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The use of mats on platters

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Frostg View Drop Down
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    Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 5:35am
Any advice please? Advantage/disadvantage or don't blotter!
Wool/felt or rubber/polymer (I.e. the cartridge man music mat)
Thanks for any advice.
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oldagetraveller View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oldagetraveller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 10:00am
It has to depend on which turntable surely?
However, my Pink Triangle and Roksan each have acrylic platters and I've left them exactly as their designers intended. Although the SL1210 rubber mat is adequate I use and find the Funk Achromat a better sounding option on that turntable. Funk do make 3mm and 5mm thick versions as well as the "special" 5mm 1200 mat which is machined to fit the 1200/1210 properly.


Edited by oldagetraveller - 02 Mar 2012 at 10:01am
Peter

P T- LPT/RB300/G1042, Pink Triangle Tarantella/Nima/Ortofon 2M Black, SL1210II, Naim CD5, NAC112, NAP150, Flatcap2, Proac SC1, GS SoloUL,GS Accession , Senn HD250 & HD540.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BackinBlack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 10:19am
I'm using a sorbothane mat from Inspire on my Garrard 401. It does seem to clean up the top end a bit, but most noticeabily reduces surface noise, something the Fanfare 3 also does. So now, I enjoy a very dark background to the music.
The current vogue seems to be for acrylic mats, I haven't tried one yet but would also be interested to hear what others are using.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote suede Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 12:59pm
Originally posted by oldagetraveller oldagetraveller wrote:

Funk do make 3mm and 5mm thick versions


I too have an acrylic platter so I don't use mats but I guess that if you do, having a few mats of different thickness and changing them around to fit the thickness or weight of the current record playing would be a nice way to get around any VTA issues. I know some people don't believe in problems with VTA but I've found that the optimal VTF for standard ~120-130 g pressings is not the same as for deluxe 180 or 200 g ones and I suspect it really has more to do with the vertical angle rather than just the tracking force.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote tg [RIP] Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 3:41pm

Ownership of an acrylic platter, whilst they are very good without a mat (I also own one) does not preclude the possibility of a mat offering improvement.

This review http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/funk2_e.html provided the stimulus for my own experimentation, with the result that I now use a 5mm Achromat on my acrylic platter, not just because the reviewer thought it improved his orbe (nor because the designer tried it on one with similar effect) but because my own listening tests indicated an effect I also preferred.

Of particular note in that review is his observation that the effect varied depending on the supporting structure under the turntable.

I have made the observation previously, probably somewhere on this forum too, that of the many mats I have tried (precluding the over $100 category such as the graphite or copper ones) most altered the sound in a way that reflected their composition, eg acrylic harder and brighter, felt wooly, rubber good bass and drive but a trifle dead sounding.

Different platters, different mats, everything makes a difference, listen and choose.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 10:00pm
I rate the 5mm Achromat and thanks again to tg for the tip.
Jon

Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Frostg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 10:41pm
Thanks for all the advice , and especially Tony who as always has a wealth of knowledge. And I appreciate the listen and choose, but it is first worth knowing if it even bothering looking at such things, as in HiFi there does appear to be a fair amount of snake oil and the emporer's new clothes syndrome to confuse and sucker the unwary and uninformed! I have to admit I was a little shocked when someone showed me a power cable that costs over $1000, and that was a relatively cheap one. But I am sure that is another can of worms.......
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