I just replaced my cork mat with the Hudson Acrylic and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!!! First of all, I've always had to battle dust and static...this mat has almost totally alleviated this problem! Also, it is so great to be able to adjust the anti-skate without damaging the stylus ; just turn on the turntable, lower the tone arm and fine tune it. My results were very similar to yours; 1.5 rather than 2.0 to match the tracking force. It's great to know it's tracking perfectly. The reproduction of the cymbals and improved bass did not go unnoticed! I am not being paid for this endorsement; I just want people to to hear about some improvements that worked for me. I'm using the Hana SL and SL Mono cartridges and I love them too!
Thank you for engaging in presenting interesting topics for vinyl music enthusiasts. I've just purchased a white acrylic mat. Greetings from Germany, from Braunschweig.😘
This is exactly the demo I needed!! To my ears, the differences were extremely subtle... in fact I kept jumping down to read the comments, I'd hear a "cut," guess which material we were on now, scroll up... and I don't think I was right once. 😂 It's reassuring because the test suggests that maybe I can squeeze a tiny bit more coloration of the sound out of my system with a particular material... but no matter what I use, it's not going to "ruin" the sound. I don't need to go donate plasma to get the latest, greatest material for my turntable.
I have a black Hudson acrylic. I don't notice any difference in sound between it or any of my other mats (felt, thicker felt, two rubber and a cork) but it sure looks cool. As for antiskate, I have spent hours and hours researching it and came to this conclusion: it cannot be set perfectly. The perfect value changes with modulation from passage to passage. 'Close enough' is the best you can hope for and it is probably the biggest weakness of the format. That said, close enough sounds great and I will never stop loving vinyl.
That’s cool… just did this to help… honestly the biggest difference I hear is the Achromat… anti skate is close enough… but hey we all love our records! I love the old ones best! 😄
Fantastic video! I had many on my technics: cork mat, rubber mat, felt mat, achromat and now the APM (both from funk firm) and the APM is by far the best mat. Heavy duty glass under and the achromat on top - sounds amazing. HD!
I like the separation between the high range instruments on the acrylic. Thats the single major difference i could discern across all these mats. The price-to-quality ratio on some of them is insane. I was initially going to buy Achromat but this video changed my mind. Thank u for ur service sir
Hi! I have the MoFi UltraDeck with the MasterTracker cartridge. Do I need to use a mat, since it has a Dalrin platter and they say that you don’t need a mat for this turntable? Someone is using the Wooden Bull Leather and Cork mat. I’m not sure if I should use one or not. And if so, what adjustments should I make on the tonearm? Thank you!
Great video, and great music! Thank you for introducing this band to me 😃 I personally prefer rubber mats but in the end it all depends on each person's preference. I do like the idea of using an acrylic mat for the anti-skate adjustment, thanks for the tip! Keep up the great work 👍
It was hard to tell a big difference, but when closing my eyes to hear one that "jumped out", more often than not it was the acrylic mat. I thought the achromat and the hudson rubber sounded the "worst", but they didn't sound bad. The acrylic mat just had some kind of a punch to it that was pleasing to me. The technics rubber was a close second.
I also use a Funk Firm Achromat in 💛. Your suggestion of using the Hudson HiFi Acrylic platter mat to set the tonearm's Anti-Skate compensation is brilliant. Ordered one just now ... Many thanks :)
Thank you for watching! Oddly enough, I am using an AT LP-7 these days primarily and no mat… but that is because the platter is made to be used without one.
would you recommend the acromat for a 1200gr? funk firm recommends a more expensive 7mm apm model for the gr. They also sell a 5 mm model for $150. Thanks!
Thanks for that :) Achromat for me sound wise is the winner. I played this video through my rocket 8 monitors fairly loud and the difference was pretty noticeable as far as separation. Close 2nd was the Hudson Acrylic. Less separation but balance and low end punch was accentuated. Might go with the Acrylic though just because money :(
Kind of my synopsis as well... Currently I am not using a mat on my new table which is an audio technica LP-7 because the platter itself is made of delrin... just using a clamp...
@@BensAudioCave Oh wow that's pretty interesting. I have an audio technica LP120XBT. First turntable. Really solid but on the look for a USB phono preamp within the $500 range.. So tricky to figure out what will fit my Grado DJ200i for best overall sound yet still keep the warmth that it gives the records 🫠
@@Dane3p well I have since moved on to moving coil... What is the need for USB? That Grado is a moving iron so about any will work... For your setup I can highly recommend the art preamps as they sound incredible for what they are... I recommend updating the power supply to a linear one... Here are some links Preamp amzn.to/3Qla0Dk Power Supply amzn.to/3SihBoK
I use an Achromat. It’s been great. I think the most risky mat materials are felt and cork. Either could rip the needle off a cartridge if the needle is dropped on the mat with the platter in motion.
To get my VTA in the right neighborhood I used a thin rubber mat with an acrylic mat on top. The static was terrible with this combination. I think that a felt or acrylic mat alone have the potential to slip on the (Technics aluminum) platter, which can't be good. I keep going back to a thick rubber mat but they are hard to find (at a reasonable price).
@@Lfunk1983I’d like to think if someone is trying to squeeze the last bit of performance out with a mat, they would be knowledgable enough to understand that VTA needs adjusting, just like he has here.
I ended up with an Achromat for my SL1200G - its a bit cleaner and clearer than the standard Technics - highly recomend. Note - always worth checking if your record sits flat on it - one of mine sat raised off the mat until I turned the mat upside down! Odd I know! I usually use a basic Michel Clamp too
Honestly my first one was pretty warped... The company I bought it from took care of it and even opened the replacement for me to make sure it was flat... Also Arthur from Funk firm sent me another as an apology... They had a bad run of them. :)
@@BensAudioCave with me & my experience - the matt is flat but one of my records seemed to sit the label in the label hole and the rest of the record raised off the surface - so I turned the Mat upside down for that one and it was then OK - always worth a quick glance to see the record is flat on the mat
Let me add this....I don't have a super system, just a well balanced one. Some audiophiles that have much more expensive systems than mine, were having problems with the new Tone Poet "Picture of Heath" mono release, saying it was cut to hot and made their stylus jump and not track correctly; I had no problems at all; it rocks! I've said all this to tell you that adjusting the anti-skate with the acrylic mat is a wonderful thing!
Normally I can’t hear much if any difference in these comparisons maybe since I’m listening through an iPhone. However this comparison was different in the sense that I could hear a more powerful bass line when ever you used either of the rubber mats and it sounded lifeless when using the cork or no mat at all. Having my eyes closed I could also detect more vibration through my phone to my fingertips which I double checked by only opening them when I felt it and sure enough you had displayed one of the two rubber mats. This was surprisingly good news for me and now I can use that extra money on other magic beans I’m sure to come across in my pursuit for sound perfection. Thanks Mr. Ben.
