Update. After an email from the maker expressing surprise at my comments about experiencing of a slight hardness (ooer missus..)
.. and having read that this thing allows every colouration to be heard I had a bit of a brainwave over breakfast. I've been playing vinyl direct on the gunmetal tenuto mat, and I thought 'reflections...' .
So I slipped on one of Sound Damped Steel's sorbithane turntables sheets, adjusted VTA (the sheet is 1mm thick), and have been listening to mainly Sade for the last few hours. Result? No hardness, if it's there I'm not hearing it and whilst Sade sings like an angel the recording of it can sometimes fall short and be quite hard.
The wooden sleeve is now in place and also the vintage Bakelite knobs and it's already looking way better, just waiting for the new brushed aluminium fascia engraved with the name then it might look as good as it sounds - yes I like pretty things.
In perpetual pursuit.
Technics SP10 mk2
Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
Miyajima Shilabe cart
Hashimoto HM-X SUT
Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
The Truth linestage
Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
Cary 805c SET amps
Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
Townshend Isolda speaker cables
Cardas Golden Presence interconnects