Jump to content

Turntable mats, what is hot and what is not?


Recommended Posts

13 hours ago, wasabijim said:

would you believe I come across this in Bunnings (that very afternoon i read thru this thread, just saw the pic again in phone and it reminded me to post) 

worth it just for the experiement at <$7. 

( i didn't get one so can;t comment)

 

 

https://www.bunnings.com.au/northcote-pottery-30cm-pot-accessory-cork-mat_p0138556

 

qjsIQFA58v_cjLmHtYpw7Vc06kQDCcA2HUSYU7E_KC2XilN0wA3k-jutTsvrnPtzl6Yr1viXH9XKCHZu3zHQmfNpJLsqhQLIzn7c1Xd30gHz4cFFQkhEgJIsRZMW0nwGwMsQsW0rCTpETEUjNgdoZhfa3NFBXIUCplbRxZ8oEW_AF_tbHgGZvTLynj00Et3Hf267q220d0E3cURNAe3LKLOWL_sbTAwNlSfs-EOYKQ4gxMbhkDyd8PSZ2eI-6Hx_AUYZp7NyYsdxawVvHjiGV9hAZaSTL1XlS7-BLa1_xs96ursQFz2-ozJ43QME-bId_992nRlEOeTvwcgd2U1XWMl12VP9uhckdKHv0tJMksjdOzVXN6Ulp9LuA9Dav79PxoIc1KMpDyNBvMHCEXvj6_eJF1VIWCZgzjWIDh2jiNoEZOy418pQ_Ts2YUPO5b4_qc_qHgO_t4mUTpXsR-sWN9A-kyxC2A2rGCoev78MXerrqv2hjhLAmlFPPphIq2W2PghAMEB7uyMKnl9yS0pyPCFZ11Gq6AQIuJ8T4dUCuv7WtHxatzmc6CVfwVbebO_OrnNqXq3fDEGHdYjGgJ854I9BGPvYR4lKT13waokeVnSVyS3TVr8RmgCFXATwOJ5F6Nhwn0LiUBFczvKZloA5NqMk-jEBXF40mvkyhRUppaApPw=w568-h757-no

 

Great find......just get the centre hole correct!

 

Some audio company (ie: Project?) will do a bulk buy, stick their logo on it and sell them for $80! Actually, I think they already do that...... (digital scales, alignment protractors and yes, cork mats.........I mean, just how expensive is cork? The above tells us!)?

 

PS: Ok, they'll charge $30......I just checked the Project 'Cork It' price!?

 

NB: These are listed on the Bunnings website as 50mm thick?......this is obviously meant to be 5mm.......but that is twice as thick as the Cork It.....VTA issues?

Edited by stevoz
Link to comment
Share on other sites



2 hours ago, stevoz said:

Great find......just get the centre hole correct!

 

Some audio company (ie: Project?) will do a bulk buy, stick their logo on it and sell them for $80! Actually, I think they already do that...... (digital scales, alignment protractors and yes, cork mats.........I mean, just how expensive is cork? The above tells us!)?

 

PS: Ok, they'll charge $30......I just checked the Project 'Cork It' price!?

 

NB: These are listed on the Bunnings website as 50mm thick?......this is obviously meant to be 5mm.......but that is twice as thick as the Cork It.....VTA issues?

I went and grabbed one this morning out of curiousity and sheer boredom. It ended up being slightly too big for the top of my platter. Measured more like 306mm diameter by my ruler. They are 5mm thick; 2mm of rubbery plastic and 3mm of cork.

The slight overhang triggered me so I tried to trim it down and made a right mess of it as you can see..

I'm not even sure how you're supposed to A/B test a platter mat, it's such a PITA to swap them in any reasonable time to have remembered what the other one sounded like. If anything in my vain attempts to compare, I'd say the cork one seems to makes the record a touch quieter (volume wise)?..

I wish I didn't make it so ugly trying to trim it, as I was predominantly after an aesthetic change and going to get Mrs Esquire to slap some art on it, but after seeing it I think the cork doesn't really suit my TT anyway :shrug: I'll prob keep messing with it a bit but I doubt it will be a permanent change.

IMG_20200324_135441.thumb.jpg.d931f48a57e0d540b5a23248d68a81bf.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

During this time of government ordered stay home isolation for the Covid 19 virus

Think I should tinker a little to pass away the time and make another platter mat 

 

I have some large sheets of industrial neoprene rubber / cork blend called Amorim NP 50  also known as elastomeric cork

It’s primarily used in gaskets and is approx 6 to 8mm thick ( must check ) 


So unless I get busy with other projects I will make a platter mat with it and experiment against my other DIY mat that I’m currently using 

 

That mat is a light weight but dense expanded foam board that has been sandwiched between paper and fabric and it’s white in colour 

It works really great on my setup (see photo)


A7-EA9542-7303-40-C5-923-D-CEB73714-BB3-

 

 

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Full Range said:

During this time of government ordered stay home isolation for the Covid 19 virus

Think I should tinker a little to pass away the time and make another platter mat 

 

I have some large sheets of industrial neoprene rubber / cork blend called Amorim NP 50  also known as elastomeric cork

It’s primarily used in gaskets and is approx 6 to 8mm thick ( must check ) 


So unless I get busy with other projects I will make a platter mat with it and experiment against my other DIY mat that I’m currently using 

 

That mat is a light weight but dense expanded foam board that has been sandwiched between paper and fabric and it’s white in colour 

It works really great on my setup (see photo)


A7-EA9542-7303-40-C5-923-D-CEB73714-BB3-

 

 

 

 

The white looks quite cool.?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



4 hours ago, stevoz said:

Great find......just get the centre hole correct!