First off, love your channel. My table came with a acrylic platter. I put a cork mat on it and I’ll swear it changed the sound, especially the highs. I removed it and have no intentions of putting a mat back on. However, I never considered that it could have been the VTA that changed the sound. Now I’m back to scratching my head lol.
Thanks David! So couple of comments: 1. VTA can be a huge factor so don’t discount that… some styli are pickier than others 2. If your table came with an acrylic platter (like a project) than that is the the correct surface to be used mat less… the only thing I will say is treating the platter with something like my rinse water (distilled and a trace amount of gruv glide) might help reduce static… and if you aren’t already using a weight or a clamp; you should consider the record doctor clamp (cheap $30) to couple the platter and the record for best results. 😀 Thanks for watching and here is a link to aforementioned clamp: amzn.to/3L3oWTd
Ive tried them all over the years and I keep coming back to a thick dense rubber mat for its ability to manage surface resonance and dampen the inherent "ring" in some aluminum or steel platters (my opinion). My 1980's Harman Kardon T40 table and all other HK's of this era came with what was describes as a "high density anti resonance" rubber material and to me anyway rubber feels and seems like the best above all for this - if seen some cork mats heavily impregnated with a high percentage of rubber that look like they might do well but cork likes to shed with age and im not a fan for that reason and the fact that most cork mats dont have a label depression in the center so the album sits flat. Of course these are all just my opinions - except for HK and Pioneer who always used rubber back in the day before all this plastic fantastic stuff came into play.
I have to agree with you, the Hudson acrylic and Achromat were the best. I have borrowed both of these to trial and still found the EON to be a nicer sounding mat. Like a good comparo.......
@@andershammer9307 Hi Anders, the EON TriPod was designed to be used with the TriPad mat. Although any clamp could be used with the mat and the tripod would work with any other mat too. I found the TriPod very easy to apply. Did you use the TriPad mat.
@@peterrech2307 No the store owner who I bought it from didn't tell me about the TriPad mat. I used it with the Platter Matter. It slightly improved sound. I'm getting another device to improve the sound which is called a weight but its some sort of anti-resonance device.
@@andershammer9307 Ok, let us know how it works...Platter Matter was a good mat. I still se the Eon TriPad on my old English Logic Gemini belt drive two motor table and it still sounds great. I use a screw down clamp or the tripod, depends on the record. With the EON Mat you have to use a clamp because of the slight dish in the mat.
Does anyone know if there's any reason to avoid super cheap rubber turntable mats from China? Cause I just bought a bright red one from ebay, it just looks so awesome. Somehow I doubt it could cause any issues with records, but just thought I'd check.
I have only tried felt, rubber/cork mix, rubber and carbon fibre but prefer the felt on my LP12. If it’s good enough for Linn then it’s good enough for me. I do get lots of static though.
Really helpfull. Non were terrible, but there was a noticable difference. The Acrilic sounded a little brighter at times - the Achromat seemed to be the overal best for me - nicely balanced detail throughout - felts sounded....felty! Rubber was less good on the Technics a little more muddled - the Hudson Rubber was a tad better, less wooly in the bass than the Technics - these are all small differences however
I hear zero difference with different mats here but my hearing isn't the best. I will say, I like your legit technics turntable and I'm more curious about which mat is best for dust issues? You might address that here but I didn't get to watch the entire video.
I like the Achromat for anti static… also not all will hear but if you are playing back through a fairly decent setup; there should some differences… but again not to all
@@BensAudioCave Antistatic sounds good. I can imagine where that will have a difference and, yeah, probably not gonna hear that on my phone. But I'm sure I might notice at home since static in my music room can get a little shocking at times
Japan usually used rubber whilst European brands favoured cork but Arthur Khoubesserian got it right with the Pink Triangle acrylic turntable platter way back in the 1970’s eliminating the need for a mat
The original Technics thin slipmat that came with SL-1200mk7 does a pretty decent job. It's not like cheap sloppy slipmat, it's not particularly bendy and it controls the static pretty well. I mean, it sometimes wants to cling onto record but the record itself remains mostly free of static when lifted unlike Technics 6mm thick rubber mat which caused quite heavy static crackling.
I liked and noticed a difference with the Hudson Acrylic. I also own a green one because it looks cool glowing on my 1210GR. When I discovered the anti-skate thing that was amazing to me. Way different than just matching to tracking force. Also I think I have the same headshell as you (just got it with my PTG33/ii with the allen key adjustable azimuth. Great vids!:) The Funk was out of my budget originally so thats how I stumbled on to the acrylic:) I also use the Hudson stylus cleaner with the blue light!
hello! I have the same turntable and I want to buy the same catridge at 33ptg33ii, the new mat is 5mm??? thank you very much for your help. Best Regards!!
Hi Ben, Interesting topic and one that raises controversy because everyone has different opinions. Over the years I have used all manner of different mats on my English Logic Gemini Twin motor Acrylic Platter. Always adjusted for different thickness mats. I always go back to my Canadian made EON TriPad mat which is a cork/acrylic/sorbothane mix. Sadly not available anymore. great video.
Thank you, this has been very helpful listening through Audeze LCD-X headphones. I can't say which one is better but each has a slightly different flavor. It would be great if you could perform a similar test with different songs.
And that is my synopsis too… kind of like carpet vs hardwood… the cork seems to shed the most… the felt traps yucket and I see it on my previously clean records… the rubber will always be good at being cleaned… the acrylic and Achromats are easily spotted when soiled… however, they just need swept mostly… as I said in another comment; I treated both of those Will my rinse water which is just distilled and trace amount of gruv glide and there is virtually no static or dust attraction… so they are win there and to my ears even more in the sound department… thanks for the comments! 😀
I see that it’s a Technics but I didn’t see what model it was…I was listening on my phone so I can’t really tell a difference. I have a Pro-Ject Cork-It mat but always seem to go back to my stock rubber mat on my SL-1200mkii with lots of KAB upgrades.
One thing I noticed Visually is that the Felt Mats did not correct any of the Vinyl warpage compared to the Firmer Mats! Surely this has some Effect on sound as a warp vs flat Vinyl surface will make a sound difference.
I have a felt mat and was listening to the 1st Movement of Mahler 10 which has some incredibly quiet passages. There was no static whatsoever. Another similarly good condition record (can't remember the piece), there was a fair amount of static. That tells me it has nothing to do with the felt mat and much more to do with the actual record pressing, or maybe the amount of times the record has been played, or the quality of equipment the records were previously played on (both records were 30-40 years old).
I upgraded to an acrylic platter. Not necessarily for the sound but to keep static down and it’s really easy to clean. I just wipe it down with a carbon fiber brush. It did seem to make a slight change of sound but without going back and forth to test it, I’m not %100 sure. Might just be placebo.
