Bus_Boy Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 When i switch my TT on, the platter appears to spin true, however the outer surfaces of the mat rise up and down. Is it important that the mat be in good shape? I found an acrylic platter for $115. Would it be worth the while buying it at that price and eliminating the need for a mat all together? I notice the mat seems to attract dust, hair ect, and is impossible to keep clean. (i have been going over it with a lint roller) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gutty Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I never liked the felt mat on my Rega, i had much better results using some of that non slip mat you can pick up at k-mart/bunnings etc. It's cheap, so couldn't hurt to try. On my home made TT i use an acrylic platter(no mat), as i did on my Clearaudio and do like the sound an acrylic platter gives. Only thing to watch for if putting an acrylic platter on a Rega is the weight, if it's too much lighter than the standard platter you may lose some stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proftournesol Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 have you looked at an AchroplatII ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus_Boy Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 I did come across the funk firm platters but i thought they were rather pricey, and probably a bit more than i should spend on modifying a P1 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiradi Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Hello vinyl addicts... In my many years of experimenting with turntables I found , yes , any turntable mat is pretty important... It depends on the material of your platter and IMO it should always be of a different material...if your system is good enough, you will hear what I mean... Felt mats, you can do better....I just had a look in my "junk"corner here...there is a combination of a thin carbon fibre mat combined with a sticky sort of foam and of memory that was nice, together or by itself, esp. on acrylic platters...on aluminium, dampen the platter itself with silicone and than try a acrylic mat, of course you have to be able to adjust the VTA on your arm... Also, beware of the dreaded clamps or weights, they can be a bit of a nightmare...good ones are rare...at one stage , I had a bronze "weight,clamp" made, it's heavy, there it is still good looking, so bearings need to be able to handle that sort of stuff... The best you asked...for many ,many years now I have been using the Goldmund Platter and Goldmund clamp...of memory they had been made out of the same material as our good old records...never found anything better... Good luck in finding one...the clamps come up once a while on e-bay or Audiogon... Bus_Boy...I have one of my special constructions here, a piece of foam sandwiched between 2 records...does the platter on yor Rega has a straght hole or is it tapered.??..if it's straight, let me know and I throw it in with your records...maybe you will be suprised and it could save you a few $$$... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockandorRoll Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 i found the mat on my P3 would do the same thing BB, wouldnt effect the playing though as it flattened out with a record on top. What i hated most of all was when the mat would stick to the bottom of the record. thats why i like my acrylic platter better, no static Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yamaha_man Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I use a vivid mat with my LP-12, to purchase seperately it costs approx 23 UK pounds and works a treat. http://www.inspirehifi.co.uk/inspirehifi/vivid_files/pricelistfeb2011_1.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus_Boy Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Hello vinyl addicts...In my many years of experimenting with turntables I found , yes , any turntable mat is pretty important... It depends on the material of your platter and IMO it should always be of a different material...if your system is good enough, you will hear what I mean... Felt mats, you can do better....I just had a look in my "junk"corner here...there is a combination of a thin carbon fibre mat combined with a sticky sort of foam and of memory that was nice, together or by itself, esp. on acrylic platters...on aluminium, dampen the platter itself with silicone and than try a acrylic mat, of course you have to be able to adjust the VTA on your arm... Also, beware of the dreaded clamps or weights, they can be a bit of a nightmare...good ones are rare...at one stage , I had a bronze "weight,clamp" made, it's heavy, there it is still good looking, so bearings need to be able to handle that sort of stuff... The best you asked...for many ,many years now I have been using the Goldmund Platter and Goldmund clamp...of memory they had been made out of the same material as our good old records...never found anything better... Good luck in finding one...the clamps come up once a while on e-bay or Audiogon... Bus_Boy...I have one of my special constructions here, a piece of foam sandwiched between 2 records...does the platter on yor Rega has a straght hole or is it tapered.??..if it's straight, let me know and I throw it in with your records...maybe you will be suprised and it could save you a few $$$... That would be great Hiradi if you could do that for me. The P1 has a straight hole for the platter. Is it designed to replace only the mat, or the platter and mat all together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus_Boy Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 i found the mat on my P3 would do the same thing BB, wouldnt effect the playing though as it flattened out with a record on top. What i hated most of all was when the mat would stick to the bottom of the record. thats why i like my acrylic platter better, no static Yes nearly every time i lift the record the mat usually clings to one of the corners and then becomes ruffled up and i have to flatten everything out again. Whether it's just the mat itself, or thee is a lot of static being generated somehow where i have the TT mounted.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiradi Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 That would be great Hiradi if you could do that for me. The P1 has a straight hole for the platter. Is it designed to replace only the mat, or the platter and mat all together? will do, would replace the lot 22mm thick and it is fairly light...let me know the result... