The Mike New Technics Bearing

[Marco]

I take your point, and I'm sure that's a factor, but the stock bearing I had wasn't in any way worn (as I'd bought my T/T from new), yet I still heard a noticeable and very worthwhile improvement when upgrading to the MN bearing.

I guess we'll never know what's going on unless we visit Andrei and hear for ourselves what he's hearing, or not, as the case may be....

Marco.

[chris@panteg]

If i might chime in here Marco, a bearing upgrade should make a difference of course but a dramatic transformation?
In my view I would be concerned that something is seriously amiss if there was a dramatic change in sound quality?

Bearing upgrades in other turntables I've owned have always been relatively subtle and I feel more convincing in that respect.

[Gordon Steadman]

I think we must allow that a certain enthusiasm can creep into descriptions of 'improvements'

If all the things that have been done to people's hi-fis had had the obvious 'night and day' difference we are told has happened, the system is probably 500% better than it started out. Can't have been that good then!!

I think it should be accepted that most changes to high quality equipment are going to be subtle at best and in some cases just different rather than better.

[MartinT]

My Technics bearing was almost new. When I switched to the Mike New bearing, there was (to me) an obvious all-round improvement, but it was not 'night and day' as frankly that phrase is silly when talking about mostly subtle improvements. Let's just say that the man in the street brought in to listen to before and after may have heard a difference, but he may not have.

[Marco]

If i might chime in here Marco, a bearing upgrade should make a difference of course but a dramatic transformation?
In my view I would be concerned that something is seriously amiss if there was a dramatic change in sound quality?

Indeed, Chris, but you're exaggerating the words I've used... I said that the MN bearing offers a "totally unsubtle, no-brainer, sonic improvement", which is rather different from a "dramatic transformation", at least how I interpret it, although I guess that ultimately we're playing with semantics.

Let me put it this way: going from the stock Technics bearing, to an MN one, for me was akin to the level of sonic improvement normally associated with fitting a better (usually bigger) linear power supply to a turntable. Both items are essentially designed to reduce noise, the knock-on effect of which is that music reproduced is rendered as sounding more faithful and believable - and subsequently becomes more lifelike.

It is that type of fundamental improvement to the music that transforms a merely average turntable into something genuinely world-class.

*That* is essentially what the MN bearing offers over the stock Technics one, but it appears that some people are able to identify the effect more than others. You aren't going to 'get' it, if you're merely looking out for prosaic 'hi-fi considerations', such as better bass or greater clarity - although the MN bearing does also deliver those traits; you have to be able to listen beyond that and identify what makes music 'tick'.

Marco.

[chris@panteg]

Indeed, Chris, but you're exaggerating the words I've used... I said that the MN bearing offers a "totally unsubtle, no-brainer, sonic improvement", which is rather different from a "dramatic transformation", at least how I interpret it, although I guess that ultimately we're playing with semantics.

Let me put it this way: going from the stock Technics bearing, to an MN one, for me was akin to the level of sonic improvement normally associated with fitting a better (usually bigger) linear power supply to a turntable. Both items are essentially designed to reduce noise, the knock-on effect of which is that music reproduced is rendered as sounding more faithful and believable - and subsequently becomes more lifelike.

It is that type of fundamental improvement to the music that transforms a merely average turntable into something genuinely world-class.

*That* is essentially what the MN bearing offers over the stock Technics one, but it appears that some people are able to identify the effect more than others. You aren't going to 'get' it, if you're merely looking out for prosaic 'hi-fi considerations', such as better bass or greater clarity - although the MN bearing does also deliver those traits; you have to be able to listen beyond that and identify what makes music 'tick'.

Marco.

Marco I didn't say that you made that remark, you fell into my cunning trap lol.

No it was just a general statement about how fellows can get carried away wirh improvements sometimes

[Marco]

No worries

Marco.

[CageyH]

I'm intrigued about what difference a top of the range PSU will do for a Technics. It's got to get to a point where my PSU being over two feet away is no longer noisy, and the regulator are close to the PCB that we are well down the road to diminishing returns.

I have heard what a well engineered bearing can do, but a unless I get to a show or bake off, I don't think I'll ever hear a "Carlos Fandango" power supply, and that's a shame in my book!

[Mike_New]

Going back to the bearing baseplate, do you have to remove the three bearing mounting lugs on the chassis?

As for the bearing, it's a lovely looking bit of engineering. It's a shame to hide it away under a platter, but a slight (and I mean a very slight) improvement could be made to ease installation. Either a PTFE "shim" or increased clearance of the upper surface to PCB to stop having to attack the wire/solder tails with a pair of side cutters. That would make it absolutely spot on in my opinion. It's not that it's difficult to install - anybody with a screw driver and nail clippers/side cutters can do it - more of a case of continued product development.

If you have the cash to invest in a bearing drop MCRU a line, as he offered me a sale or return trial on the product. I was doubtful that it would make a big difference, and I have to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. I know Andrei has issues with his bearing, and I would love to know why it does not deliver what I heard in my system. I have been back to the original several times before committing the funds, just to double check.

Blind testing would be hard, as I don't trust Mrs H near my deck with a screwdriver, and she is not interested in it anyway. She sees it as a waste of money!

Hi Kevin,
I fully apreciate your observation about having to cut the protruding wires. However I have deliberately designed the Bearing in this way so as to provide the absolute maximum metal where it counts.
In this way the flange thickness is maximised and ballanced about the vertical length of the bearing shaft in order to provide the utmost stiffness of the assembly. I believe the citations I have received for the Bearing over the years, bears witness to the success of my design aproach.

I did indeed consider the use of an insulating shim, but the problem here would be that in some models the wires are longer than average.
The shim would then bend the wires with possible undesireable results.

Regarding the three lugs on the chassis, these should be removed so that the Base Plate is able to sit flat against the floor of the chassis. In fact it would be ideal if these could be removed when just using my bearing without the BBP, however this may cause problems with the depth of the bearing well as I posted a few days ago.
It is for this reason that the Bearing Base Plate represents the ultimate solution to obtaining maximum conection with the chassis.

[twotone]

Has anyone compared a brand new SL-1200 MK2 right out of the box brand spanking new without anything been done to except a cart fitted?

I know when I bought my deck from Al, which was more or less brand new but not exactly, I thought it was fantastic.

I've absolutely no intention of buying a new bearing or bearing plate or platter for that matter, I would rather sell the deck as is and buy something else like the Oracle Delphi MK2 that's on the Wam at the minute for £700 sans arm.

BTW, who is Pimlico boy?