I agree on the placebo idea, ive heard opinions all the way from no difference at all to 'Oh my God its like a new turntable" or "Its like I have a more expensive cartridge" -- but for me ive tried them all and (for me) the difference is negligible at best, certainly not worth the $20 to $40 they can cost but thats just my opinion. Certain of mid to high end audio accessories seem like over hyped designer accessories, at least to me.
I seriously doubt that a mat will produce any audible differences. Ringing will only occur when actually tapping the platter which a turntable doesn't do when playing a record. There are of course other important factors to a mat: generating static electricity (or the lack thereof), avoid slipping and release dust partials (some cork mats and felt). I find that most rubber mats who are usually supplied with a turntable tend to be static electricity generators. That's the main reason why I would fit a different mat to a turntable.
Did you even watch the video and listen to it through a good stereo? Because it sounds like you didn’t… having an opinion is one thing but why write a whole paragraph dispelling the whole premise without watching and listening?
@@BensAudioCave Why is it that people don't respect each others opinions anymore? As soon as someone says anything different to their believes we receive comments such as these... pitiful.
@@pascalhibon7928 sir I’m not disputing your opinion… I’m asking if you watched the video because your comment seems you dismissed the premise without watching and using the tool I tried to provide
@@BensAudioCave I watched it partially for mainly two reasons: this is not the first video on the topic I've watched and secondly (more important) if there is any audible difference then it will be so tiny that RUclips compression makes it impossible to hear. I was hoping that your video would go beyond the audio clips trying to identify audible differences. As I mentioned in my initial comment there are other reasons why to shop for a turntable mat than sound quality.
It seems some don't understand what a mat is for. Simply speaking it isolates the record from the body of the turntable. Acrylic doesn't carry vibrations well, nor does thick felt, but rubber and cork can give both good and poor results.
On most good tonearms you should be able to adjust the arm height. If not stick to a mat with the same thickness as the existing one. Some mats are offered in several thicknesses.
I genuinely don't hear a difference when I switch between mats, and I've got several (acrylic, rubber, felt & the achromat). If there's a difference in SQ from one mat to the other, it isn't noticeable to me. That said, I don't think the different mats are useless. Some do serve a purpose, and some just look really nice on certain 'tables. Also, you can raise & lower the playing surface quite a bit w/ mats, and that may be the difference in whether a particular cartridge will work or not for folks who can't adjust their tonearm. I use the Funk Firm Achromat on my turntable (The Music Hall Stealth). It looks like it should have been on the 'table right out of the box, imho. There was a lot of static w/ my Fluance RT85 (It has an acrylic platter) and the achromat on the Stealth's platter has little to no static. For me, that alone makes the $$$ spent on the achromat worth it.
I will say you should likely try a different playback method… also I have adjustable VTA which accounts for mat thickness in this video and all mats had equal VTA measured with an Azimuth ruler… thanks for watching
@@BensAudioCave I wasn't being critical at all, sir. Was only expressing my opinion based on what I've heard. ...and I'm cool with the playback methods I'm using. Thanks...
Oh I get it… was just saying through my DAC I can hear what I heard in my room with this comparison… also try some gruv glide on the acrylic platter as it will eliminate static and use a clamp to couple it to the record… it really helps on an acrylic platter
@@BensAudioCave I recently got the Eversolo DMP A6 M.E. I installed a 2TB SSD & an on-board linear power supply into that thing & got a TIDAL subscription. I opted for their top tier and I'm in love. I've got a good start on ripping CDs from my collection onto that SSD in the Eversolo, too. I'm kind of at the point w/ this streaming DAC that I'm ok with it even if I didn't have TIDAL. Just as a music server it's pretty incredible imho. ...but still, there's just something fun about the "ritual" with records. I sort of view records as the hobby end of this now, and as far as "reference" sound, I really like that streaming DAC.
Ive just got the achromat aswell for my gold note and its a huge improvement over the felt matt. Its very good but mine is not exactly flat which i think many are not. but good test.
Mats are turntable dependent. I mat that sounds good on one table may not sound good on another. I use a Canadian mat called Platter Matter which is rubber with a kind of skin on it.
That is true but this can at least help folks with a technics… I tried to get one of the new herbies for this but a bit spendy and I asked for one to try and feature but no response…. Platter matter is no longer available 😥 But I’ve heard good things
@@BensAudioCave Platter Matter works great on my modified Dual 731Q but had to be cut to fit. I do have an extra new Platter Matter mat but I may use it on one of my other turntables. I have about 20.
Okay, I thought about this video today. Yesterday I took delivery of an Acrylic turntable "mat". Why did I buy it? I liked that it was white (yeah, I know). Anyway, I played some music with it today. It was a replacing a rubber mat. Now it's evening time, and I'm sitting to relax with some music again - and the acrylic "mat" is gone. Yikes, it's horrible. I put "mat" in quotes because really it's just a big, rigid, piece of acrylic. The sound was not good - not good at all. At least to my ears. It looked great though!
If you are not using a clamp or weight with it; it likely isn’t coupling… if your turntable has rumble; it won’t help… if the new acrylic mat it thinner than the rubber mat (or thicker) it will alter the VTA and you must adjust it… the video here was made with the VTA exactly the same on all the mats using an azimuth ruler as a benchmark and the granular VTA on the fly of the SL-1200 arm
@@BensAudioCave I have a Rega RP3, and that ain't for VTA adjusting. 😅 And actually no, I don't use a clamp. Thanks for the advice though. You know, just holding the thing in my hands I thought - Hm, rigid plastic on a glass platter... how is that going to minimize vibrations again? I looked into your suggested mats, but at essentially £80 for a mat, I had to defer. But then, I got the acrylic instead. So all a bit of madness, I guess.
@@MaterLacrymarum yeah Regas don’t adjust and that was always my frustration with my P25… the glass platter generally doesn’t require a mat I thought… I know the acrylic doesn’t… IIRC the glass platter came with a felt mat… as for the clamp if you want anything to couple impedance wise it has to be snug…
@@BensAudioCave Trying it without any kind of mat hadn't even occurred to me. It did come with a felt mat. I have seen some people talking about clamps, but honestly, playing Vinyl is already difficult enough, without adding a clamp into the equation - as least for me. That said - Mine has the RB300 tone arm, and I only have the Carbon cartridge on there. Any suggestions for improving things? I find the market really confusing, I wish there was a place I could go that would simply list all the Cartridges that are compatible for a stock Rega.... alas, I've not found one.
