Alternative platters ?

[MartinT]

I'm using a MN Bearing and Funk Platter (let's call it the Mk. I) with Funk Achromat, bonded with Vaseline. The combination sounds superb and all the tapers fit as with the original Technics platter.

[Marco]

Ditto. It's a perfectly synergistic match, as one would expect it to be, considering that the mat and platter were designed by the same manufacturer to work in unison, and as a pairing, to sonically optimise the SL-1200/1210

Marco.

[Tarzan]

Michell Orbe platter kit - £449. 60mm thick carbon loaded acrylic includes a clamp.
Bearing - £99

http://www.turntableworld.co.uk/depa...grade-kit-p129

Including VAT

l will have one of them for me SL1200 then bruv Save me some wonga.

[MCRU]

l will have one of them for me SL1200 then bruv Save me some wonga.

lol, you need the bearing first chief

the MN platter is on the way to the UK selling via MCRU very soon! we had been discussing it for quite some time but never finalized anything

[Marco]

Good news, dude. The greater the availability of different upgraded platters, the better!

Marco.

[Oldpinkman]

. I'll talk to Arthur tomorrow. However i am fairly sure he wouldn't have considered the possibility that a part like a bearing would not be produced to fit standard parts like a platter. When brembo make an improved brake pad they make it to fit the existing disc and caliper. However, the death of Harry's friend in the storm is the greater priority atm. Understandably he is pretty cut up about it.

I've spoken with Arthur - and noted that I am not his marketing department. However - he is too busy with urgent matters, so asked me to post for him. I thought of pointing out that I have a day job too, but what are mates for?

He was not aware that Mike New made a bearing which was not a standard fit , and was a little disappointed that those who had encouraged him to develop "specials" for the SL1200 had not made him aware of that. He also repeated my comment that it is not normal engineering practice to make a "custom replacement" which needs to fit other parts, in a non-standard size. I don't want to get factional, but it would be normal practice if you design a part which needs to fit another part (bearing needing to fit a platter) to draw attention to the fact that it is not standard - ie "this upgraded bearing is only designed to work with our own platters and may not fit standard platters or those manufactured to the same specifications as the standard platter".

However, we are where we are. As far as Arthur is aware the Funk 1 and Funk 2 hubs are identical. He sent a standard technics platter to the engineers and asked them to copy that both times. He is sending a Funk 2 hub to Martin T to try on a Mike New bearing for him. He is also planning to contact Mike New for details (measurements) for his bearing, so that, if necessary he can offer a Funk platter with a Mike New bearing fit. However, he has some reservations about this general approach

He is also planning to launch a Funk bearing for the SL1200 which will incorporate the now famous Pink Triangle saphire thrust plate. Spitting teeth here, and noting that at this rate I am going to end up a Techie owner, I would note that this might be a worthwile improvement. However - critically - that bearing will be designed to be a universal fit - that is, it will fit Funk standard, Technics standard and all standard fit aftermarket variants. He does not consider it apporpriate, and I strongly share his views - to go building a funk bearing which is designed as a custom fit only for a funk platter. Were that necessary or beneficial for engineering reasons, he would expect to make it clear in all his marketing material that the funk bearing was only for use with a funk platter.

In spite of those reservations, and principles regarding parts upgrade design (ie they should be universal) I have persuaded him that if necessary he will produce a "Mike New" special of the funk 2 platter, possibly at a small price premium to reflect the custom engineering required (ie he can't just have one product on the shelf - and in view of the size of the market, and erratic order pattern will have to have hubs built to order)

Of course, if you all just went out and bought a nice bouncy Pink Triangle, you wouldnt have these problems, and I could get on with counting beans, and listening to morons from HMRC

[MCRU]

The other alternative has been missed, buy a mike new platter to go with your mike new bearing, no compatibility issues guaranteed!

[MartinT]

I have spoken with Arthur and will test out, for fit, his hub on my MN Bearing as soon as I receive it. This is a favour for Arthur as he does not have a MN Bearing.

[Mike_New]

Finally I can comment on this - I wasn't prepared to say anything before hand as I don't usually reveal any info relating to on going reviews before publishing them (I won't be commenting further on the Funk mk2 by the way).

I am in the process of doing a whole Technics related uber review - early stages but under way finally - and I have a new MK2 Funk Platter in as part of the review and it will work on any modified Technics bearing and the original bearing but it will not work with any of the existing Mike New bearings as Mike's bearing does not accurately match the profile of the original Technics bearing, so sadly the new Funk MK2 platter which does won't fit the Mike New bearing as it exists now.

When I say won't fit it will go on, but the Funk mk2 Platter will rock back and forward as there is a gap when sitting on a Mike New bearing. I really wanted to hear what the Funk MK2 sounds like on the MN bearing but alas I can't just as well I bought a Vantage Audio modified bearing (though I also have a Technics fitted with original bearing too) - though based on all the issues with VA at the minute it won't officially be part of the review.


Regards Neil

With all due respects this is absolutely total crap. I have a number of customers who are using the Funk platter with no problems.
I have also recieved three private emails from users who do not want to be named, who have had their platter totally stuck onto their bearing tapers. The removal process has been rather radical. The reason for this is that the platters are not fitted with a central boss which carries the taper.
Acrylic like any other plastic has a high co-efficient of expansion. I believe that what happens is this:
As the platter warms up the taper expands and very slightly moves down the taper it then cools (in the evening) and the taper is expanded, this process is continued until the platter becomes totally jammed onto the spindle taper. As the platters are not supplied with threaded holes for removal as mine are, the problem is greatly magnified.
When I designed the bearing some three and a half years ago now; my toolmakers who machine and precision grind the shaft used a Zeis shadow graph microscope to very accurately determine the taper, of the two samples I gave them it was decided that 6deg was the most like intended taper!!!! They both varied by a small amount.
If there are any problems with Funk platters fitting to my bearings it is probably because the internal clearance bore around which the pulse generator fits is not deep enough, I have designed my bearing to maximise the material support at the top where it matters.

I would like to point out to all; that of the 250 users of my bearing the very large majority use the standard SL1200 platter which fits onto my bearing with no problems!!!! The problem IMO has nothing to do with the taper.

This is the first I have heard of this problem from any of the 250 users of my Bearing, some of which as mentioned above use the Funk platter.

If the makers of the platter care to contact me and perhaps supply me with the details of the clearances they machine to, we can resolve this situation to the mutual satisfaction of all.

[Marco]

Excellent news, chaps. I shall look forward to following progress with this matter in due course

Marco.