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Scratches on acrylic platter Clearaudio Emotion

Hi there!

My question might sound very anal but hey, here it is. I noticed some tiny concentric scratches on the acrylic platter of my Clearaudio Emotion TT. They are isolated from each other and don't come in bunches, so to speak. Although they are very small and very few, I'm a bit disappointed to see them

Are those scratches normal and are they on the platter from the beginning, or could they have been made by some LP? I noticed that once, one LP slipped a little when I brushed it. Otherwise I don't see what could have made those tiny scratches on the platter. But on the other hand, I think it's very strange to have such tiny scratches (however small and few they might be) on a $2000+ TT.

Did someone here have a similar experience with an acrylic platter, especially a Clearaudio acrylic platter?

So as said, this question is very anal and I'm sorry for this but I couldn't help asking it. If everyone wants to share its experience or provide advice, he or she is welcome.

Thank you very much!
boozendormi
zd542
5,339 posts
 
I guess that if you're a dj, you could scratch the platter like that if you scratch records with out using a mat.
boozendormi OP
8 posts
 
I'm no DJ at all and handle my LP's very carefully. And it's no TT for DJing for sure :) That's why I don't understand where could those scratches come from.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
The circles could be from the polishing of the surface during manufacture. You could try to remove them with the Novus plastic products.
totem395
196 posts
 
I can't see how in normal use you would end up with
the markings you describe, more probable a part of the
platter manufacturing/finishing process.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
You didn't mention it, but I assume you bought the TT new. If not, the scratches would be easy to explain.

2 things come to mind. The first is how the TT was packaged. I don't know if every manufacturer uses it, but I've never been a fan of that rough paper that's sometimes used. Some type of dirt or debris may have come into contact with the platter. Many TT parts are made in a machine shop so something like dirt isn't out of the question. And the other possibility is that you may have scratched it during set up. I don't know how Clearaudio does it, but my VPI TT's come with a big metal jig you put on the platter. Not to mention other tools like levels and tracking force gauges. Also, any cleaner that contains alcohol will destroy acrylic.
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