@@MaterLacrymarum these are all easy buttons… the carbon is basically an AT3600… you can just slide an LP Gear vivid line stylus on there but I would think a move to the ATVM95ML is a great step (VTA will be fine and align with a Stevenson protractor) amzn.to/3KMfP8X
@@gdwlaw5549 What turntable/cart? Do you have VTA adjustment? I like the acrylic but also suggest this clamp for optimal performance with no slipping upscaleaudio.com/products/record-doctor-record-clamp?variant=440769904656¤cy=USD&srsltid=AR57-fDYL4MRpL8802h0wkVLeHZlsN0rJJFwSgfk2_4K6MTTu6Kd5VIeLlM
I’m not advocating that people spend a lot of money but one reason I think that there may not be so much different in some of the math is because a lot of the Moving magnet
My comment posted before I was able to finish it I’m not advocating that people spend a lot of money but I think one other reason why mats frequently do not make a lot of difference is that the cartridges people are using are not capable of going deep enough in the groove where some of the advanced technology mats supposedly are able to contribute to stabilize the tracking to extract more information reliably with less noise out of the groove
This is just me - ive always been pleased with the silicone rubber mats but in the interest of trying to be open minded I checked this comparison out again and I just dont hear much if any difference, and I certainly dont hear the kinds of highly descriptive differences claimed in the loftily detailed descriptions of improvements given by (some) of the uber high end audiophile reviewers that go on and on describing numerous play by play areas of distinct and dramatic differences. Ive tried everything but the high dollar sound mats made with sound specific materials and maybe those are a step above others, but try as I might I just didnt hear it in this video - and maybe thats just my inability to discern it, but pretty picky sound wise. At the end of the day its still a needle in a groove and I dont see how just a mat can improve that to the degree some reviewers claim such as a cartridge swap would give, but some describe such amazing differences you would think they installed a thousand dollar cartridge and a $$$$$ preamp - one has to wonder at some level if some arent just plugging product with their exotic claims of sound improvement from something as simple as a platter mat.
spot on . You would need to adjust the arm height for each different mat thickness , was this done , if not , that would be more of an effect than any mat
This test was a bit impossible to tell, I think some people might be imagining some things. The Acrylic to me sounded slightly more open...BUT, unless you are playing the same cut over and over for each mat instead of just going through the music which is changing from one mat to the other, it would be nearly impossible to hear the differences because you have nothing to compare any of the mats with that is consistent. With that being said, I have the stock rubber mat, a cork mat, and a Hudson HiFi Acrylic mat, and at home, I could immediately hear the difference that made the Acrylic mat just stand out from the others by a wide margin. But, in your video presentation that difference that I got at home I can barely tell anything on this video. A lot of that might have to do with I have just regular RUclips, which is not the best sound format to be trying to critically listen to music, whereas some of you might be listening with RUclips Music Premium thus can hear more subtleties than I can. But again, I keep going back to not hearing the same cut being played over and over for each mat, and for me that presents a problem.
I was trying to make it enjoyable… I do have all the videos for each mat… I did capture the audio at 24/96 FLAC but RUclips doesn’t let that happen… it’s more like a 192 mp3 on highest quality… still when played through a DAC and the system which you would be using the turntable with; the differences are there… it’s just a guide and for fun…
copper mats are good should try copper. try a couple drops of anti frizz hair conditioner in your rinse, has the same properties anti-static and makes the record anti-static and slippery that's in deionised water with 30% 99% isopropanol use deionised water then distilled it's more pure
I have 0 static issues and do also have deionized water as well but have seen no long term effects vs distilled… used in in chemistry class before so knew a supplier… However, the gruv glide trace amount works great and like I said; 0 static issues… might try your recommendation but will do the science on it with test media first
Also I have an Oyaide at one point but ended up liking the Achromat better in my system… then again the oyaide was originally used with a 2M Black and that cart was BRUTAL… it needed all the help it could get to warm it up a bit… revealing but very dry to my ears
This is why we have a divide in hifi. Some people just can’t pick apart the differences and thats fine, some people can and thats also fine. No two people are the same. We have to consider, just because one person can’t hear any difference, it doesn’t mean that it’s the final answer. Sadly this exists and this is where phrases like “placebo” and “snake oil” sometimes come from. The different mats in this video will deal with platter and record resonances differently. Some will allow/prevent the record from moving up and down, some will allow the record to vibrate more than others. Sound smearing will occur at particular frequencies and thats what we hear, it’s subtle but it exists. Some alter how much static is created. If your system is revealing you will hear all this very easily, it’s difficult over youtube. I must admit, the differences are very small in this video but in real life I can tell it will be a lot more obvious. 😄
I just replaced my cork mat with the Hudson Acrylic and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!!! First of all, I've always had to battle dust and static...this mat has almost totally alleviated this problem! Also, it is so great to be able to adjust the anti-skate without damaging the stylus ; just turn on the turntable, lower the tone arm and fine tune it. My results were very similar to yours; 1.5 rather than 2.0 to match the tracking force. It's great to know it's tracking perfectly. The reproduction of the cymbals and improved bass did not go unnoticed! I am not being paid for this endorsement; I just want people to to hear about some improvements that worked for me. I'm using the Hana SL and SL Mono cartridges and I love them too!
Glad to hear this!
Thank you for engaging in presenting interesting topics for vinyl music enthusiasts. I've just purchased a white acrylic mat. Greetings from Germany, from Braunschweig.😘
This is exactly the demo I needed!! To my ears, the differences were extremely subtle... in fact I kept jumping down to read the comments, I'd hear a "cut," guess which material we were on now, scroll up... and I don't think I was right once. 😂
It's reassuring because the test suggests that maybe I can squeeze a tiny bit more coloration of the sound out of my system with a particular material... but no matter what I use, it's not going to "ruin" the sound. I don't need to go donate plasma to get the latest, greatest material for my turntable.
I have a black Hudson acrylic. I don't notice any difference in sound between it or any of my other mats (felt, thicker felt, two rubber and a cork) but it sure looks cool. As for antiskate, I have spent hours and hours researching it and came to this conclusion: it cannot be set perfectly. The perfect value changes with modulation from passage to passage. 'Close enough' is the best you can hope for and it is probably the biggest weakness of the format. That said, close enough sounds great and I will never stop loving vinyl.
That’s cool… just did this to help… honestly the biggest difference I hear is the Achromat… anti skate is close enough… but hey we all love our records! I love the old ones best! 😄
Fantastic video!
I had many on my technics: cork mat, rubber mat, felt mat, achromat and now the APM (both from funk firm) and the APM is by far the best mat. Heavy duty glass under and the achromat on top - sounds amazing. HD!
I like the separation between the high range instruments on the acrylic. Thats the single major difference i could discern across all these mats. The price-to-quality ratio on some of them is insane. I was initially going to buy Achromat but this video changed my mind. Thank u for ur service sir
Thanks . I guess I’ll be staying with the stock rubber mat that came on my Yamaha TT
I use the Cork and Rubber mix mat and the Acrylic mats. The Acrylic mats are the best for less static.
