Technics Stock Felt TT Mat

[twotone]

is doing my bleeding head in:spew: because it is the same bleeding size of a 12" record so I pick up both when I'm removing the record from the platter.

Anyone have an alternative suggestion for either a mat or some other solutiion before I go mental:steam:?

Thanks

[Audio Al]

4 pieces of double sided stick tape

[twotone]

Thanks Al but that is, frankly, a pish reply:ner:

Any one have any better suggestions?

Ps, thanks Al:D

[Audio Al]

OK

How about send me the felt mat , problem solved ;)

[twotone]

OK

How about send me the felt mat , problem solved ;)


Ehr, no:)

[Macca]

Hi Tony

This is the mat I use and it is better than the felt Technics mat or the rubber one. I've tried them all and with different cartridges:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XTM2-287-X-5mm-THICK-CORK-TURNTABLE-MAT-fits-TECHNICS-SL1200-SL1210-ETC-/111087106482?pt=Turntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19dd4eb9b2

Otherwise if you don't mind splashing out the Achromat is the firm favourite of the well-heeled SL100 owner. I've not tried one yet.

[twotone]

Hi Tony

This is the mat I use and it is better than the felt Technics mat or the rubber one. I've tried them all and with different cartridges:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XTM2-287-X-5mm-THICK-CORK-TURNTABLE-MAT-fits-TECHNICS-SL1200-SL1210-ETC-/111087106482?pt=Turntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19dd4eb9b2

Otherwise if you don't mind splashing out the Achromat is the firm favourite of the well-heeled SL100 owner. I've not tried one yet.

Thanks Martin, presumably the 5mm mat rather than the 3mm one is better?

The Technics mat I have looks like 3mm X 300mm.

I've tried putting the record on top of the rubber platter, sounded okay to be honest but I think the Technics mat sounded better but it's the exact same size as an LP which is why I lift both together especially when the LP sticks to the mat because of static.

[Stratmangler]

Any one have any better suggestions?

Yep!
Throw it away and get an Achromat :eyebrows:

Now if you're chucking the felt mat out you might as well send it to Al ;)

[twotone]

Yep!
Throw it away and get an Achromat :eyebrows:

Now if you're chucking the felt mat out you might as well send it to Al ;)

Aye might do that mind you he'll probably try to get a toon out of it:D

An Achromat you say, I suppose those are expensive, what about an old record cut down to about 290mm?

[Stratmangler]

All I can do is pass on my experience.

The rubber mat was not brilliant.
Never tried a felt mat.
Bought a cork mat, and that was much better than the rubber mat.
Bought an Achromat, and that was better than the cork mat.

I use a Michell clamp with my deck too, and that provides fantastic stability to the record without changing the tone of things.

Somewhere in between all the various mat changes I damped the platter under the magnet boss with BluTack, and that made quite a significant difference to the way things sounded too.

The world's your lobster ... :eyebrows:

[Macca]

Thanks Martin, presumably the 5mm mat rather than the 3mm one is better?

.

Yes you want the 5mm version otherwise you may have issues getting the arm low enough to sit parallel with some carts. 5 mil is the same as the stock rubber mat. You will not have the static sticking problem with this mat and it has a label recess which in theory lets the record sit flatter. Or as Chris says spend the extra and get the achromat.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Now if you're chucking the felt mat out you might as well send it to Al ;)

Al will have anything that's 12" in diameter with a hole in the middle!

[Qwin]

+1 for 4 spots of double sided tape.

Been doing that on several Turntables, can't see a proplem with it.

[twotone]

+1 for 4 spots of double sided tape.

Been doing that on several Turntables, can't see a proplem with it.

That won't stop me picking up both the record and the mat.

[Qwin]

I see. Thought it was just static sticking it to the back of the record, my mistake.

Can you not get a smaller mat? Or trim the one you have.

Mine fits just inside the raised polished rim on the outer edge of the platter but is thick enough to keep the record above it.

[twotone]

I see. Thought it was just static sticking it to the back of the record, my mistake.

Can you not get a smaller mat? Or trim the one you have.

Mine fits just inside the raised polished rim on the outer edge of the platter but is thick enough to keep the record above it.

Thanks Ken, think I'll buy the cork mat linked to earlier on and try that, don't fancy spending £70 odd on an Achromat plus the cork mat seems to get good reviews and is of course half the price:eyebrows:

[Qwin]

Tony,
I tried Cork and also Leather.
Found they sucked some of the life out of the midrange.
I have tried guite a few things and usually find they excell in one area at the cost of losing somewhere else.
I find felt gives the best overall presentation, with the least vices.

I switched my TT on and with a steady hand lowered a silver marker pen on to the edge to mark the diameter.
I then cut it with scisors, it is quite regular in shape and does not look excentric when going round.

It is also your cheapest option as you allready have one - go on, give it a go.:eyebrows:

[twotone]

Tony,
I tried Cork and also Leather.
Found they sucked some of the life out of the midrange.
I have tried guite a few things and usually find they excell in one area at the cost of losing somewhere else.
I find felt gives the best overall presentation, with the least vices.

