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It really MAT-ters

I use a Delrin/Wood/Copper-sandwiched mat from TTweights that I bought used from another AKer, cut for the Sony 2251's specific platter shape (it's bare platter isn't completely flat minus the stock robber mat) but it'll work on any table I have. I love it...adds weight (it's surprisingly heavy) and further removes that table sound from the audio. It has more of an affect on the Sony and other DD tables I've used it on, but right now it's on my VPI. It looks really cool if anything.

So yeah, you can try numerous materials. I've used felt and cork before, and bare delrin and the bare VPI platter clamped down with a washer supporting the middle and forming a suction at the sides. Subtle differences, but that's one of the most fun parts of playing records.
 
This is what I am now using on my SL-1700MK2. Actually, I'm not sure if this is the exact mouse pad or not (my girlfriend bought it locally somewhere), but it looks very similar and matches the description to a "T".

http://www.bonafidereviews.com/review-of-artisan-kai-g3-hien-soft-large-mouse-pad/

It's fairly heavy and is just about as thick or exactly as thick as the stock Technics mat. The rubber backing on it sticks like glue to the platter, and the soft, lightly textured top side keeps a firm grip on the vinyl. Add to that my 1 lb record weight and it makes for a pretty good combination.



With many more hours of use now, I can tell that the midrange is a little more open and the bass has a little more weight to it, but still detailed. I haven't noticed any change in the treble. The background seems to be quite a bit "blacker" as well. I think the extra openness in the midrange and the "blacker blacks" has helped improve the width and depth of the sound stage. Nothing super drastic, but certainly noticeable.

The BIGGEST improvement that this mouse pad (record mat) made though is the fact that it completely eliminated any and all static charge on the vinyl. And I'm talking like 99.9% removed too!

Fuzz and dust no longer get attracted to the surface of the records, the plastic sleeves don't stick the records, and there's a major reduction in "pops and clicks" from static. In fact, when you pull the record off the mat to flip it or change to another album, there's ZERO static "snap" heard or static attraction of arm hairs felt at all.

I say you guys owe it to yourselves and your systems (which some are much better than mine) to try this out. It might just be the last mat you ever try.
 
cube-tube said:
This is what I am now using on my SL-1700MK2. Actually, I'm not sure if this is the exact mouse pad or not (my girlfriend bought it locally somewhere), but it looks very similar and matches the description to a "T".

http://www.bonafidereviews.com/review-of-artisan-kai-g3-hien-soft-large-mouse-pad/

It's fairly heavy and is just about as thick or exactly as thick as the stock Technics mat. The rubber backing on it sticks like glue to the platter, and the soft, lightly textured top side keeps a firm grip on the vinyl. Add to that my 1 lb record weight and it makes for a pretty good combination.



With many more hours of use now, I can tell that the midrange is a little more open and the bass has a little more weight to it, but still detailed. I haven't noticed any change in the treble. The background seems to be quite a bit "blacker" as well. I think the extra openness in the midrange and the "blacker blacks" has helped improve the width and depth of the sound stage. Nothing super drastic, but certainly noticeable.

The BIGGEST improvement that this mouse pad (record mat) made though is the fact that it completely eliminated any and all static charge on the vinyl. And I'm talking like 99.9% removed too!

Fuzz and dust no longer get attracted to the surface of the records, the plastic sleeves don't stick the records, and there's a major reduction in "pops and clicks" from static. In fact, when you pull the record off the mat to flip it or change to another album, there's ZERO static "snap" heard or static attraction of arm hairs felt at all.

I say you guys owe it to yourselves and your systems (which some are much better than mine) to try this out. It might just be the last mat you ever try.
Click to expand...

How easy was it to cut it, and did you require any special tool to do so?
 
Remember that the mat is the platter damper for most DD turntables, tap-check for ringing with a record on the mat for an honest result.
 
jkilla said:
How easy was it to cut it, and did you require any special tool to do so?
Click to expand...

Just a nice sharp pair of Chicago Cutlery scissors and the stock mat as a template. I then used several pieces of tape to "pic off" the little black crumbs from the freshly cut edge.

Here's a closer pic of it in use...

p861610960-4.jpg
 
I ended grabbing one of these from my local record shop

http://diamondgroove.com/detail.aspx?ID=3816

It's exactly what I was looking for. Carbon-impregnated wool. Thickness was just right, none of the static issues with felt, and much punchier sound than the cork,shelf-liner and rubber mats I've tried.

Might try the mouse pad mat at some point in the future but this has served me well, for a reasonable price
 
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