Technics SL-D202 refurb project

Mark_71

Member
Technics SL-D202 Refurb Project Update - Soliciting Ideas?

Objective: Find a good turntable to be an upgrade project to improve my skills and in the process see what really makes a difference.

I've been looking to sharpen my soldering and re-wiring skills. I just took a soldering class. I'm thinking it would be a good project to replace lead wires, maybe tone arm wires, maybe put in binding posts so I could easily swap out RCA cables. I want to see what really makes a difference - sound, function, and cosmetically. But my Technics SL-1360 runs like a champ and I don't want to tinker much with my Pioneer PL-630; both are near mint and I'be be sorely disappointed if I screwed anything up. So off to Goodwill to get a guinea pig turntable.

Took a few months but finally found a Technics SL-D202 (c.1981) direct-drive turntable at Goodwill for $39. Tonearm rest broken, no headshell, no dustcover, but the plinth was in great shape, near mint. The pitch control was a bit off, but not awful. It's semi-automatic, which is my preference - I prefer cueing the tonearm and lowering it down (w/ a control level or slider), but I like it to auto-return.

Cleaning, Repairing, & Replacing
I removed the platter (solid and heavy) and the base plate (a heavy resin, not metal). I thoroughly cleaned all the electrical components with alcohol, removed leftover resin, and applied DeoxIT where necessary. It really wasn't that dirty. I generally use Goo Gone (wear gloves!) on the exterior plastic and laminate parts, sometimes even on real wood. Goo Gone did a great job on the plinth; I find often alcohol is too strong for some plastic surfaces.

I applied a drop of oil to the spindle.

I replaced the tonearm rest with a $10 Technics OEM part purchased off eBay. It was from another model and not all Technics used the same tone arm rest height so I had to cut about a centimeter off. That was the only part, short of the dustcover and headshell/cartridge/stylus, that obviously needed to be replaced.

I attached a basic no-name test headshell and used cartridge (Audio-Technica AT90, $22).

Hook Up
Hooked it up to a Technics SA-700 with JBL LT20 bookshelf speakers and AudioQuest 14 gauge speaker wire.

Adjustments
Adjusted and balanced tonearm weight to recommendations. Pitch control was now spot on, god-bless you DeoxIt! You seldom fail me.

Sound Check
Honestly, I had low expectations. For comparison, I'm used to my Technics SL-1360 (a dual-voltage SL-1350, c. 1975) w/ an Audio-Technica AT440MLA (much more expensive cartridge/stylus than the AT90). It's not a super high-end turntable, but a reliable and well-built one. The SL-1360 has a bigger profile and the plinth is much heavier and more solid than the D202. The D202 was in comparison - light, a bit "plasticy," and the feet were a cheap flimsy rubber with felt bottoms. Not 1990s cheap, but not 1970s solid. Inside was a mix of metal and plastic parts, nothing spectacular, but nothing looked worn. And with a cheap $22 AT90 cartridge on it I wasn't expecting much.

I was so wrong! It sounded great. Everything worked reliably and smoothly. Pitch control 33 and 45 was perfect. The tonearm return worked perfectly. I was surprised, even slightly shocked. I had read a few good reviews about the D202 and in general people said it was a solid mid-fi performer. And I have to agree. That's precisely what it is. No, it's not a tank like the 1360 or other models from the 70s, but it's a good quality turntable and it cleaned up quite nicely. I think I'd have to hear them side by side to notice any difference (I'm sure there is needle-wise).

Next Steps
I didn't expect much and that throws a monkey wrench into my total refurb plans, since I expected to hear mediocrity and then upgrade parts until I noticed improvements. It sounds pretty good as-is, but with only $39 + $10 (parts) sunk into it, I decided it was still worth the risk of maybe breaking it with "improvements" and I already have more equipment than I need, so what should I try doing to further improve this little gem?

I know this is barely a mid-fi turntable at best, but it's direct drive, spot on pitch control, a nice heavy platter, and looks like a good quality tonearm. I had intended to drill holes and attach binding posts, maybe replace tone arm wire (if I can figure out how... I can't even figure out how to get at the wires near the headshell). Again, this was supposed to be a re-wiring test case and maybe I'll do that, but I have some other ideas.