Hi! I have the MoFi UltraDeck with the MasterTracker cartridge. Do I need to use a mat, since it has a Dalrin platter and they say that you don’t need a mat for this turntable? Someone is using the Wooden Bull Leather and Cork mat. I’m not sure if I should use one or not. And if so, what adjustments should I make on the tonearm? Thank you!
I do not use a mat on my technics LP-7 which also has a delrin platter… However, I suggest using this clamp
amzn.to/41dGIxc
November 27, 2024
I use the Teac Washi from Japan. Best investment so far in terms of turntable tweaks
Absolutly agree!
Great video, and great music! Thank you for introducing this band to me 😃 I personally prefer rubber mats but in the end it all depends on each person's preference. I do like the idea of using an acrylic mat for the anti-skate adjustment, thanks for the tip! Keep up the great work 👍
It was hard to tell a big difference, but when closing my eyes to hear one that "jumped out", more often than not it was the acrylic mat. I thought the achromat and the hudson rubber sounded the "worst", but they didn't sound bad. The acrylic mat just had some kind of a punch to it that was pleasing to me. The technics rubber was a close second.
I also use a Funk Firm Achromat in 💛. Your suggestion of using the Hudson HiFi Acrylic platter mat to set the tonearm's Anti-Skate compensation is brilliant. Ordered one just now ... Many thanks :)
Thank you for watching! Oddly enough, I am using an AT LP-7 these days primarily and no mat… but that is because the platter is made to be used without one.
What’s the first track played here with the count downs etc?
Aquarius by Boards of Canada
would you recommend the acromat for a 1200gr? funk firm recommends a more expensive 7mm apm model for the gr. They also sell a 5 mm model for $150. Thanks!
Thanks for that :) Achromat for me sound wise is the winner. I played this video through my rocket 8 monitors fairly loud and the difference was pretty noticeable as far as separation. Close 2nd was the Hudson Acrylic. Less separation but balance and low end punch was accentuated. Might go with the Acrylic though just because money :(
Kind of my synopsis as well... Currently I am not using a mat on my new table which is an audio technica LP-7 because the platter itself is made of delrin... just using a clamp...
@@BensAudioCave Oh wow that's pretty interesting. I have an audio technica LP120XBT. First turntable. Really solid but on the look for a USB phono preamp within the $500 range.. So tricky to figure out what will fit my Grado DJ200i for best overall sound yet still keep the warmth that it gives the records 🫠
@@Dane3p well I have since moved on to moving coil... What is the need for USB? That Grado is a moving iron so about any will work...
For your setup I can highly recommend the art preamps as they sound incredible for what they are... I recommend updating the power supply to a linear one... Here are some links
Preamp
amzn.to/3Qla0Dk
Power Supply
amzn.to/3SihBoK
I use an Achromat. It’s been great. I think the most risky mat materials are felt and cork. Either could rip the needle off a cartridge if the needle is dropped on the mat with the platter in motion.
To me a felt Matt is pretty much for a DJ… never really been a fan and they collect filth as well!
To get my VTA in the right neighborhood I used a thin rubber mat with an acrylic mat on top. The static was terrible with this combination. I think that a felt or acrylic mat alone have the potential to slip on the (Technics aluminum) platter, which can't be good. I keep going back to a thick rubber mat but they are hard to find (at a reasonable price).
I can honestly say that any difference was not worth worrying about.
Only at the last 1% of the sound…. You have to have a pretty keen ear and pretty revealing equipment…
Agreed, have to also be careful of tracking angle as the upgrade will change it.
These things are more apparent in person than over RUclips. It’s not night and day but far more apparent.
@@Lfunk1983I’d like to think if someone is trying to squeeze the last bit of performance out with a mat, they would be knowledgable enough to understand that VTA needs adjusting, just like he has here.
OMG, I have the same record weight! Did you also bought it on eBay from the guy who mills them in Moldova?
Is the funk firm just as hard as the hudson acrylic mat?
It is not soft but feels much more airy... Kind of weird plasticine type material... but you can hear the difference... It's spendy by preference!
I ended up with an Achromat for my SL1200G - its a bit cleaner and clearer than the standard Technics - highly recomend. Note - always worth checking if your record sits flat on it - one of mine sat raised off the mat until I turned the mat upside down! Odd I know! I usually use a basic Michel Clamp too
Honestly my first one was pretty warped... The company I bought it from took care of it and even opened the replacement for me to make sure it was flat... Also Arthur from Funk firm sent me another as an apology... They had a bad run of them. :)
@@BensAudioCave with me & my experience - the matt is flat but one of my records seemed to sit the label in the label hole and the rest of the record raised off the surface - so I turned the Mat upside down for that one and it was then OK - always worth a quick glance to see the record is flat on the mat
Let me add this....I don't have a super system, just a well balanced one. Some audiophiles that have much more expensive systems than mine, were having problems with the new Tone Poet "Picture of Heath" mono release, saying it was cut to hot and made their stylus jump and not track correctly; I had no problems at all; it rocks! I've said all this to tell you that adjusting the anti-skate with the acrylic mat is a wonderful thing!
The acrylic mat is a great purchase for the pricepoint!
Normally I can’t hear much if any difference in these comparisons maybe since I’m listening through an iPhone. However this comparison was different in the sense that I could hear a more powerful bass line when ever you used either of the rubber mats and it sounded lifeless when using the cork or no mat at all. Having my eyes closed I could also detect more vibration through my phone to my fingertips which I double checked by only opening them when I felt it and sure enough you had displayed one of the two rubber mats. This was surprisingly good news for me and now I can use that extra money on other magic beans I’m sure to come across in my pursuit for sound perfection. Thanks Mr. Ben.
First off, love your channel. My table came with a acrylic platter. I put a cork mat on it and I’ll swear it changed the sound, especially the highs. I removed it and have no intentions of putting a mat back on. However, I never considered that it could have been the VTA that changed the sound. Now I’m back to scratching my head lol.
Thanks David! So couple of comments:
1. VTA can be a huge factor so don’t discount that… some styli are pickier than others
2. If your table came with an acrylic platter (like a project) than that is the the correct surface to be used mat less… the only thing I will say is treating the platter with something like my rinse water (distilled and a trace amount of gruv glide) might help reduce static… and if you aren’t already using a weight or a clamp; you should consider the record doctor clamp (cheap $30) to couple the platter and the record for best results. 😀
Thanks for watching and here is a link to aforementioned clamp:
amzn.to/3L3oWTd
@@BensAudioCave I do have a record clamp from Fluance and I will be making up some of your rinse to wipe off the platter. Thanks for the tip.
Ive tried them all over the years and I keep coming back to a thick dense rubber mat for its ability to manage surface resonance and dampen the inherent "ring" in some aluminum or steel platters (my opinion). My 1980's Harman Kardon T40 table and all other HK's of this era came with what was describes as a "high density anti resonance" rubber material and to me anyway rubber feels and seems like the best above all for this - if seen some cork mats heavily impregnated with a high percentage of rubber that look like they might do well but cork likes to shed with age and im not a fan for that reason and the fact that most cork mats dont have a label depression in the center so the album sits flat. Of course these are all just my opinions - except for HK and Pioneer who always used rubber back in the day before all this plastic fantastic stuff came into play.
