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Platter Mat

I gave up using felt mats. Even had a high quality felt ... But static and dust are a pain. Also never felt any sound improvement at all. I currently using a Pathewings cork and rubber mat on my Lenco l75.

On my pioneer plx1000 I am using a very thin corck mat under the original rubber mat. It improved sound noticeably.

Go with corck or rubber. Forget felt. Or just use it under a rubber mat just to add height if your turntable doesn't allow VTA adjustment
 
I found that the best would be very soft (almost gel like) rubber mat. I use one that came together with my table (Pioneer Pl-L1). I know that Audio quest was selling one made from Sorbothane, but they do not offer it anymore. But that should be the goal.
 
for_p1 said:
I found that the best would be very soft (almost gel like) rubber mat. I use one that came together with my table (Pioneer Pl-L1). I know that Audio quest was selling one made from Sorbothane, but they do not offer it anymore. But that should be the goal.
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The Sony PS-X7 mat was a silicone filled mat........the mat and feet were the best part of the table
 
I was actually thinking of picking up one of these mats but then the gentlemen at the local electronic store brought something important to my attention. He pointed out that although some mats do perform as advertised you have to make sure that your table has vertical tracking force, if it does not youre adding thickness to your platter that your turntable arm cannot adapt to. Now you have your stock rubber mat, the felt/cork mat, plus the record. That added thickness means that your stylus is pressing harder on your record then intended, leading to increased wear to your grooves and stylus. so just keep that in mind!
 
No affiliation. I bought a Turntable Toys TC-8 cork mat 1/8" thick. They offered other thicknesses also. On the bay under $15 with shipping. Try to match thickness of your current mat so not to change VTA, vertical tracking angle.
Ideal mat thickness, your tonearm looks to be level to, parallel to the record with stylus on a record.
 
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Worthy_Wax said:
I was actually thinking of picking up one of these mats but then the gentlemen at the local electronic store brought something important to my attention. He pointed out that although some mats do perform as advertised you have to make sure that your table has vertical tracking force, if it does not youre adding thickness to your platter that your turntable arm cannot adapt to. Now you have your stock rubber mat, the felt/cork mat, plus the record. That added thickness means that your stylus is pressing harder on your record then intended, leading to increased wear to your grooves and stylus. so just keep that in mind!
Click to expand...

If you are referring to a static balance arm, with the arm raised above level due to mat thickness, the tracking weight is reduced, not increased. But not drastically.
 
Worthy_Wax said:
I was actually thinking of picking up one of these mats but then the gentlemen at the local electronic store brought something important to my attention. He pointed out that although some mats do perform as advertised you have to make sure that your table has vertical tracking force, if it does not youre adding thickness to your platter that your turntable arm cannot adapt to. Now you have your stock rubber mat, the felt/cork mat, plus the record. That added thickness means that your stylus is pressing harder on your record then intended, leading to increased wear to your grooves and stylus. so just keep that in mind!
Click to expand...

Why keep stock mat if you put another one? You either use stock, OR third party one. Of cause tonearm has to be adjusted to any difference in mat thickness, the same way as it should be adjusted for cartridge height.
 
MRL_Audio said:
Home Depot sells cork mats for plants that are a near perfect size for the platter. Cheaply I might add...
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Yup

also try flipping it over cork side down... pasteboard side up

then put a thin mat on top. Must have a TT with adjustable VTA

I use a thin Herbies on top
 
marcmorin said:
deer hide
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I use a deer hide deer hide mat on the Ariston RD11s and it is absolutely "the cat's pyjamas". On the Rek-O-Kut B-12H not so much. I went with a Herbie's on it and that is just plain marvelous. In that application it eats anything else I've tried for breakfast. Most natural sound Ive ever managed out of vinyl so far.
 
The cork that they use for automotive valve covers works great.....and you can buy it at different thicknesses to check the difference and by cutting your own by laying the rubber mat over the top as a pattern you can cut your own with a razor.

I use an 1/8 inch cork platter mat under the rubber mat....
 
No mention by the OP of what table he has. The good better best tables came with very good mats almost all of them rubber. Changing a mat out isn't going to make a night/day difference.
 
Luis.correia said:
I gave up using felt mats. Even had a high quality felt ... But static and dust are a pain. Also never felt any sound improvement at all. I currently using a Pathewings cork and rubber mat on my Lenco l75.

On my pioneer plx1000 I am using a very thin corck mat under the original rubber mat. It improved sound noticeably.

Go with corck or rubber. Forget felt. Or just use it under a rubber mat just to add height if your turntable doesn't allow VTA adjustment
Click to expand...

I wonder if that had more to do with the change in VTA rather than the cork mat?
 
Linn recommends staying with felt on their tables. Say nothing to be gained by change. Different tables may like a certain material.
 
The OP mentioned static as one reason for mat change. During winter low humidity season I borrowed an idea from tnt audio site. A grounded carbon fiber brush bristles just touching smooth OD of platter. Pic shows pulled away from platter. Does the rubbing get picked up by stylus? I don't hear through At440mla / Linn LP12 Valhalla.

Edit, Nov '20: I abandoned this brush idea long ago.
IMG_20160824_141640.jpg
 
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My opinion only and my personal experience is this. I tried felt which was a static mess tried cork which also kept some static and gave me less bass response tried rubber which also gave static and then recently bought a double sided suede mat. Instantaneously all static disappeared black noise was better bass response also was better and I've had no issues with it. Ran me 33 but I feel it fits my needs more than anything else has.
 
I'm resurrecting an old thread. Like so many I've been on a quest for the best sound for the money. I'd tried cork mats and changed over to deer hide mats. I currently have 6 turntables set up, I'd been on the fence as to whether or not to keep a Technics SL5 which was the 1st new turntable I ever purchased. I'd had a tech go through it for me 5 or 6 years ago, it sounded nice, but not what I was hoping for. I bought a Technics EPC-P 310 MC for it and had it retipped with a boron cantilever with a micro line stylus. It made a noticeable improvement. On a whim I recently picked up a mat made from rubber and cork on a Denon DP-6700 with a Technics EPA-500 arm currently a Genesis 2000 cartridge. Instant improvement, so I tried the rubber/cork mat on the SL5 and it sounds like a world beater to me. As I've been trying different tables, arms and cartridges the simple mat made as much or more difference and at a lower price tag. I've now purchased 4 of those mats, and on the SL5 with no clamp, a Technic SL M3 and my Denon tables I've been truly amazed at the difference.
 
After years of experimenting with all types of mats, I use Herbie's Way Excellent mats on all of my Thorens tables. No Contest and they come in different thicknesses to match your table or allow VTA etc.
Regards,
Jim
 
Ahhhhhhh..... mats. In my opinion the sonic differences are minimal between good mats despite the "night-and-day-difference!" style claims. Yes there are differences but they are subtle at best. Even so, I've tried all the different types over the years --- I like cork the best except I've found it to have the most issues with static.
My favorite combination is my current, which is a rubber-infused cork mat on the platter and an acrylic mat atop of it. Quite thick however (4mm cork + 3mm acrylic) and I wouldn't be able to use this combo without adjustable VTA.
If you're struggling with static, try an acrylic mat - they are the best for controlling (mind you, not eliminating) static by a huge margin in my experience.

technics sl-1500c.jpg

Acrylic atop cork...
platter sandwich.jpg
 
I added a cork/rubber mat right after I got my new TT, and was pleasantly surprised that I heard an audible improvement.
 
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