Acrylic Turntable Mats .....Do They Work?

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There is a slight contradiction contained in the video I must admit. I say " I am not recommending" a few times but then it sounds like I am, The perils of one take videos I admit. My apologies.
This is MY experience with acrylic turntable mats after purchasing my first one. I hope you enjoy the video.

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17 май 2019

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Комментарии : 144

@hastalavistababy6969 3 года назад

After watching your video I bought one acrylic mat without being very optimistic. I put it on my AT LP120 and the difference was notorious. Im not the kind of person who like to comment but I must say this really work. Thank dude! Greeting from Argentina!

@indygo1963 4 года назад

This very acrylic mat arrived from amazon while I was watching this video today. So I was eager to try. I had played 3 lps before it arrived. So I put it on the platter directly and played the same lps. It took about a minute or so and suddenly I noticed more midrange clarity with more detail and mid bass improvement. This was a big surprise. The best $21 I spent I think ever. I have a moderately high end system with New York audio labs amps. Audio Research preamp and Audio Research phono stage with Linn Sondek lp12 with Linn Lingo power supply and bi-amped Linn Kans with the Naim supercap and Naim SNAXO 2/4. This will give you a frame of reference to what I have. The improvement was more than noticeable. It was surprising to me. If it didn’t work I would use it as a cool looking dust mat and an acrylic mat to test my anti-skate of the tonearm. The latter here you should do with this to see if you are adjusted correctly. Mine was off a little when I did the test. Cheers....

@davidpaul1970 4 года назад

you posted this over a year ago. I'm only just now discovering it because I recently got (back) into collecting. I'm sold! And I'm a new subscriber. Thanks so much.

@basementarcade4857 Год назад

The fact that you have a Knack poster in frame makes your opinion the most valuable as you obviously have excellent taste!😀

@nazznomad Год назад

Thank you very much 😀

@clockworkorange72 5 лет назад

I look forward to all your video's you have got me back into collecting vinyl again so I thank you.

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Thanks very much for the kind words! Really appreciate it :)

@DassHogg 5 лет назад

This a timely topic as I need to upgrade from using a felt slipmat. Thanks for sharing your experience with the acrylic mat.

@TD402dd 5 лет назад

You're correct. I've used the Hudson acrylic mat for several years. I also have a turntable with a thick acrylic platter, and they sound very similar.

@ForTheRecordaudiophileMichael 4 года назад

Great another gadget for me to get. Thanks for sharing David

@GregMadeaVideo 5 лет назад

I currently use a cork/rubber blend I'm very happy with, but this is intriguing! Thanks for the tip.

@TheBRBvideos 2 года назад

Absolutely agree. Been in the game for 45 years and this Hudson is the most cost effective upgrade I've ever come across. I have an audiophile deck, arm and cartridge and it still made a major improvement in sound clarity over the cork mat I've used for the last 25 years. Excellent product; properly designed, machined and priced.

@AverageNerdGuy Год назад

This makes me happy. I bought a white acrylic mat mainly for the aesthetics but also because my rubber one held dust more that came off on records and I wanted something I could easily brush. I thought the sound benefit would be a joke. But after 10 or so records it does sound different. I like the change, some may not but for the price it was a great upgrade.

@davesworld1460 2 года назад

Extremely helpful! Thanks!

@LeRoySL-q5q 17 дней назад

Immediate improvement on my Music Hall MMF 2.3 SE table!! Completely deadens the metal platter "ring" adding more detail, clarity, lower noise floor, and reverb "trails" 9n vocals and instruments are more pronounced. I considered an acrylic platter upgrade but, I'm extremely satisfied with this for only $20 compared to $149 for the platter.

@Blackshoveldeathgrip 5 лет назад

Cool video David! I must investigate! Lol I love stuff like this

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Definitely a cheap investment for sure. It definitely made the sound tighter and more pop to my ears if you know what I mean

@mariojavier1623 4 месяца назад

It was the best upgrade I made 3 years ago when I bought it for my 1980 Dual CS505. I now owned a brand new Rega P3 with glass platter and I still use this acrylic mat. Sounded awesome. The added benefit of this acrylic mat is to check my anti skate set up. Get one and you will never regret it.