I have to agree with you, the Hudson acrylic and Achromat were the best. I have borrowed both of these to trial and still found the EON to be a nicer sounding mat. Like a good comparo.......
EON ? I had an EON pod as a record clamp but the rubber rings dry rotted.
@@andershammer9307 Hi Anders, the EON TriPod was designed to be used with the TriPad mat. Although any clamp could be used with the mat and the tripod would work with any other mat too. I found the TriPod very easy to apply. Did you use the TriPad mat.
@@peterrech2307 No the store owner who I bought it from didn't tell me about the TriPad mat. I used it with the Platter Matter. It slightly improved sound. I'm getting another device to improve the sound which is called a weight but its some sort of anti-resonance device.
@@andershammer9307 Ok, let us know how it works...Platter Matter was a good mat. I still se the Eon TriPad on my old English Logic Gemini belt drive two motor table and it still sounds great. I use a screw down clamp or the tripod, depends on the record. With the EON Mat you have to use a clamp because of the slight dish in the mat.
@@peterrech2307 Well it's a Christmas present so I'll let you know after Christmas.
Does anyone know if there's any reason to avoid super cheap rubber turntable mats from China? Cause I just bought a bright red one from ebay, it just looks so awesome.
Somehow I doubt it could cause any issues with records, but just thought I'd check.
I have only tried felt, rubber/cork mix, rubber and carbon fibre but prefer the felt on my LP12. If it’s good enough for Linn then it’s good enough for me. I do get lots of static though.
Really helpfull. Non were terrible, but there was a noticable difference. The Acrilic sounded a little brighter at times - the Achromat seemed to be the overal best for me - nicely balanced detail throughout - felts sounded....felty! Rubber was less good on the Technics a little more muddled - the Hudson Rubber was a tad better, less wooly in the bass than the Technics - these are all small differences however
Pops Resale! I love Pops. Great place to shop
In my hometown!
I hear zero difference with different mats here but my hearing isn't the best. I will say, I like your legit technics turntable and I'm more curious about which mat is best for dust issues? You might address that here but I didn't get to watch the entire video.
I like the Achromat for anti static… also not all will hear but if you are playing back through a fairly decent setup; there should some differences… but again not to all
@@BensAudioCave Antistatic sounds good. I can imagine where that will have a difference and, yeah, probably not gonna hear that on my phone. But I'm sure I might notice at home since static in my music room can get a little shocking at times
Japan usually used rubber whilst European brands favoured cork but Arthur Khoubesserian got it right with the Pink Triangle acrylic turntable platter way back in the 1970’s eliminating the need for a mat
The original Technics thin slipmat that came with SL-1200mk7 does a pretty decent job. It's not like cheap sloppy slipmat, it's not particularly bendy and it controls the static pretty well. I mean, it sometimes wants to cling onto record but the record itself remains mostly free of static when lifted unlike Technics 6mm thick rubber mat which caused quite heavy static crackling.
Great as always thanks
Thanks again!
I liked and noticed a difference with the Hudson Acrylic. I also own a green one because it looks cool glowing on my 1210GR. When I discovered the anti-skate thing that was amazing to me. Way different than just matching to tracking force. Also I think I have the same headshell as you (just got it with my PTG33/ii with the allen key adjustable azimuth. Great vids!:) The Funk was out of my budget originally so thats how I stumbled on to the acrylic:) I also use the Hudson stylus cleaner with the blue light!
hello! I have the same turntable and I want to buy the same catridge at 33ptg33ii, the new mat is 5mm??? thank you very much for your help. Best Regards!!
Hi Ben, Interesting topic and one that raises controversy because everyone has different opinions. Over the years I have used all manner of different mats on my English Logic Gemini Twin motor Acrylic Platter. Always adjusted for different thickness mats. I always go back to my Canadian made EON TriPad mat which is a cork/acrylic/sorbothane mix. Sadly not available anymore. great video.
Thanks! I must find one now LOLz 😂
Thank you, this has been very helpful listening through Audeze LCD-X headphones. I can't say which one is better but each has a slightly different flavor. It would be great if you could perform a similar test with different songs.
My main concern about some of these mats is grime and dust. Felt mats, for example, just seem like a dirt trap.
And that is my synopsis too… kind of like carpet vs hardwood… the cork seems to shed the most… the felt traps yucket and I see it on my previously clean records… the rubber will always be good at being cleaned… the acrylic and Achromats are easily spotted when soiled… however, they just need swept mostly… as I said in another comment; I treated both of those Will my rinse water which is just distilled and trace amount of gruv glide and there is virtually no static or dust attraction… so they are win there and to my ears even more in the sound department… thanks for the comments! 😀
I see that it’s a Technics but I didn’t see what model it was…I was listening on my phone so I can’t really tell a difference. I have a Pro-Ject Cork-It mat but always seem to go back to my stock rubber mat on my SL-1200mkii with lots of KAB upgrades.
1200 mk2 with
Timestep evo bearing
Timestep evo power supply
KAB Cardas rewire and sleeve
KAB Jack plate
What’s the name of the music track playing, cheers
Boards of Canada ..?
One thing I noticed Visually is that the Felt Mats did not correct any of the Vinyl warpage compared to the Firmer Mats! Surely this has some Effect on sound as a warp vs flat Vinyl surface will make a sound difference.
The differences is any are minute when listening through headphones. I guess looks would be deciding factor for some.
it is a bit more dramatic in person with speakers and not with youtube compression... Thanks for watching!
I have a felt mat and was listening to the 1st Movement of Mahler 10 which has some incredibly quiet passages. There was no static whatsoever. Another similarly good condition record (can't remember the piece), there was a fair amount of static. That tells me it has nothing to do with the felt mat and much more to do with the actual record pressing, or maybe the amount of times the record has been played, or the quality of equipment the records were previously played on (both records were 30-40 years old).
I am not talking about surface noise… I’m talking about actual static when you lift the record off and it sticks or adheres…
I fancy the Achromat.. Fantastic sound on your video.. Regardless.. 👍🤔
Thanks so much! I try pretty hard to make RUclips sound it’s best on the material and leave the music as untouched as possible
@@BensAudioCave It is very good Ben, I've Subscribed BTW, I'm glad to have come across your channel.. 👌👍🙏
I upgraded to an acrylic platter. Not necessarily for the sound but to keep static down and it’s really easy to clean. I just wipe it down with a carbon fiber brush. It did seem to make a slight change of sound but without going back and forth to test it, I’m not %100 sure. Might just be placebo.