Comments much appreciated or maybe you'll just find it interesting what I'm trying. I'm not worrying about the cost and I can always use the parts or the experience.

Completed
  • Cleaned and DeoxIt everything
  • Replaced tonearm rest
  • Attached basic cartridge

Ordered
  • Technics OEM headshell ($49.99, Needle Doctor)
  • Grado Green1 Prestige Series Phono Cartridges - Standard Mount ($95.00 Needle Doctor)
  • Nerve Audio Vagus Silver Litz Wire Headshell Leads ($59.99)
  • Damplifier™ 10 sq. feet - 10 DAMP 5 Sheets
  • 4 Sorbothane 2" (50mm) Vibration Isolation Feet 50D w/ Urethane coat ($32.99 Ebay)
  • Blue Jeans - BJC LC-1 Stereo Audio Cables, 3 foot, Black, with Techflex (low capacitance)

The headshell / cartridge is also part of my test. I hear so much division with Grado that I want more experience. I've already tried a Grado ME+ Prestige Mono cartridge on my SL-1360 now and loved it. Absolutely no hum and it really brought my orig Beatles mono records to life (even scratched records sounded good, minimized the surface noise). And I've used those lead wires before and with good results.

The Damplifier is for the inside of the plinth. When I first hooked it up the turntable the cartridge / tone arm was picking up a lot of hum from the speakers (due my hasty setup and the turntable being a bit in front of the speakers for my initial soundcheck due to lack of space - yes, I know pretty stupid). Sounded awful until I figured out why, but before by position epiphany, thought the plinth or feet were to blame so I decided to try some damping materials. I ordered the thinner version Damplifier sheets because there's not a lot of extra room inside a D202 plinth and I don't want to obstruct any move parts.
http://store.secondskinaudio.com/damplifier-10-sq-feet-10-damp-5-sheets/

The Sorbothane feet are new me. I read a lot about them and I have a few different sizes to try out. 1.5", 2" half-spheres, a set made for the 1200 (with threads), and 2" flat one... kinda went a little crazy ordering those. Bought them all from "dang-good-stuff" seller on eBay; I think I'm going to like them a lot. I can't figure out if the D202 feet unscrew, but I can get them off if need be by force, but they won't be going back on. Just in case I don't like the Sorbothane feet, I ordered some spare D202 feet off eBay, so someone figured out how to get them off (spare feet - about $30). One observation - the plinth is not perfectly level, by ruler and bubble level test.

Debating & Nervous
  • Do I attempt to install binding posts? It's true I like the flexibility. They look cool. I'd buy high quality ones. But I don't have a lot of room on the backside of that plinth. Wondering if a dustcover would even have room to open on its hinges. Then again, I have those sweet Blue Jeans RCA cables... and they are really nice. I'd have to drill holes, position binding posts, figure out the ground (if that changes), solder the old wires binding posts... and I've never done any of this before.
  • Re-wire the tone arm with high end quality 99.999+% Pure Silver Litz 30AWG 5N Tonearm Wire 400mm / 1.3 MM ($53 eBay). I haven't bought that yet. Maybe buy a spare D202 tonearm to test on first? I've never dis-assembled a tonearm and I can't even figure out how to get at the ends near the headshell. It doesn't appear to unscrew... and I've never done any of this before.
I've put a few weeks of work into this so far. I should have my "Ordered" parts by Friday Dec 16. This weekend I intend to install the Damplifier, maybe a new headshell and cartridge, and maybe test out some new Sorbothane feet.

If anyone has any other good ideas, let me know. At the very least, you'll get a good review of what I'm testing out and some of the products.







 

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I have two D202 and a D205. They sound great. Not sure why you expected mediocrity; they were made to the same standards and precision as any other model. Mine sound identical to my 1400 and 1500 if I use the same cartridge. I'm also unclear as to why you'd want to rewire a working tonearm. Technics knew what they were doing and used good quality wire. I would be interested to see a project that puts RCA jacks on the back of the table.

I've had a couple issues with the 202 series. One of mine gets a sticky return mechanism, so occasionally doesn't return and so the stop button doesn't work every time. Also, two of them have a very slow cue descent, but I just haven't dealt with that. Otherwise, they're really every bit as good for listening as any other Technics table.

