New Composite Platter for SL1200s from Mike New

[Mike_New]

Hi Folks
I have eventually bowed to peoples requests and produced a platter machined from a high quality engineering material.
This is not acrylic as you can see from the image; but a material specification I have chosen after a few trials with various grades available.

I believe it sounds great and is not as shrill as the original acrylic platter that I machined up nearly a year ago.
For reference I am using a SME V with Benz Ruby MC.

The Platter is totally non-resonant and the material used is less dense than Alluminium. It therefore weighs somewhat less than my Copper Bonded Solid Alluminium Platter. so I am able to make them thicker and not sacrifice my aim to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible.

This platter will sell for $875.00 Including Postage

The platter shown weighs 3.5Kg which is approx 8lbs

The platter is shown mounted to a recently aquired MK3 from Japan

My own analysis of the characteristics is that the platter is not quite as obvious in the base region, if you enjoy cello or double base music as I do. (This may because of the effective greater mass of the Alluminium platter.)
The upper registers are perhaps more detailed.

Although the base material is somewhat more costly than the
alluminium blanks, it is far easier to machine.

In the image shown, the platter surface is 17mm above the top of the
chassis, which provides ample clearance for VTA adjustment of retro fitted
arms like the Jelco SME etc. Also decent engineered arm boards can now be
used which are substantial enough to do the job.

The platter can of course be machined thinner (or thicker) and can be a customer specification. if required.
I have provided a 1.5mm lip under the skirt so as to provide improved
esthetics when people upgrade to the Bearing Base Plate.

I am willing to machine the outer profile of the platter as required by the customer. The one you see is most likely to be the more popular.

The facility for lifting the Platter off the bearing can be either two 8mm threaded holes ( as with my Copper Bonded Platter) or a machined groove where the resonance damping ring is located on the Copper Platter so that you can get your fingers in to lift.

Five inserts have been included purely for aesthetic considerations. However the platters can be supplied in either
a) Off-White (as shown) with black inserts.
b) Black with White inserts
c) Black or White with no inserts
The platters use my standard Solid Brass center Boss for the utmost rigidity and locational accuracy with machined taper which is matched to my master gauge taper spindle.

I shall of course continue to offer the copper version.
The first of these platters will be going to a SL1200 music enthusiast in Melbourne who has agreed to do an evaluation for me.

[WOStantonCS100]

Looks awesome! ...and colour choices, too...
...as if I needed my platter decision to be made any more difficult.

[Mike_New]

Biff,
As you would be one of the first users, I would be happy to exchange it for my Copper Bonded Platter if you felt that you needed more bass humph.

[jostber]

Looks great. Will not ask what it's made of. Is this meant to be used with or without a thin mat?

[Mike_New]

Jostein,
The use or not of a mat, and if yes, what type, material or design to use is a question that always arises. My evaluation was done using one of the original ribbed mats (a new one) supplied on the later SL1200s and the one I have used on my Alluminium platter.
However I did try playing without a mat and was somewhat surprised that I could not detect a large positive difference either way. I have machined the top surface diameter to 299mm which just allows the raised lip/edge of the outer edge of the record to overlap the top of the platter so that the recorded surface sits squarely on the platter surface.

[MartinT]

It looks excellent, Mike. More power to you for providing even more choice to the enthusiasts' market. Do you recommend your bearing for use with it? It looks from the photo that you've put it on a standard bearing.

[Mike_New]

Hi Martin,
Very observant of you! Yes the platter is shown mounted onto the standard bearing that came with the MK3. (I have not upgraded it yet)
Because the material is somewhat less dense than Alluminium or Copper, I have modified the profile so that there is less material located below the bearing point. And since it weighs about 3.5Kg I guess it could be possible to use it with the standard bearing. Although I do not believe it would be sensible to do so.

[Artifolk]

Looks cool.

More choice is great but.. for me the decision is now a little trickier, now all we need is for someone to review this against the Funk Platter etc.

Mike any chance of a picture of the black with white inserts?
Also have you thought about making a slight taper in the top of the platter (similar to the Oyaide mat) in this material or even Acrylic?

[kininigin]

There's also one from david (MCRU) to come,come on david spill the beans

So that's 2 from mike new,1 from vantage audio,1 from funk firm and MCRU.

From my point of view some more choice on the bearing front wouldn't go amiss either.

[Pete]

Nice one Mike!

But I am sticking to your original non-coppertop platter, as it sounds fabulous to me