 

Some audio company (ie: Project?) will do a bulk buy, stick their logo on it and sell them for $80! Actually, I think they already do that...... (digital scales, alignment protractors and yes, cork mats.........I mean, just how expensive is cork? The above tells us!)?

 

PS: Ok, they'll charge $30......I just checked the Project 'Cork It' price!?

 

NB: These are listed on the Bunnings website as 50mm thick?......this is obviously meant to be 5mm.......but that is twice as thick as the Cork It.....VTA issues?

 

I noticed that.  T went and looked at them today.  The plastic backing is quite thick and  slippery, so would not couple with the platter under it well.  It also makes it a bit thick - yeah, probably 5mm.  I think you would need to remove it from the backing, but it is fairly well glued.  There were some broken ones on the shelf that let me see the glue and how well it was bonded.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've tried a few and currently settled on a deer skin mat, treated side up on my MH 9.1.

I'd tried a few mats and this to my ears sounded best with the cart I use etc.

20200324_164950_HDR.thumb.jpg.5135ae5e4f26dd7a475de156caa6e4bb.jpg

 

On my SL1200mkii I use a Pathe 

Wings mat, I was using it felt side up, but last week thought id try cork side up.  Not sure yet but bass might be a bit tighter this way.  I got the mat the same thickness as the Technics rubber mat that came on the table which was 3mm, I know earlier versions came with a 6mm rubber mat too.

Cork side up

20200324_165225_HDR.thumb.jpg.14555f86a040e3cbecc65c3e1d9fffe5.jpg

Felt side up

20200324_165239_HDR.thumb.jpg.171bdf519748149d5299e1a4b5bf4e17.jpg

 

 

I bought this MH cork mat a few years back, tried it for a while but went back to deer skin.  I think it uses same principles as resomat...

 

20200324_165058_HDR.thumb.jpg.4345029dab9efd83b1f54f89f09fcc9f.jpg

 

I tried it the other night on-top of the Technics rubber mat (flipped so flat side was up and groove side down on platter) and quite liked it.  May try it further.  Easy to adjust VTA on the Technics too so trial is not so labourous in that regard 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...


14 hours ago, Tasebass said:

Big fan of these Collaro mats....especially on the PLX1000 which made a real palpable SQ improvement in all areas.....

 

IMG_1433.thumb.jpg.d0d5cd9795b2b0aa6fe69cca08a560e0.jpg 

 

Tase.

I just looked these up  and read the review, I can't find anything on the website or review that provides detail of their height.  They look roughly 2 or 3mm, am I guessing in the ball Park

Have you got a rubber mat under the Collaro on the PLX?

 

They also have a white one which is marketed for different TT's and I assume a different height.  Can I ask what directed you to the red one over the white one

 

Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, 08Boss302 said:

I just looked these up  and read the review, I can't find anything on the website or review that provides detail of their height.  They look roughly 2 or 3mm, am I guessing in the ball Park

Have you got a rubber mat under the Collaro on the PLX?

 

They also have a white one which is marketed for different TT's and I assume a different height.  Can I ask what directed you to the red one over the white one

 

Cheers.

There's a few face book pages ..Collaro audio Users" and Collaro audio"....

The Red mat was designed with an LP12 in mind...but when i placed it on the PLX1000 was quite shocked at the improvement so bought another one...

The white one is for Garrard 301/401 i believe....

 

https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/collaro_red_felt_e.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Tasebass said:

There's a few face book pages ..Collaro audio Users" and Collaro audio"....

The Red mat was designed with an LP12 in mind...but when i placed it on the PLX1000 was quite shocked at the improvement so bought another one...

The white one is for Garrard 301/401 i believe....

 

https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/collaro_red_felt_e.html

thanks for that. I am one of the rare people that have no social media at all so cannot look up facebook or instagram etc, it is sometimes to my detriment but mostly I dont miss what I dont know LOL.

 

I did read the red mat was designed with the LP12 in mind on the website, but they also specified many other brands. I think the white is thicker from reading and might be more rigid as it specifically states if you have a platter with a lip this will sit over it no problem. 

 

I'll do search on YouTube see what comes up.  I am happy with my Pathe Wings but always keen to read on options. 

 

cheers for the reply.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve had cork, felt, thick rubber (on my Technics SL1100), Les Davis Audio (on my main TT but transferred to my Project Debut Carbon, I know I know the mat is about 20% of the cost of the TT, tonearm and cartridge) but my favourite is my Herbies Audio Lab Way Excellent Turntable Mat acquired second hand when I acquired a modified original Rega Planar 2 TT. I now use the Way Excellent mat on my main TT.  With my dud ears I can’t swear to the differences but I really like the mat and it’s not ridiculously expensive. The manufacturer can still be found on the internet and has various sizes and options:

 

https://herbiesaudiolab.com/products/way-excellent-ii-turntable-mat?variant=12654105919543


On my main TT

ABE729AD-3F3B-474F-BFA1-84AB5B747D6C.jpeg

Edited by KRSDarwin
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...
To Top