Amazon has Technics headshells for less than $20 next time you need one.
 
The mediocrity assumption came from my own Technics collection - 1360... and don't laugh, I have BD20D in the basement. It was NOS and I needed a cheapo in the basement where it was not ideal to put anything good... so I figured if they went that downhill by the 90s, then an 80s TT must be somewhere in between. But again, the D202 is much better than their 90s gear and it sounds great.

My re-wiring idea had its origins in my silly mistake of doing a quick soundcheck and placing the turntable a bit in front of the speakers - the sound resonated back through the cartridge and tonearm. I'm positively off the rewiring now, other than I think it would be a nice thing to try (once), but I'm again in my dilemma, "I have a perfectly good TT, why mess with it?" And that looks like a painful job, and I'm pretty certain I might break something. I agree, the tonearm and wiring do seem to be quite good. I think I'll leave it alone.

I though about the headshells from Amazon, I was just concerned that they might be fakes, since so much off Amazon is counterfeit (been burned by that before). I figured less risk with a reputable dealer. But yes, I wondered about that price discrepancy; they looked identical.

I just fixed my friend's SL-1100 pitch control and that's when I saw the RCA jacks. What a great idea! Wish all TTs came that way, cause so many people end up replacing the RCA cables or at least the ends.

Thanks for your comments!

I have two D202 and a D205. They sound great. Not sure why you expected mediocrity; they were made to the same standards and precision as any other model. Mine sound identical to my 1400 and 1500 if I use the same cartridge. I'm also unclear as to why you'd want to rewire a working tonearm. Technics knew what they were doing and used good quality wire. I would be interested to see a project that puts RCA jacks on the back of the table.

I've had a couple issues with the 202 series. One of mine gets a sticky return mechanism, so occasionally doesn't return and so the stop button doesn't work every time. Also, two of them have a very slow cue descent, but I just haven't dealt with that. Otherwise, they're really every bit as good for listening as any other Technics table.

Amazon has Technics headshells for less than $20 next time you need one.
 
I though about the headshells from Amazon, I was just concerned that they might be fakes, since so much off Amazon is counterfeit (been burned by that before). I figured less risk with a reputable dealer. But yes, I wondered about that price discrepancy; they looked identical.

Yeah, I think some other folks have wondered about their authenticity, but I've bought probably ten and they've all been genuine.

[quote[I just fixed my friend's SL-1100 pitch control and that's when I saw the RCA jacks. What a great idea! Wish all TTs came that way, cause so many people end up replacing the RCA cables or at least the ends.![/QUOTE]

I'm not sure why some model had RCA jacks and others were hardwired. The D202's p-mount equivalent is the D20, which has jacks. No idea why they did that.
 
I too have a SL-D202 which I bought at GW. I got it to use while my SL-1200mk2 was apart for mods & painting. Luckily the speed was spot on so I just plugged in the headshell/cart from my '1200 and let it spin. I'm eager to see the results you get on your mods. They seem pretty well thought out and I might do some of the easy things on mine. If you are going to install RCA jacks maybe you could go all the way and install new wires from the jacks all the way to the headshell mount?
A couple of things. When you apply damping material to the underside of the platter, make sure you apply a layer around the inside edge of the outer rim because that's what does most of the ringing.
Second, if you want to rewire the tonearm, there are two little screws on the underside of the tonearm next to the collet that secures the headshell. You will have to remove the tonearm to do this.
If you want to damp the tonearm a bit, you could add a length of heat shrink tubing over it and shrink it down snug. I've read of people getting good results with this and you don't have to remove that collet at the end of the tonearm. BTW, KAB sells Technics headshells for $34.

BTW Welcome to AK fellow Free State'r :beerchug:
 
I'd highly recommend you DONT rewire the tonearm especially with silver wire, its too bright. You can get very good headshell leads for $20 or less. Just about anything Technics you can get from KAB at very reasonable prices and unless noted the parts/accessories are all OEM factory Technics, agree there are a lot of cheap knockoffs that say Technics "style" that are junk. KAB has Technics tonearm cables and RCA jack box, if you call Kevin he can give you excellent advice and will not sell you anything he doesn't feel would be beneficial.
 