I switched my TT on and with a steady hand lowered a silver marker pen on to the edge to mark the diameter.
I then cut it with scisors, it is quite regular in shape and does not look excentric when going round.

It is also your cheapest option as you allready have one - go on, give it a go.:eyebrows:

Thanks again Ken.

The felt mat I have is actually very easy to cut as it has a line running round the mat at about where you would cut it for a record but it's only a 3mm thick mat.

Would I be better with a 5mm felt mat for the VTA settings do you think?

Regards

Tony

[Qwin]

Tony - my mat is only 3mm thick.
It depends on the depth of your cartridge.
My Ortofon 2M Red is no problem, but my Goldring 1042 sits pretty close to the bottom of the VTA adjustment.

So to answer your question, 5mm would be better but only if you have a VTA problem.
When the felt sits on the raised rim it supports the record on its outer diameter only, if you use a record clamp this pushes the centre down and slightly bends the record.

This may induce distortion, or it may create better tension and contact over the whole surface, not gone into that one.:scratch:
At least with the felt inside the outer rim, the record is sitting against a flat surface contacting the whole of the record. My assumption is that this would be preferable and give an even presentation accross the tracks.

[Audioman]

Try Inspire Hi-Fi. They do a cheaper mat that might do the job. Can't see felt or cork damping the ringey platter enough. Also need to be smaller size than std to fit in the platter rim.

[twotone]

Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated.

Just to re-cap here (I've read the entire Acromat thread BTW:doh:) my existing set up is a stock SL-1200 mk2 which has a platter then a thick rubber mat on top of the platter then a 3mm felt mat on top of the rubber mat.

Does the Achromat or those cork mats just sit right on top of the platter thus making both the thick rubber mat and felt mat redundant?

Can you just play records using the thick rubber mat or is that totally pants?

Tony

[twotone]

Right guys just pulled the trigger on one of those Funk Firm Achromats from the forum's favourite trade seller:lol: who has a shop on e-bay, the mat also comes with a free Autdio Technica AT607 stylus cleaner too, complete bargain at £75 posted:doh:

Anyway I'll report back once I have a listen, now where's that vaseline:eek:

BTW, I've been trying the thick rubber mat on it's own, the felt mat on it's own and the felt mat on top of the rubber mat.

Personally i think that both the rubber and felt mat together seem, to me, to be the best sound of all the combinations.

[kininigin]

I think you wil find the achro better than the rubber/felt options you've been using,although not everyone has found that!

I couldn't get on with the rubber mat at all.I found when i was spreading vaseline on the platter to bond the achromat,that a picture of Jean-Luc Picard doing a facepalm action,would pop into my head :lol:

[twotone]

I think you wil find the achro better than the rubber/felt options you've been using,although not everyone has found that!

I couldn't get on with the rubber mat at all.I found when i was spreading vaseline on the platter to bond the achromat,that a picture of Jean-Luc Picard doing a facepalm action,would pop into my head :lol:

Does the vaseline thing actually work Darren?

[Audio Al]

Does the vaseline thing actually work Darren?


:stalks::eek::stalks::eek::stalks:


Keep it clean PLEASE :lol:

[freefallrob]

The AT95e sounds best with the stock 5mm rubber mat, just saying like:-).

[twotone]

:stalks::eek::stalks::eek::stalks:


Keep it clean PLEASE :lol:

Indeed Al:eek:

[twotone]

Hi guys an update.

I've just received the Achromat (great sevice from the seller BTW), and put it on the Technics without any sticky tape or vaseline and have to say that I'm impressed on first listening to it.

I did adjust VTA slightly from 3 down to 2 but I can hear much more in the treble, pianos and cymbals sound much more lifelike and bass is nice too, not a huge improvement but defintely different, the sounds seems to be cleaner not exactly like someone removing a towel from the speakers but that kind of sound.

I really was skeptical about whether a mat could make a difference but I'm pleased with the sound now however I'm going to put the other mats back on and readjust the VTA again to what it was and have a listen.

Tony

[Oldpinkman]

It's the bubbles, not the VTA :)

[twotone]

It's the bubbles, not the VTA :)

Yes, think your right Richard.

I had a listening sesh last night and there was a huge improvement on some albums and that's without the vaseline or the sticky tape:D

Even my wife noticed a difference and she thinks I'm off my head with this Hi-Fi lark!

I put on Quincy Jones' The Dude, my oh my, absolutey wonderful!

I was gobsmacked. Not quite hairs on the back of your neck stuff but pretty damn close.

Kind of Blue, which is my reference album, sound pretty good too with really clear treble and in particular John Coltrane on Blue In Green, not quite shouty, nearly but a kind of 'is that shouty or just brilliant?' sort of a sound.

I veared towards brilliant as did my wife who is pretty well attuned to 'shouty' sounds from the Hi-Fi.

Defintely a must have up-grade for a Techy, IMO.

Really need to buy a Columbia six eye mono of Kind Of Blue.

I've a 62066 CBS 1961ish stereo pressing which is good but the vinyl is a bit thin.

Anyone know of a reasonable pressing?

[kininigin]

Does the vaseline thing actually work Darren?

To be honest,i'm don't remember! I tried it and have since just left it.If it did improve anything,it would of been very marginal i think.