@JGYokohama1 5 лет назад

Did you find a big height difference going from the thick rubber mat? Thanks for the video on this. I've been thinking about one of these or leather. Now I'm leaning this way. I have a vintage rubber mat on my Pioneer, but was thinking it may be time to replace it.

@midwest9er326 Год назад

Huge upgrade. Reminds me of switching from a conical to elliptcial that much of a difference. Also the volume is substantially louder and clearer at least with my setup. Mitsubishi lt-20 with a kenwood receiver.

@saintmichael1779 3 года назад

I have a Hudson Hi -Fi protractor full size which I did have stored away. So I figured, why not? I put it on my TT. With a leather mat on top, the sound is incredible. Just like you said, punchier, crisper, more defined bass. If you're on the fence, get one. You won't be disappointed.

@Rekmeyata 3 года назад

I concur with you as well. I bought the Hudson Acrylic mat about a month ago. I went from the stock rubber mat that came with my 1973 Rotel RP1000 turntable with a mid-level Empire cart. What I found was indeed a quieter background noise and no static, it made my vinyl sound like a CD! The bass is tighter, the treble is more natural and a bit crisper, vocals are less muddy and not muted. I was quite surprised by the effect, and I don't buy into expensive wires, etc stuff that a lot do, but as you said this was the best low-cost improvement I've ever heard. My system is a mid 90's era Harman Kardon PA2200 amp with an HK PT2300 preamp/tuner with JBL L7 speakers if that matters. Now my question is, how does the Hudson Acrylic mat sound against the Soundeck PM metal laminated mat? I'm not going to buy the Soundeck mat because it's rather expensive and I'm not going to experiment for a cost of $95, but maybe someone else can...I always let others do the experimenting before I buy something!

@garysvinyldungeon2764 5 лет назад

I purchased a acrylic Platter for my Music Hall 5.1SE and I noticed a big difference in the sound and I have a Ortofon Bronze cartridge, my Preamp is a McIntosh C39 with adcom power amps. Like you said more punch and clarity

@joebryant5722 Год назад

Hi David, just seen this so bit of a late response!. Something else I'd like to add which encouraged me to purchase these. I noticed with my standard rubber mats that A) if they trapped any dust/bits it was much harder to sweep out than a quick dust of the acrylic mat and, B) Like most vinyl folk I have come across records that have slight vertical warps, and what i noticed is that rubber and softer materiel mats can magnify that movement suggesting that they don't stay flat or get kinks in them over time. Of course the acrylic mat is rigid and flat so I noticed some improvement in record motion lessening up/down warp.

@coldginuk1 5 лет назад

Never owned one but it's got me curious now. One maybe stupid question but could you use it to check your arms anti-skating?

@KristianWontroba 4 года назад

Even if there's no sound difference, the $20 might be worth it on the eye candy appeal alone. :)

@thomasburgin4036 2 года назад

Im trying to figure out how to light up my acrylic mat with a plug in fixture. I used a small pen light from the side to light up the disk without lighting up the room. The pen light worked pretty well, however to use battery power on the pen light on a nightly basis for long periods of time, need a plug-in fixture to light the disk, any recommendations? s

@WarpedRecord 3 года назад

Super-helpful. I assume color makes no difference? I bought color felt maps for the practical purpose that I need contrast for cueing on my manual turntables, especially because I play a lot of 45s. It’s hard to see the edge of the record when it’s black on black. And I assume it’s OK to put the acrylic on a felt mat (after I remove the rubber one) instead of just the steel platter?

@ZackFox 5 лет назад

Awesome video. I started out with felt mats and hated them. A friend lent me a thick rubber one which I liked but he wanted it back. I moved to cork and loved but started reading about leather mats. Got one for Xmas one year and have been using it ever since. Things seemed punchier and had more bass. It was incredible from the first listen how much better it was.

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

It’s definitely worth it to upgrade to a cork, leather or acrylic in my opinion. I’ve only tried acrylic but I might buy the other two to compare.

@saintmichael1779 3 года назад

I've got an acrylic mat and then a deer leather mat on top. It sounds quite good. Stay safe.

@ShawnVielee 11 месяцев назад

Do they improve the sound of picture discs cause I have a few picture disc vinyls and sound quality is kinda warped sounding I think it has something to do with picture being pressed into record

@fredyoung9922 3 года назад

I've seen lots of discussions on mats and their sonic performances on RU-vid, and they were informed discussions indeed. But no one ever seems to care to point out that one of the first things that needs to be done is to set the tt, armboard, platter etc perfectly (or at least reasonably) level. A slightly tilted turntable guarantees you won't get the best possible sound from vinyl.

