One or two (manufacturer/distributor supplied items, they come first) reviews to finish and a few to start but I plan to begin the Technics ones hopefully by Feb, if life does not get in the way again. By begin I mean write up my thoughts so far.

I plan to do platter mats first, then power supplies, isolation, arms (I have a few here) I can and have been using.

One interesting thing I will share is the Oyaide mat sounds best in my experience with a thin rubber mat under it, rather than sitting directly on the standard platter.

I have so far not been able to get my hands on a Oyaide BR One, but I have been playing around with a thin rubber one, which may be similar to it. Oyaide recommend using such themselves and to my ear this combination works very well. I have also tried this with a Mike New platter and so far the rubber mat + Oyaide gives the best sound over any other combination I have tried to date and I have gathered up quite a few over the last 6 months or so. However like all things the devil is in the detail and I will save a fuller expansion of that to the virtual pages of AIHFA.


Regards D S D L

[MCRU]

Hi Marco

Yes quite correct and the actual beginnings of the related reviews are due soon. One or two reviews to finish and a few to start but I plan to begin the Technics ones hopefully by Feb, if life does not get in the way again. By begin I mean write up my thoughts so far.

I plan to do platter mats first, then power supplies, isolation, arms (I have a few here) I can and have been using.

One interesting thing I will share is the Oyaide mat sounds best in my experience with a thin rubber mat under it, rather than sitting directly on the standard platter.

I have so far not been able to get my hands on a Oyaide BR One, but I have been playing around with a thin rubber one, which may be similar to it. Oyaide recommend using such themselves and to my ear this combination works very well. I have also tried this with a Mike New platter and so far the rubber mat + Oyaide gives the best sound over any other combination I have tried to date and I have gathered up quite a few over the last 6 months or so. However like all things the devil is in the detail and I will save a fuller expansion of that to the virtual pages of AIHFA.


Regards D S D L

I am so glad you agree about the thin rubber mat as I could not post to say it's brilliant until someone agreed with me for obvious reasons! I gave a few away to my existing Oyaide mat owners and they all agreed (both of them )

Thanks for the feedback, the Oyaide thin rubber mat costs £35, mine costs £10, luckily I have worked in rubber and plastics for 20 years so did not need to search for a suitable material for long!

Was wondering when you would be reviewing the blue horizon mat I gave you IN SEPTEMBER.

[The Grand Wazoo]

..............luckily I have worked in rubber and plastics for 20 years

Jeez, you must sweat a lot!

[Marco]

Nice one, Neil - I look forward to reading your forthcoming reviews

Until then, could you describe roughly how you think an extensively modded Techy, fitted with a top-notch arm, cartridge, and one of the better off-board PSUs, compares to your SME20?

No need to go into lots of detail - simply offer us a snaphot of what you've heard so far.

Marco.

[Spectral Morn]

Nice one, Neil - I look forward to reading your forthcoming reviews

Until then, could you describe roughly how you think an extensively modded Techy, fitted with a top-notch arm, cartridge, and one of the better off-board PSUs, compares to your SME20?

No need to go into lots of detail - simply offer us a snaphot of what you've heard so far.

Marco.

Ahhh the punch line Marco.

Whole point of the reviews relating to the Technics is to establish not only what works with what and to test the current wisdom, but also to compare a fully modded Technics against a full production deck or two.

I am sorry my friend but you will have to wait for that information as I have in all honesty not got that far, having so far spent a fair bit of time working on the former points before getting to the latter one. I have a lot less time these days to work on everything I have sitting looking done (Hi Mr Brooks that means the BH too, though I have played with it on the Technics but I am not in a position to say much more than that at the moment.)

To be honest late last year I was seriously thinking of winding AIHFA up as I have found it increasingly hard to find the time (and I put lots into the reviews I do) + with only Barry now contributing regularly (thank you very much) as life issues have been eating into my free time in a major way; I have less free time to put into things as on average I spend three months with an item before writing about it. Of course some things can be written about more quickly but I don't write quick reviews as a rule and I would rather live with an item for awhile, before doing so.

However having put so much into AIHFA, to walk away now, would have been something I would have regretted for the rest of my life so I am sticking with it but the reviews will happen as and when I can do them and the items supplied to me will be reviewed in the order I get them and that means David the BH is due soon; either as a stand alone or as part of the Technics review.

Watch that space, as they say.


Regards D S D L

[MartinT]

It may be easier for technophobes like you dude but not everyone is a DIY expert!

You meant, of course, technophile

[Spectral Morn]

I am so glad you agree about the thin rubber mat as I could not post to say it's brilliant until someone agreed with me for obvious reasons! I gave a few away to my existing Oyaide mat owners and they all agreed (both of them )

Thanks for the feedback, the Oyaide thin rubber mat costs £35, mine costs £10, luckily I have worked in rubber and plastics for 20 years so did not need to search for a suitable material for long!

Was wondering when you would be reviewing the blue horizon mat I gave you IN SEPTEMBER.

I guess with Oyaide recommending its use under it you would think it a no brainer but trying it out is always the proof of the pudding.

Placing metal on metal no matter how well finished off and level would I guess always leave room for slight movement and the thin rubber layer will remove that issue + damping the metal interfaces.

In fairness to Oyaide though that £35 gets you the mat and a speed strobe disc. Its a bit weird that Black Rhodium don't seem to know about it. I have asked a couple of times..... oh well.

Ahhhh David you have let the cat out of the bag..... Marco has his dresses and you have your rubber If we keep this up AOS will morph into a Fetish site .... though I guess with manys love of 1200/1210s, valve etc it already is one of sorts......



Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Lol.... I've seen some of the naughty things hanging up on David's washing line!



Regarding the other thing, no worries. As long as when you write the review, you mention at some point how an extensively modded Techy compares with an established 'hi-end' T/T, such as an SME 20.

Not many people own both and so are in a position to compare them directly in a system that they know inside out, and so such information deserves to be documented somewhere on the web, if for no reason other than giving the 'badge-fi' crew and industry snobs some food for thought...

So when the time comes, don't hold back and tell it EXACTLY as you hear it, without any fear of upsetting the 'establishment'. I don't want to be counting the splinters on your arse afterwards!!

Marco.