I agree on the placebo idea, ive heard opinions all the way from no difference at all to 'Oh my God its like a new turntable" or "Its like I have a more expensive cartridge" -- but for me ive tried them all and (for me) the difference is negligible at best, certainly not worth the $20 to $40 they can cost but thats just my opinion. Certain of mid to high end audio accessories seem like over hyped designer accessories, at least to me.
I don’t hear any differences. I’ve tried numerous mats. I just like them for their aesthetics.
Thank you for your informative video! :)
Just came across your channel, and have subscribed. 😉 👍
Have had a play about with mats myself on my channel, too. 😉
Thanks!!! Hope you found it helpful 😃
Yay Pop's Resale!
My home town!!!
Lexington?
@@stanleycostello718 Yup.
I seriously doubt that a mat will produce any audible differences. Ringing will only occur when actually tapping the platter which a turntable doesn't do when playing a record. There are of course other important factors to a mat: generating static electricity (or the lack thereof), avoid slipping and release dust partials (some cork mats and felt). I find that most rubber mats who are usually supplied with a turntable tend to be static electricity generators. That's the main reason why I would fit a different mat to a turntable.
Did you even watch the video and listen to it through a good stereo? Because it sounds like you didn’t… having an opinion is one thing but why write a whole paragraph dispelling the whole premise without watching and listening?
@@BensAudioCave Why is it that people don't respect each others opinions anymore? As soon as someone says anything different to their believes we receive comments such as these... pitiful.
@@pascalhibon7928 sir I’m not disputing your opinion… I’m asking if you watched the video because your comment seems you dismissed the premise without watching and using the tool I tried to provide
@@BensAudioCave I watched it partially for mainly two reasons: this is not the first video on the topic I've watched and secondly (more important) if there is any audible difference then it will be so tiny that RUclips compression makes it impossible to hear. I was hoping that your video would go beyond the audio clips trying to identify audible differences. As I mentioned in my initial comment there are other reasons why to shop for a turntable mat than sound quality.
@@pascalhibon7928 I get it… but that was also talked about during the intro and outro…
It seems some don't understand what a mat is for. Simply speaking it isolates the record from the body of the turntable. Acrylic doesn't carry vibrations well, nor does thick felt, but rubber and cork can give both good and poor results.
i think the thinner rubber mats are best otherwise the stylus can bottom out if the mat is too thick
On most good tonearms you should be able to adjust the arm height. If not stick to a mat with the same thickness as the existing one. Some mats are offered in several thicknesses.
No deer skin mat🥺
Maybe in another video… these are the only ones I had and I’m buying them myself
I genuinely don't hear a difference when I switch between mats, and I've got several (acrylic, rubber, felt & the achromat). If there's a difference in SQ from one mat to the other, it isn't noticeable to me. That said, I don't think the different mats are useless. Some do serve a purpose, and some just look really nice on certain 'tables. Also, you can raise & lower the playing surface quite a bit w/ mats, and that may be the difference in whether a particular cartridge will work or not for folks who can't adjust their tonearm.
I use the Funk Firm Achromat on my turntable (The Music Hall Stealth). It looks like it should have been on the 'table right out of the box, imho. There was a lot of static w/ my Fluance RT85 (It has an acrylic platter) and the achromat on the Stealth's platter has little to no static.
For me, that alone makes the $$$ spent on the achromat worth it.
I will say you should likely try a different playback method… also I have adjustable VTA which accounts for mat thickness in this video and all mats had equal VTA measured with an Azimuth ruler… thanks for watching
@@BensAudioCave I wasn't being critical at all, sir. Was only expressing my opinion based on what I've heard.
...and I'm cool with the playback methods I'm using. Thanks...
Oh I get it… was just saying through my DAC I can hear what I heard in my room with this comparison… also try some gruv glide on the acrylic platter as it will eliminate static and use a clamp to couple it to the record… it really helps on an acrylic platter
@@BensAudioCave I recently got the Eversolo DMP A6 M.E. I installed a 2TB SSD & an on-board linear power supply into that thing & got a TIDAL subscription. I opted for their top tier and I'm in love.
I've got a good start on ripping CDs from my collection onto that SSD in the Eversolo, too. I'm kind of at the point w/ this streaming DAC that I'm ok with it even if I didn't have TIDAL. Just as a music server it's pretty incredible imho.
...but still, there's just something fun about the "ritual" with records. I sort of view records as the hobby end of this now, and as far as "reference" sound, I really like that streaming DAC.
Leather?😊
Rubber sounds better on my LP120 hands down.. Acrylic is a little to lively and bright for that table
Ive just got the achromat aswell for my gold note and its a huge improvement over the felt matt. Its very good but mine is not exactly flat which i think many are not. but good test.
My first one wasn’t flat either; it was replaced at no charge by the store
O R A N G E 🍊
I don't run a mat, i have an acrylic platter and that sounds the best to me in my room.
Mats are turntable dependent. I mat that sounds good on one table may not sound good on another. I use a Canadian mat called Platter Matter which is rubber with a kind of skin on it.
That is true but this can at least help folks with a technics… I tried to get one of the new herbies for this but a bit spendy and I asked for one to try and feature but no response…. Platter matter is no longer available 😥
But I’ve heard good things
@@BensAudioCave Platter Matter works great on my modified Dual 731Q but had to be cut to fit. I do have an extra new Platter Matter mat but I may use it on one of my other turntables. I have about 20.
@@andershammer9307 wish I had one to try 😥
@@BensAudioCave I'd let you try if you lived near me.
The acrylic sounded a little faster, but not by a lot
Maybe its Lightweighted
Okay, I thought about this video today. Yesterday I took delivery of an Acrylic turntable "mat". Why did I buy it? I liked that it was white (yeah, I know). Anyway, I played some music with it today. It was a replacing a rubber mat. Now it's evening time, and I'm sitting to relax with some music again - and the acrylic "mat" is gone. Yikes, it's horrible. I put "mat" in quotes because really it's just a big, rigid, piece of acrylic. The sound was not good - not good at all. At least to my ears.
It looked great though!
If you are not using a clamp or weight with it; it likely isn’t coupling… if your turntable has rumble; it won’t help… if the new acrylic mat it thinner than the rubber mat (or thicker) it will alter the VTA and you must adjust it… the video here was made with the VTA exactly the same on all the mats using an azimuth ruler as a benchmark and the granular VTA on the fly of the SL-1200 arm
@@BensAudioCave I have a Rega RP3, and that ain't for VTA adjusting. 😅 And actually no, I don't use a clamp. Thanks for the advice though.
You know, just holding the thing in my hands I thought - Hm, rigid plastic on a glass platter... how is that going to minimize vibrations again?
I looked into your suggested mats, but at essentially £80 for a mat, I had to defer. But then, I got the acrylic instead. So all a bit of madness, I guess.