@1AEROSOL.1PUFF 4 года назад

I like the rubber mat that came on my pioneer turntables, I'm old school.

@nazznomad 4 года назад

There’s definitely no right or wrong on this topic. Whatever suits your ears is what’s best :) Rubber mat is just fine as well

@hifi.david. 3 года назад

Time to buy one for my Thorens TD160 👍

@michiganrecordclub4484 5 лет назад

The only mat I haven't tried is an acrylic and I went back to rubber. I'll have to try it. Bill

@greatpix Год назад

The Hudson Hifi matt is also available in solid black (which I bought) and transparent. They are heavy too and some belt drive TT's might have to be adjusted (my The AR Turntable), or bottom out your suspension requiring better springs.

@rongonzalez8242 3 года назад

If you stack the acrylic mat on top pf the existing rubber mat, you'll have changed the VTA (vertical tracking angle) or 'rake angle' of the stylus to the record surface -- which will of course change the sound, perhaps dramatically. That has nothing whatsoever to do with the material of the mat. It's the geometry of the needle in the groove. (Think about it.) Of course if you were to stack two rubber mats that would also change the VTA. Now, if you remove the rubber mat and place the acrylic mat in its place, is the height of the acrylic mat the same as that of the original rubber mat? If yes, then good, you've got an apples to apples comparison. If not, then no good, the VTA will be different and therefore the sound will be different *just from that*. Think about how tiny the needle and grooves are. Think about how large a difference just a tiny change in geometry will make. To make a proper comparison, you'll need to make sure the VTA is the same with both mats. That's easy enough to adjust if your tonearm has adjustable height -- but what if it doesn't? Then you need to put some kind of spacer between the headshell and cartridge body when necessary to keep the VTA constant. And I suppose once you do that, well... NOW you're an audiophile. Yeah, funny how that works. ;)

@JS-ed8qo 6 дней назад

I just got my acrylic in the mail and didn’t know if I should take the original felt off or stack them and what would happen if I did. Since your comment came up first I didn’t even need to watch this video first 😂 I truly appreciate the insight. Spin away 🤘🏻

@timallen2336 3 года назад

I actually prefer the sound provided by a cork mat, however I am currently using an acrylic mat because it also has a very good anti-static qualities as well. That's my two cents. take care...

@xanderjavier6209 2 года назад

Instablaster.

@curvg1 5 лет назад

Could you please link the mat? Would like to give it a try, but can't find it on Amazon. Probably because I live in Europe, but maybe I can find it somewhere else.

@Rob1972Gem 3 года назад

I use a old laserdisc on my turntable the difference between the rubber mat and the laserdisc is night and day the laserdisc give a deeper base cleaner crisp sound a you can buy them on Ebay for as little £5;00 and it works the only thing you have to keep in mind does your turntable have a playing Hight adjust on the tone arm because the the laserdisc is thinner the most rubber mats dot by mush

@Angie4588 3 года назад

Could I use this on a Victrola turntable? The Victrola was a gift from my daughter.

@samgh7166 4 года назад

This is literally a must-upgrade for the owners of AT-LP140XP and AT-LP120. I bought it for my AT-LP140X and the sound got noticeably better. The back side of this acryl mat can be used for anti-skating adjustment too. Thanks for the video.

@fluidpower43 5 лет назад

I'm curious is their a need to raise your toner arm to accommodate for a more rigid mat?

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

The thickness is about the thickness of the rubber mat so I think the height is on par as before. Good point though if your TT allows for raising your tone arm. Thanks very much for watching and contributing:)

@QoraxAudio 3 года назад

I've tried some mats over the years, but eventually returned to the standard thick rubber mat I started with because it dampens vibrations so well. I didn't notice that the sound "changes color" when using different mats. The advantage of cork was that it prevents static buildup quite well. Washi, felt and leather didn't do it for me. Anyways, on what turntable and cartridge did you test your acrylic mat/disc?

@nazznomad 3 года назад

I used a Marantz 6200 and Nagaoka MP110. I have flip flopped back and forth with rubber mat and still like the acrylic platter. As it is with turntable lovers, I’m guessing my tastes will change as it always does and I’ll be using something else in time.

