audacity Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Hi, I have just nabbed a Pioneer PL-L1000 that is pretty close to pristine however I'm looking at spending some money on it. The mat is over 30 years old and has a few marks on it so other than the needle which looked well past it's due date (just bought an Audio Technica AT150) I think this will be the next accessory I will earmark for replacement. I'm wondering what the best mat is out there? Is it cork, rubber, leather, felt? What are some reputable brands? Is there much of a difference? Thanks in advance...
Guest Muon Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) Differences will depend on a few things, and which one will be best on a particular table is an unknown and trial and error is the only way. Occasionally the original will sound better than most. Maybe see if you can borrow some and try. One thing is to make sure record height is the same so as not to interfere with SRA. I would pass on felt completely, cork or rubber, or a blend of the two i would be inclined to try. You can buy gasket material that is a blend of cork/nitrile that lends Itself to making a decent mat, comes in a 3mm thickness.....need to work out a label recess. http://www.ramgaskets.com/gasket-materials/nitrile-cork-gasket-material/ That link is to a UK outfit, but there are plenty of local suppliers here. Edited December 1, 2015 by ortofun
ophool Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 I might suggest fitting and properly setting up your replacement cartridge and giving it perhaps 100 hrs of play both to bed it in and to familiarise yourself with its sound before experimenting with mats. You will not be familiar (I assume) with the sound of the cartridge yet and it will take some time (usually) to loosen up and bed in. After that you will be better able to assess the effects of various mats. I have a selection of different mats and if it interests you, perhaps we could arrange a session for you to briefly try a number of different ones.
houdinifangs Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Say NO to felt! It degrades and ends up on your stylus/records... 1
A J Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Herbies mats for me - mine is a pretty budget setup though - ProJect Xpression III with a 2M Black and ProJect speed control. The mat just makes it a better experience, sits flat, doesn't stick to the records, seems to provide a stable base.
andyr Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) On 02/12/2015 at 1:59 AM, houdinifangs said: Say NO to felt! It degrades and ends up on your stylus/records... So all those thousands of Linnies out there are just plain confoosed? Andy Edited December 2, 2015 by andyr
nkoulban Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) For what it's worth, I have tried the following mats on a Technics SL1200: 1. Felt 2. Thick rubber 3. Achromat (Funk Firm) The best one for me was the Achromat, it really gave the music punch and openess. I have also heard good things about the Herbie's Way mat and the the Applied Fidelity Delrin mat. however, I have not heared these. Good luck. Edited December 2, 2015 by nkoulban
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