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Good Vibe Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 As hiradi has said bearing quality is a big thing also the platter if built well should not carry the centre pin through the platter from the bearing. A platter like this will show none if any change in sound between clamps or mat when the centre pin is no part of the bearing. having said that a carbon matt is good or even a sand blasted acrylic with some Vaseline under it when the above option is not available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Good Vibe Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 hiradi, I'm going to have to put an extension on for the record racks needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiradi Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Hey Doc. "Vaseline", i always thought about that for ... ahh,never mind...better go for a walk... sick of listing records... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valvelover Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 On my old SystemDek IIX/900 I used the felt matt that came with the turntable (glass platter below it). On my new Clearaudio Champion Level II, it's an acrylic platter, so no matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigC Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 hiradi, I'm going to have to put an extension on for the record racks needed great if you can store some of mine i wont need to either!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Good Vibe Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 great if you can store some of mine i wont need to either!!! Happy to hold anyones, I might be hard to get in touch with though hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MellowFellow Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 The standard mat on my Technics SP-10 is not bad. It's just a heavy rubber mat, but has 3 or 4 conductive sections that drain static from the record to the turntable which is then earthed. Any replacement mat should also be conductive otherwise you notice the occasional snap, crackle or pop. I am interested in trying other mats, but it's the kind of thing I'd like to do as a lend/swap rather than buying one of each and trying them. I don't understand why felt was considered a good material for mats... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GryphonGuy Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Herbie's Way Excellent II Turntable Mats are very good on Technics Turntables. I purchased one and found the whole audio chain quietened down, the bass became more extended and solid together with the highs being more real or pure. Overall much better presentation than the standard rubber mat provided by Technics. Word of warning: The Technics rubber mat on my turntable weighs nearly 500grams (half a kilo!). So replacing it with a Herbie's mat weighing in at just 125 grams meant I had to source a turntable weight so the suspension would be happy. The weight worked wonders and was worth the effort. The coupling of the record to the mat via the weight is superb. Mat is anti-static too which is a little bonus. Herbie's mat are here: http://herbiesaudiolab.net/ttmat.htm and with the aussie dollar so strong, they are quite reasonably priced for such a huge benefit (to Technics, anyway. Can't verify anything else). GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djb Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 'the mat usually clings to one of the corners'< this would seem to b a problem records with corners r in my experience rare and poorly balanced your mat may work better with circular records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregWormald Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I suggest we think about what a mat needs to do. 1. provide a non-slip surface so the record turns with the platter, i.e.--drive the record so it can drive the stylus. 2. supports the record so it doesn't resonate, either from the stylus vibration or the sound waves in the room. 3. drain off, or at least not generate, static electricity. 4. stay on the platter, not lift with the record. I have found the best solution for my Linn LP12 is not felt or rubber, but a thin, short nap, suede. YMMV. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Yes nearly every time i lift the record the mat usually clings to one of the corners and then becomes ruffled up and i have to flatten everything out again. Whether it's just the mat itself, or thee is a lot of static being generated somehow where i have the TT mounted.... Take the LP out of the sleeve, hold it with one hand and put a surface near the hairs on your other arm. Does the proximity of the LP surface cause the hairs on your arm to rise? If so ... you have a static problem which you need to get rid of. :o LP surfaces need to be inert/non-staticy, so they don't attract air-borne dust ... let alone mats. (Mine all are.) Regards, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have found the best solution for my Linn LP12 is not felt or rubber, but a thin, short nap, suede. Greg Leather mats rule! :o (Although "leather ain't leather!") Regards, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Jones Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Yes nearly every time i lift the record the mat usually clings to one of the corners and then becomes ruffled up and i have to flatten everything out again. Whether it's just the mat itself, or thee is a lot of static being generated somehow where i have the TT mounted.... A good anti static treatment for all of your records will alleviate this problem, it will also reduce dirt build up on the LP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Jones Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have found the best solution for my Linn LP12 is not felt or rubber, but a thin, short nap, suede. Greg I like it might give this a try for my LP12 although my wife might not like me cutting up her undies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I like it might give this a try for my LP12 although my wife might not like me cutting up her undies. Hey, Warren, IME leather undies are made from very thin, slick "glove leather". :o What you need for a (suede) mat is more like what they make lederhosen from! My LP12 certainly sounds better with my leather mat (not "suede" really, as it has the skin "surface" against the platter). This was better than a kind-of foam mat ... which was better than my LP12 felt mat. Regards, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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