@QoraxAudio 3 года назад

@@nazznomad Ah yes, when it comes to cartridges, my taste changes back and forth too, but everything else (gear) stays more or less the same. I found my old AT95E cartridge a few months ago and I'm using it again, from time to time... It's truly surprising how good an entrylevel cartridge can sound when it's properly set up!

@fredbrunetti7256 2 года назад

I have a pretty decent system I have a fluance 84 with a Nagaoka MP 150 cartridge and a Bellari VP 130 phono pre amp with a NOS tube which I get some great sound from but by adding this I’ve noticed another improvement in sound with Bass and midrange yes it does work and it looks cool without me spending $129 on the fluance acrylic platter

@yambo59 2 года назад

I guess im stuck in the past, ive always used rubber but I tried acrylic and heard little to no difference. Rubber mats were used by the best quality turntable brands for decades to dampen platter resonance and rumble and I feel like they must know more than I do, Acrylic does nothing for these issues. If manufacturers of high end tables thought they were best who am I to argue with them-?? I feel like the biggest thing that sells acrylic mats is flashy looks. JMO

@yangarzon8994 7 дней назад

It dors, got one for over 2 years, and got a new sl 1200g and took off the rubber ultra static mat, for mitmat, will test compare with acrylic that I know well. Tks for sharing

@cassettedecksresurrection7204 Год назад

Why don't you try a blind test rubber mat VS acrylic mat and see if you spot the difference in sound? That would be the best solution to all mat "problems"

@scottspinner1 5 лет назад

Good video. Some high end turntables have felt mats.

@L.E.55472 5 лет назад

Hi David👋🏻 .....interesting and interested 🤔😎thanks- Lis

@Love_Street 5 лет назад

Sounds like you’re recommending it .. I have a pro ject dc table and I ordered a Hudson platter too (orange)when I got it . So I’ve never compared the felt one it came with. Sounds good to me though.So it looks like I made the right choice because you a/b’d it .

@Love_Street 5 лет назад

Yeah I think back in December I watched a RU-vid video some audio file guy compared all three types and he liked the Hudson so I followed his lead

@nolanellis6139 5 лет назад

Read through the comments and your responses but didn't see quite the answer to my question. I'm not familiar with your Marantz, is it belt or direct drive? Also, have you tried the acrylic on a 1200? I don't plan on ever upgrading my 1200s so I'm definitely looking to spruce them up where I can.

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Hi. My Marantz is belt driven. I’ve not tried on a 1200 yet as the ones I use are stored at the club I DJ at. I’m hoping to see if others notice a difference on a 1200 or not

@edwardyoung8575 10 месяцев назад

I agree with you 💯 percent, tried them all and Arcrylic is the best for me!

@pablosgaming9203 9 месяцев назад

thank you so much

@nickwilliams1065 3 года назад

would have been useful knowing what turntable its being fitted too and I got the bit where you said metal beneath the rubber mat so am guessing its a turntable off a stack system as I can't think of a stand alone which used a metal platter, though I am sure there must have been some.

@bamagtrdude 4 года назад

damn you’re convincing! just ordered one off Amazon (diff brand) for $20 - like you said, a cheap “test” if nothing else ... i have your same needle on a Rega P5 that i’ve tricked out a bit - Rega’s a fan of glass platters with felt mats, but my old VPI has an acrylic platter that I’ve always enjoyed (but its in retirement at the moment 😂)

@nazznomad 4 года назад

bamagtrdude hope you like it once you get it. I’m still using mine. Thanks very much for watching :)

@bamagtrdude 4 года назад

Nazz Nomad wow - Ok - just got the acrylic mat & YES!!! the bass is MUCH punchier & the hi’s are crystal clear now ... 😱😀🤠 now my Rega P5 is giving me the dynamic range I’ve been wanting from my old VPI TT ... DEFINITELY worth the $20!! BTW played Floyd “Money” & The Police “Too Much Info” & the music is leaping thru the speakers now ... oh ya, the brand of the mat turned out to be the same as yours - i got the white color; looks good w/the Rega glass platter 👍🏻