@@MaterLacrymarum yeah Regas don’t adjust and that was always my frustration with my P25… the glass platter generally doesn’t require a mat I thought… I know the acrylic doesn’t… IIRC the glass platter came with a felt mat… as for the clamp if you want anything to couple impedance wise it has to be snug…
@@BensAudioCave Trying it without any kind of mat hadn't even occurred to me. It did come with a felt mat.
I have seen some people talking about clamps, but honestly, playing Vinyl is already difficult enough, without adding a clamp into the equation - as least for me.
That said - Mine has the RB300 tone arm, and I only have the Carbon cartridge on there. Any suggestions for improving things? I find the market really confusing, I wish there was a place I could go that would simply list all the Cartridges that are compatible for a stock Rega.... alas, I've not found one.
@@MaterLacrymarum these are all easy buttons… the carbon is basically an AT3600… you can just slide an LP Gear vivid line stylus on there but I would think a move to the ATVM95ML is a great step (VTA will be fine and align with a Stevenson protractor)
amzn.to/3KMfP8X
1 Hudson rubber
2 achromat
3 technics rubber
I can hear the difference. Since cork matt appeared they at some point no longer can count 😂
I can’t afford to upgrade my turntable but I can afford to change my mat! 😅
Well I mean $22 won't break the bank obviously...
@@BensAudioCave which one? Rubber or the acrylic /-)
@@gdwlaw5549 What turntable/cart? Do you have VTA adjustment? I like the acrylic but also suggest this clamp for optimal performance with no slipping
upscaleaudio.com/products/record-doctor-record-clamp?variant=440769904656¤cy=USD&srsltid=AR57-fDYL4MRpL8802h0wkVLeHZlsN0rJJFwSgfk2_4K6MTTu6Kd5VIeLlM
I’m not advocating that people spend a lot of money but one reason I think that there may not be so much different in some of the math is because a lot of the Moving magnet
My comment posted before I was able to finish it I’m not advocating that people spend a lot of money but I think one other reason why mats frequently do not make a lot of difference is that the cartridges people are using are not capable of going deep enough in the groove where some of the advanced technology mats supposedly are able to contribute to stabilize the tracking to extract more information reliably with less noise out of the groove
This is just me - ive always been pleased with the silicone rubber mats but in the interest of trying to be open minded I checked this comparison out again and I just dont hear much if any difference, and I certainly dont hear the kinds of highly descriptive differences claimed in the loftily detailed descriptions of improvements given by (some) of the uber high end audiophile reviewers that go on and on describing numerous play by play areas of distinct and dramatic differences. Ive tried everything but the high dollar sound mats made with sound specific materials and maybe those are a step above others, but try as I might I just didnt hear it in this video - and maybe thats just my inability to discern it, but pretty picky sound wise. At the end of the day its still a needle in a groove and I dont see how just a mat can improve that to the degree some reviewers claim such as a cartridge swap would give, but some describe such amazing differences you would think they installed a thousand dollar cartridge and a $$$$$ preamp - one has to wonder at some level if some arent just plugging product with their exotic claims of sound improvement from something as simple as a platter mat.
I can hear the difference between the rubber and Achromat… more dramatic in live listening though
E achromat was best but got dance music pops mat
Ill give it a listen sometime when I can do it properly, but from the little I heard, through my system, I couldnt detect much of anything.
spot on . You would need to adjust the arm height for each different mat thickness , was this done , if not , that would be more of an effect than any mat
This test was a bit impossible to tell, I think some people might be imagining some things. The Acrylic to me sounded slightly more open...BUT, unless you are playing the same cut over and over for each mat instead of just going through the music which is changing from one mat to the other, it would be nearly impossible to hear the differences because you have nothing to compare any of the mats with that is consistent.
With that being said, I have the stock rubber mat, a cork mat, and a Hudson HiFi Acrylic mat, and at home, I could immediately hear the difference that made the Acrylic mat just stand out from the others by a wide margin. But, in your video presentation that difference that I got at home I can barely tell anything on this video. A lot of that might have to do with I have just regular RUclips, which is not the best sound format to be trying to critically listen to music, whereas some of you might be listening with RUclips Music Premium thus can hear more subtleties than I can. But again, I keep going back to not hearing the same cut being played over and over for each mat, and for me that presents a problem.
I was trying to make it enjoyable… I do have all the videos for each mat… I did capture the audio at 24/96 FLAC but RUclips doesn’t let that happen… it’s more like a 192 mp3 on highest quality… still when played through a DAC and the system which you would be using the turntable with; the differences are there… it’s just a guide and for fun…
copper mats are good should try copper.
try a couple drops of anti frizz hair conditioner in your rinse, has the same properties anti-static and makes the record anti-static and slippery that's in deionised water with 30% 99% isopropanol
use deionised water then distilled it's more pure
I have 0 static issues and do also have deionized water as well but have seen no long term effects vs distilled… used in in chemistry class before so knew a supplier… However, the gruv glide trace amount works great and like I said; 0 static issues… might try your recommendation but will do the science on it with test media first
Also I have an Oyaide at one point but ended up liking the Achromat better in my system… then again the oyaide was originally used with a 2M Black and that cart was BRUTAL… it needed all the help it could get to warm it up a bit… revealing but very dry to my ears
The best Turntable Mat is no Mat.
I used no mat in here as well… Not sure that applies so much with a technics SL-1200mk2 platter… not exactly kind to records
"No Matt"
ORANGE
Yea that’s right!
This shootout basically works on your table or similar models. In the grand scheme of different turntable designs, it's basically meaningless.
It’s a guide… plenty of SL-1200 owners out there thanks for watching
I didn't hear no difference at all but anyway have a great day God bless🙏
Some folks will some won’t… make sure you are listening on a stereo and not a phone or at least headphones….
All sounds the same to me. I think it's placebo effect.
This is why we have a divide in hifi. Some people just can’t pick apart the differences and thats fine, some people can and thats also fine. No two people are the same. We have to consider, just because one person can’t hear any difference, it doesn’t mean that it’s the final answer. Sadly this exists and this is where phrases like “placebo” and “snake oil” sometimes come from.
The different mats in this video will deal with platter and record resonances differently. Some will allow/prevent the record from moving up and down, some will allow the record to vibrate more than others. Sound smearing will occur at particular frequencies and thats what we hear, it’s subtle but it exists. Some alter how much static is created. If your system is revealing you will hear all this very easily, it’s difficult over youtube. I must admit, the differences are very small in this video but in real life I can tell it will be a lot more obvious. 😄
This turns weird
Weird? It’s just a comparison tool
There is less than 1% difference between mats. Lol.
This would have been great if the music hadn't been so crappy 😂😂
Umm what’s wrong with Boards of Canada?
Rubber Cork vs Kitchen Cabinet liner the winner
Good video, thanks for the upload.