I have to disagree, it's not "barely a mid-fi turntable", it is and has always been hi-fi. One of the (lower) mid-end type, but hi-fi.

Technics knew what they were doing, based on years of experience in producing many, many models. Their 80's turntable strategy was that they let the important parts of yesterdays turntables that were higher up the line trickle down to their new, lower-end models.

Hence the SL-D202 has a good motor, a proper turntable bearing, pretty weighty platter and a true gimbal suspended arm with great bearings adjusted with care so there is free movement but no play. And they skimped on the rest. They managed to do so because they made many parts in very big numbers for several models, that way keeping cost down.

Yes it lacks all the luxurious style (and snobbism ;)) of the high-end turntables and does not go overboard with any of the previously meant aspects (motor, bearing, platter, arm) and thus will hardly satisfy the typical audiophile, but it performs where it matters: good sound for little money.

Let's say does not get you there for the full 100%, but certainly 90%, probably 95% and possibly 98%. But for much less than 90% of the price of a "100%" turntable.*

* Yes, expressing sound quality as a percentage is utter bollocks but I do it anyway, just to make a point. ;)
 
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Thanks, majick47, I hadn't even thought about a negative affect to the sound from silver wires. I'm going to go with overwhelming consensus and not touch the tonearm wires. I will find a different TT to try that out on.
 
REFURB UPDATE

Plinth Damping - Damplifier Update
This was a very time-consuming project. I’m not saying you can’t do this quickly, I just can’t do it quickly!

I read about others who had tried the blue tack / putty material on the inside (or even outside) of their turntable’s plinth to improve sound. I’ll be honest, I would never have thought to try this as my ears are just not attuned to hear the nuances, at least not like some of the posters here. Initially, I thought my Technics D202 was picking up area vibration / feedback, but it was just the ground wire or possibly the poor placement of the TT as it was picking up speaker feedback, either way, there was no real problem - I just repositioned everything and all was good. Still the D202 seemed a bit light weight to me and I didn’t like the cheap feet, so decided to add some substance to make it more solid. Rather than go with Blue-Tack on the inside or outside of the plinth I decided to go with Damplifier, a commercial product marketed towards automotive audio systems.

http://store.secondskinaudio.com/damplifier-10-sq-feet-10-damp-5-sheets/

Specifications:
  • Damplifier™ 10 sq. feet - 10 DAMP 5 Sheets
  • 6.5 mil foil - BLACK
  • .35 lbs per square foot +/- 5%
  • 1 mm total thickness (40 mils) +/- 5%

The material is relatively easy to work, but the foil layer is extremely sharp so wear thick gloves. This is the thinner of the two Damplifier versions (there’s a thicker PRO version), but the inside of the D202 is pretty tight and I didn't want to obstruct moving parts or apply unnecessary pressure to the electrical parts. You can always add another layer if necessary. If you look at the pictures you can see why it took so long. The bottom of the D202 is a thick molded resin with grooves and a few cutouts. The bottom took me a few hours to finish and I think it came out great - it's completely covered and still aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you buy the wooden roller (or have a similar tool) as it’s a lot easier to apply, press down, and mold. And you can still see all the definition of the D202’s resin bottom. I used only a little more than one sheet for the entire bottom, so I decided to apply some to the inside of the top being careful not to obstruct any moving parts. The top is really just a series of molded shapes and it took a long time to cut the Damplifier to fit all the areas. Unfortunately, applying a long sheet across the whole top would not work, it would certainly look awful. I also applied it to the sides. In total, it took me 5-6 hours and added about 1 lb to the plinth. While I had the bottom off I decided to get rid of the old feet.