@ronniesrecordroom 5 лет назад

Thanks David enjoyed you thoughts and experience. I have a Project Debut Carbon and it originally came with a felt mat that I never took out of the plastic as from my experience they increase static and like you said they are designed for DJ's. I used a cork mat for most of a year and was pretty happy with it and then was given a custom leather mat from my local Audio store. Don't know what kind of leather it is but I've been pretty happy with the sound for the last 2+ years of using it. Since there is a factory acrylic platter available for my turntable I have gone back and forth with buying it, but it is about $120 and haven't justified in my mind to spend that to maybe get a little bit better sound. Some people say it is a huge difference and some say it didn't make a difference. I do appreciate your views and what your experience has been with just doing the acrylic mat and may be something I try down the road here to just try it out. Like you said $20 is not a large investment, even if it doesn't work. Take care -Ron

@listen_to_records444 5 лет назад

Thanks for the video David. Glad the acrylic mat is working for your Marantz. I’m currently using Technics 1200 with a Nag MP-110. I’m planning on replacing the stock rubber mat for a Funk Firm Acromat. It’s not exactly cheap but, highly recommend. -Zach

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

I’ll investigate the Funk Firm, sounds interesting. Unfortunately with so many trips abroad this year, inexpensive tweeks is all I can afford this year. Thanks very much for watching:)

@cristianquiros7704 4 года назад

Thick mats are better in my opinion, acrilyc is cool, cork is cool. The idea is to get rid of static and get best sound frequencies as rich bass and middle range.thanx pal

@Baerchenization 5 лет назад

Some 20 years ago, the wisdom was that a felt mat is best, I had one by default, so never changed it. Only recently, I did the same research as you, ended up buying that exact same acrylic mat, but got an acrylic platter in the meantime as well :) So now I gonna use that new mat on an older tt instead and will use the acrylic platter "naked".

@FoamSquatch 3 года назад

I am thinking about picking one up. $20 if anything is worth the experience of fucking around and finding out. Great video.

@richardelliott8352 3 месяца назад

first of all, if you have a grooved rubber mat, and are seeking improvement, flapping over to the smooth side, a lot of people say that side works better. and of course, if you can't adjust the record arm height , different mats are going to be a problem. I credit the channel here for being first RU-vid audio tips presenter that I ever heard mention the subjectivity of human hearing, but I'm not quite sure he meant it in a scientific way, because it sounded more like a personal deal the way he mentioned it, only briefly in passing. Anyway, I would suggest ten minutes researching what capabilities the human hearing mechanism developed during evolution as essential for human survival, before spending a dime on audio anything, because it didn't evolve for good hi fi testing. glad to hear of the results achieved here. I would have guessed a different outcome , because the reason some table have thick platters is that the mass aids rotational momentum , which helps fight the infinitesimal increase in drag when the record groove has a dynamic impact recorded and the needle actually increases friction at that point, and any variation from speed stability blurs the signal . Yet what this acrylic mat does is separate its mass from bonding with the platter rotation during those critical transitions, and of course, there are many more energy transfer considerations than just that, but if the guy says it works for him, fine with me. personally I m not that sensitive to where speed stability maters when I am listening, but There is no disputing the science of all the little things that matter in good sound reproduction, and I like good sound. unless a table builder thinks a black mat is the only thing that will sell, it is reasonable to consider all of these aftermarket mat materials were available during product development but were not used for a reason .

@Laraine321 3 года назад

Ordering mine now...just can't decide color.. thanks

@Vince_Tasciotti 5 месяцев назад

Ramble On Like A Led Zeppelin Song

@rickb9201 5 лет назад

Did you listen with headphones as well as speakers. If yes did you notice the difference with both?

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Yes absolutely I did hear a difference with headphones. Obviously that’s just my opinion but I’m not unhappy with the clarity of my turntable now.

@juanacostamilesi9668 5 лет назад

Do you think is worth to put one of these in a audiotechnica lp60, a begginers turntable?

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Not sure to be honest. I’ve not used or seen an Lp60. Maybe wait until you upgrade possibly?

@seanmurphy7733 5 лет назад

For $20, it can’t hurt. I have the LP60 as well, and about to order one of these.

