The Mike New Technics Bearing

[CageyH]

I have now officially become a member on the "Mike New Bearing" club - I've just paid for it. It's staying.
As the bearing is running in, it's just getting better and better.
I am happy with my purchase, and once again David @ MCRU has provided excellent customer service.
It's nice to find a supplier that trusts you enough to provide you an expensive bearing, on a sale or return basis.

Now, it's time to spin some vinyl.

[MCRU]

I have now officially become a member on the "Mike New Bearing" club - I've just paid for it. It's staying.
As the bearing is running in, it's just getting better and better.
I am happy with my purchase, and once again David @ MCRU has provided excellent customer service.
It's nice to find a supplier that trusts you enough to provide you an expensive bearing, on a sale or return basis.

Now, it's time to spin some vinyl.

Great news Kevin and I am happy that you are happy.

[Andrei]

Many thanks to David Brooke of MCRU for just handing it over at the last meet he organised. It's a very worthwhile upgrade to a Technics SL-12xx deck.

I think that is very good service, especially when it comes to an item that is expensive. The MNB did nothing for my system, so I wish I had the opportunity to try it out.

[CageyH]

I have seen you make this comment before, and I was surprised to be quite honest.
The immediate thing I noticed was less noise between tracks. Then there was the tighter, deeper bass and improved sound staging. As it runs in, I am now finding that the mid and high ranges are now better defined and more obvious/less muddled.

If the bearing is making no difference, from my experience, then something has to be wrong elsewhere.
My deck is not as highly tuned as others here, but the results I am getting are very pleasing.

I'm just wondering if a wooden armboard for my Rega arm would improve things even more.

[Andrei]

I have seen you make this comment before, and I was surprised

Not as surprised as me!

If the bearing is making no difference, from my experience, then something has to be wrong elsewhere.

Nothing is wrong. In any event that is not a possible conclusion as the MNB was the only variable changed.
I am a bit nonplussed but put it down to the the fact that I already had a good bearing - lightly used TT when I got it. Some of the benefits of the MNB may be simply that it is new and not partially worn.

[KC Jones]

Not as surprised as me!


Nothing is wrong. In any event that is not a possible conclusion as the MNB was the only variable changed.
I am a bit nonplussed but put it down to the the fact that I already had a good bearing - lightly used TT when I got it. Some of the benefits of the MNB may be simply that it is new and not partially worn.

I reckon Andrei, you have magic combination of Jelco, wood SL and speakers, which bring the same to the technics as the bearing on it's own, no bad thing.
Like you say, it's a shame that there isn't more options to try before purchasing, however I think a lot of the Technics upgrades keep a good 2nd hand return value.
Assembling and upgrades are a gamble. In my (shallow) expreience most things seem to work good together, or maybe i'm just lucky and taking a gamble on others greater experience has so far payed off.

When I get round to fitting my jelco, I shall swap back to the old bearing and see what the difference is. It may give me the option to sell one or the other in the future.
Hope you shift the bearing, or already have.
Cheers

[synsei]

I have seen you make this comment before, and I was surprised to be quite honest.
The immediate thing I noticed was less noise between tracks. Then there was the tighter, deeper bass and improved sound staging. As it runs in, I am now finding that the mid and high ranges are now better defined and more obvious/less muddled.

If the bearing is making no difference, from my experience, then something has to be wrong elsewhere.
My deck is not as highly tuned as others here, but the results I am getting are very pleasing.

I'm just wondering if a wooden armboard for my Rega arm would improve things even more.

This is confusing and I would concur with CageyH here Andrei. I say this because when I replaced a newly reconditioned standard bearing with a used Vantage Audio item I noted a significant improvement in performance. I am wondering whether your MNB is faulty in some way, perhaps it would be worth shipping it back to Mike so he can inspect it...

[Andrei]

That would be a problem with the bearing, not something 'elsewhere'. I do not have a definitive conclusion but I am inclined to think there is nothing wrong with the bearing. I don't have the time at the moment but a comparison of some spin-down times may be helpful.

[chris@panteg]

Thanks., it would be good to just hear it myself, but I'm looking at sorting out my rack at the moment.

[MCRU]

The last 4 bearings I sold were all sent out on approval first (being honest I know they won't be returned), its hard to damage
it when fitting so providing it did come back in the same condition as it went out anyone can try it. The improvements to the
sound are obvious from the very first spin of the platter in my experience. Talking of platters, the ETP platter is the icing on the
bearing topped cake!