Replacement Feet Update
Probably my least favorite part of the D202 - the cheap stock feet. I’ve really come to love the D202’s sound, but I still do not care for the feet. Technics seemed to have really skimped on the feet, which is odd as most of the other parts are high quality. Many Technics models used that same plinth and those rubber felt-covered stock feet. I could not figure out how to unscrew them or remove them without permanently damaging them. Let me know if any one knows how for future reference. I cut them off from the inside. I ordered four types of Sorbothane feet to try them out. The first set was was thin flat version to be placed under the original D202 stock feet; these didn’t seem to add any more stability. The second and third sets were the half spheres, just different sizes (1 1/2" and 2”). The 2" half sphere was excellent and it came with a special coating so it wasn’t sticky. Warning: Sorbothane can be sticky, which is good for grounding something but it can also leach into and stain surfaces so either put something (plastic/felt) under it or get the coated kind. Lastly, I ordered the Sorbothane feet designed for the SL-1200 ($31.99, 1.5 in diameter, 1” high w/ a 1/2” long M6 threaded mount, density = 70D). Perfect! I used those. BTW, they come in different densities, I preferred the 50D and 70D (the firmest).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/252030392739?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I widened the original foot holes slightly and purchased four bolts to secure the feet to the bottom (the D202 has nothing to screw them into). All the other Sorbothane feet types came with adhesive on one side, but again these had threads. I preferred these because of the look and feel, the density (D70), and the threads. These feet were not coated so I added a small rubber disc to the bottom to avoid staining my tabletop.

Dust Cover Update
My Goodwill find came with no dustover and although I don't always keep it on during play, I like having one. I purchased a new acrylic dustcover on eBay. I couldn’t find one that said it was made for a SL-D202, but I found one that said it fit a bunch of other Technics models that were the exact same plinth size. I emailed the seller and he said it would fit the D202 and indeed it fit both the plinth and hinges just fine. Crystal clear, not Technics branded of course, but it looks great.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381709296063?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


RESULTS - SOUND CHECK
I’m very pleased with the results. First of all, I did no harm. Everything works - not always guaranteed when you take apart a machine and flip it upside for almost a full day. I think it sounds excellent. I did the soundcheck after applying Damplifier and swaping out the stock feet w/ high end Sorbathane feet. So it’s hard to say what made the most difference. It certainly feels a lot more solid. I can even give the plinth a good hard tap or bump and absolutely no sound or vibration gets transferred and that I can positively say is a significant improvement. What I can’t say is if the Damplifier or Sorbothane feet made a substantial improvement to the overall sound OR am I just hearing improvement because I spent all day upgrading my turntable - that is hard to discern and I think we’ve all been there. It does look much better raised up an extra inch; it looks and feels a lot more substantial. If you do anything, I highly recommend those Sorbothane threaded feet. Worth the $31.99.

NEXT - Adjusting the tone-arm auto return and trying out a new Gardo Green.

1 Applying Damplifier Bottom.JPG 2 Damplifiier CloseUp.JPG 3 Damplifier Bottom.JPG 4 Applying Damplifier Top.JPG 5 Damplifier Top.JPG 6 Sorbothane Feet.jpg 7 New Acrylic Dust Cover.JPG
 
Very nice work! Not a lot of folks have thought about upgrading this model. Glad to hear you got good results.

How's the cue descent speed on yours?
 
Looking at the pics of the underside of the plinth, boy oh boy, you must have the patience of a saint. You'll probably have to do some extended listening to hear if you notice things in recordings sounding clearer. I see you haven't damped your platter yet. I think that will be an improvement as well. One thing I've found out is that several smaller tweaks add up to a pretty noticeable improvement :thumbsup:
Nice find on the new feet. I wonder how they'd work out on a '1200 :idea:
 
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Looking at the pics of the underside of the plinth, boy oh boy, you must have the patience of a saint. You'll probably have to do some extended listening to hear if you notice things in recordings sounding clearer. I see you haven't damped your platter yet. I think that will be an improvement as well. One thing I've found out is that several smaller tweaks add up to a pretty noticeable improvement :thumbsup:
Nice find on the new feet. I wonder how they'd work out on a '1200 :idea:

Thanks, RickyM. You know I thought about the platter, but I'll need to do more research and determine the best way to do that. The plinth seemed easy by comparison and less for me to break in the process. I assumed, maybe correctly or not, that the plinth was NOT designed to be a resonating chamber, so any damping performed would only help eliminate vibrations, etc. and wouldn't have any negative impact (somebody in another post said too much damping did and I didn't quite understand why).

The D202's platter is pretty heavy and spins smoothly and evenly. I also use a heavy record puck, which I wasn't totally sold on until I bought one (at the very least it keeps my thinner or slightly warped rare records flat). If anyone has any pictures of a Technics direct drive platter with damping material applied please post. I may buy another D202 platter as an experiment, do that one, and then I could compare. I was worried about adding too much weight to the platter or more likely unbalancing it. I also wondered if the direct drive was calibrated for a weight.
 