@trondam 4 года назад

Thanks for the video. I have a white one and I'am very happy with it. I had the same feeling like you had, not punchy enough 👍😊

@jm_1214 2 месяца назад

It all depends on what your platter is made of. I have an 80mm acrylic platter so more acrylic is not better for me

@theshemar1939 2 года назад

Thank you I’m buying a red one 🚨🚨💪

@31cify Месяц назад

Acrylic mats, do they work? F.....g right they do. I have a blue one from Takmork on the LP60X which I feel has tightened up the bass and reduced the static. Would I ever go back to the bog standard felt? Like hell I would.

@VinylRundown 5 лет назад

Nagaoka. “Na-goe-ka”. I have same cart on Rega. Got cork because of static electricity. Thanks. Good info.

@JGYokohama1 5 лет назад

Nope. Nah-Gah-Oh-Ka. (I'm in Japan.)

@VinylRundown 5 лет назад

jgyokohama well he said Nagato! I stand corrected.

@ivermec-tin666 5 лет назад

@@JGYokohama1 Precisely. Thank you. Japanese is a phonetic language in which all vowels are pronounced. The alphabet is broken into consonant/vowel combinations like this; na ni nu ne no, ka ki ku ke ko, sa shi su se so, ga gi gu ge go, ha hi hu he ho, etc. It resembles German much more than any other European language in terms of the absence of silent vowels.

@ivermec-tin666 5 лет назад

Well this is a can of worms, isn't it? The debates on platter mats have been going on for decades, felt, rubber, cork (with or without raised sections), copper, lead, acrylic, super secret compounds with shifafa on top, deer leather, suede, a compound made of rubber and cork (such as Mitchell makes), spikes to decouple the lp, delrin (which replicates the density and frequency of the lp itself), soft compounds to couple the lp; debates about mass, vibration frequency and dissipation. And then there are spindle clamps and ring weights... The Nagaoka MP110 is very well regarded for rock and pop in the entry level in terms of cost, punching above it's weight, but not renouned for it's agility or nuance in the upper register, and therefore not recommended for orchestral music. It is considered to be neutral, but not so flat as the lower cost AT offerings. Is your turntable a Marantz 6100 by any chance? The stock Marantz mats are rather soft. Some people like the mat from the Pioneer PL-71 on other turntables because it is a rather hard and rigid rubber. Even a small change in VTA will influence your cartridge performance. In order to do a true apples to apples comparison, it is critical to dial in the vertical tracking angle for each mat... And then there is the issue of ringing. The oem rubber mat serves to deaden the metal platter on your turntable, to counteract ringing. Does the acrylic mat do this as well? If you are not using a separate phono amp, I think you might want to save up your beans for the schitt mani. It is purported to work magic with the Nagaoka MP110, 150, and 200. I believe it costs under $150.00, and is quite a bargain. It is on my wishlist (this and a pair of blue jean rca turntable interconnects). If you search you will find reviews on youtube by a fellow in Singapore of this cartridge, this preamp, and them in combination. It is a very persuasive presentation. Synergy. That is the thing we are all after, and to achieve it without ending up in the doghouse, so to speak. I really can't figure out whether glass, acrylic, or magnesium alloy is the best platter material. It does seem to me that the cost per unit would be lower in acrylic than in magnesium, particularly in the small quantities manufactured today. Turntable manufacture is a low volume proposition today. This was not the case 40 years ago. Perhaps acrylic is simply a matter of fashion, or cost of manufacture, or perhaps it really does perform better. This is an opaque and mysterious subject to me.