I don't think the direct drive "motor" cares about a weight. It just applies a voltage and the platter turns via a magnetic field. The question is how much weight the bearing can handle. I doubt it cares much either (within reason), provided it's adequately oiled.
 
A well damped platter makes a difference for the better for the better. That's what expensive platter mats claim to do, damp the platter. Applying damping to the underside of the platter is very effective and a heck of a lot cheaper. In fact the Technics SL-1200mk2 platter comes with a rubber undermat. Unfortunately it's poorly attached and all but ineffective. Applying a damping sheet to the underside of a platter is relatively easy. Just make a template of the underside of the platter with a piece of heavy paper and use that as a pattern for the damping sheet. Cut the sheet to size then cut it in half. Trust me, it's far easier to apply one half at a time. If there is enough clearance, apply strips to the inner rim of the platter as well. Also, one layer of damping won't strain the bearing and is distributed evenly enough so there won't be any imbalance issues.
Here's what it looks like on my '1200.

104_1256-L.jpg
 
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In answer to my own question in #12 above, the feet you found work great on my SL-1200. Thanks for the tip! The bass notes now sound clearer, more detailed and maybe a bit deeper. I have to believe the feet are at least partly responsible for good sound you're getting out of your SL-D202. I'll definitely be getting a set for mine too. I have some Dynamat laying around so I may apply some to the plinth (that looks like about a hundred pieces :D ) on my SL-D202 as well.
 
Fun read! Cookbook performance upgrades are both a fun pastime and very revealing. There are a lot of low buck decks out there that can run rings around the most pricey decks with better reputations. Good luck.

My tip is next time, skip the Technics headshells and pick up the $10 ish American DJ clone. Virtually identical.
 
REFURB UPDATE

Platter Damping - Damplifier Update

Well RickyM's picture and post convinced me to add damping material to the platter. It's sound logic.

Just in case I didn't like the results I bought an extra D202 platter from eBay... and btw, some Braso on old Technics platters does a great job. I was worried it would be too harsh on the polished metal, but not so, it was surprisingly gentle.

I still had a lot of Damplifier left from doing the plinth so nothing new to purchase. I only used one layer of the Damplifier on the bottom of the platter. That material is pretty easy to work with and I even got it to smoothly follow the curve up the side (see pic). Again, I highly recommend you buy the tiny wooden roller - the roller is good on the flat parts and just flip the handle over and use it to smooth over the tight corners and curves. Mostly, I wanted smooth, even coverage so as not to upset the weight of the platter. While Damplifier is easy to work with, it's easier to work with smaller pieces, so I traced a circle from the platter and cut it out, next I cut out the center hole (for the magnets) and then I cut my circle it into two pieces. I was easier to apply because once Damplifier touches metal it's not so easy to pull up and reposition.

Soundcheck
So far so good. Since I have one platter with damping and one without I've been switching back and forth. Still too early to give my final opinion, but my Who's Next album sounded great.

IMG_5319.JPG IMG_5322.JPG IMG_5323.JPG

NEXT
Researching new mats. I have a Vibro-Stop mat on order. I hope it will fit (287mm). If not, I'm sure it will fit one of my other turntables. Feedback on it was mostly good. Has anyone tried one and did they use it directly on top of the metal platter or on top of the rubber mat; the latter seems more reasonable, but their Vibro-Stop website says to try both and see which gives the best sound. We'll see, I know it sounded a bit gimmicky, but it wasn't very expensive ($34) and it's something new to try and write about.
 
Interesting -- how and where on the platter did you apply it?

Just on the polished aluminum edge area (that 1/4" border that shows once you put the mat on). After 30 years it can get a bit dingy looking. I didn't touch the black pained top or the checkered sides. Braso with a micro-fiber cloth.

I had one troublesome dark area that just wouldn't go away and I tried of all things the "Magic Eraser" with a little Braso and water... just on that one tiny spot and I was surprised that it didn't damage it either. I don't recommend the Magic Eraser in general, but as this was my backup platter I really didn't care.
 
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