@tobymummert3035 4 года назад

All this stuff! It is extremely true that if you are at least even half an audiophile, you will hear a difference with every single thing you try. Anything from tone arms to phono preamps to speakers to inter connect cables two speaker cables to amplifiers to preamplifiers to turntable mats to turntable table clamps to turntable weights to what cartridge you using to what record you're playing to this to that to that to this and so on. I am an audiophile and I consider it a mental disorder! I just want to set it and forget it! I love the fact that vinyl has made a resurgence and I never gave up on vinyl even through all those terrible CD years. Here's the thing, and this is also a major can of worms but it's definitely the most important thing about anyting you add to your audio component system and that is the very simple fact that everything needs a break in period. Or some may say a burn in period. Everything! Your stylist and tone arm even though you played your records for years and you change a turntable mat your tone arm and your stylist have to get used to this new way to track a record grove so technically in a sense your tonearm and stylus and cartridge need a re-burn period. And no it's not your ears getting acclimated to the sound of something that you have changed in your audio system. Everything needs a burn in period. Now with that said, I purchased a black Hudson hi-fi acrylic matte and it does make a noticeable difference. I am using a vintage Technics MCS 6601 turntable that is constantly doing a fantastic job. Yes there are static guns and yes there are static brushes. The new Audioquest static brush that is shown in this video is an absolute steal at $20! Yes there are differences in the sound with the Hudson Hi-Fi acrylic mat. I also have a Clear Audio Clever Clamp which is the best $35 I've ever spent. If you want to really make a difference in the sounds of your turntable by one of those for only $35 and be prepared to be blown away. You will hear stuff that you've never heard in a way that you've never heard it before! And the best part about that is you don't need a burn in period. I am presently not using my Hudson Hi-Fi acrylic mat because I'm living in Southcentral Pennsylvania and it's cold and dry and when I pull the record up off the platter all I get is static even after using the wonderful brush that is shown in this video. I am considering going and getting one of those static guns. But I've heard pros and cons on that item and I'm just not sure I want to lay on $100 for such a product. This crazy audiophile world just drives me nuts! VTA adjustments. Are they necessary or are they not? I read so many things on VTA adjustments and many say it makes no difference. These people tell you these things when they're trying to sell you something and really something like that is so minut that it just won't really make a difference According to some of the leading experts in audio component setups. Like I said, audiophile is a mental disorder! You're never satisfied in the long run! There's always something new or different that says it will make an improvement in your audio system. It's like these $15,000 phono cartridges. How much better can a $15,000 cartridge sound over a $10,000 cartridge??? I mean really. Audiophile: mental disorder!

@nodbor1 5 лет назад

One more plus of using acrylic is that they are so easy to clean. Also no need to add any other mats on the acrylic platters or mats.

@gabrielgarza3707 3 года назад

do they scratch the record?

@nodbor1 3 года назад

@@gabrielgarza3707 no

@arnoldtolker3505 3 года назад

Stimme mit Dir völlig überein! Die Klangverbesserung durch Acryl ist unglaublich! Und das für 17,99 Euro!

@georgecole9461 2 года назад

I have the AT LP60 with an upgraded stylis. I have tried the rubber mat and the acrylic mat - could not hear any difference. What seemed to make a subtle difference was THE rubber mat on top of the acrylic mat - yes 2 mats of different types. Has anyone else tried this? Would like any feedback on this.

@ivosan11 Год назад

probably what you are hearing is the difference in vertical alignment. The record sits higher and the needle hits the record at a different angle.

@ihop4no14 4 года назад

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if the acrylic mats were a good alternative to a full on acrylic platter which can cost around $129. I've used felt, rubber & cork as turntable mats. My experience has been as follows; 1. Felt: Came with the turntable. You get what you pay for. Pretty worthless in my opinion. VERY flimsy, dust magnet, didn't dampen any noise that I could tell. 2. Rubber: My OLD Technics came with a rubber mat. I replaced the felt with the rubber and felt it did a much more adequate job at dampening the motor noise on my direct drive AT-LP1240. 3. Cork: Not bad. Provides some dampening, maybe slightly more than the rubber. Only complaint is it can break apart easily & "crumble". VERY fragile. Also, pretty expensive for just a piece of cork. I made one out of the bottom of a planter. Cut it out and it fit perfectly. I wasn't going to pay $20-30 for cork!

@VinceVega303 2 месяца назад

Can I still use this acrylic mat with a rubber mat on my 1210GR?

@michaelvincent8306 9 дней назад

I have a technics sl1200 mk2 and use just the acrylic mat on top highly recommended

@joelynch4698 5 лет назад

Given the difference in height between the rubber and acrylic mat did you have to adjuster the tracking force?

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

I made a small adjustment but the difference in height wasn’t that great.

@deemeeks86 5 месяцев назад

I dont like the hard surface to vinyl... particularly where the outer edge of mat contacts the record...it seems to cotact the lead in groove at the beginning of record and could cause skip...I worry about this kind of stuff too much lol.

@joemorgan4740 5 лет назад

Hi David I have a rega planar three comes with a glass platter and I put a felt mat on top. Should I use it without felt mat on top ? What you think I have great audio quality and the rega planar three is amazing turntable. Great video again kind regards Joe

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

If the felt mat works, go with it. Your turntable is pretty awesome. I wouldn’t change a thing on a Rega planar 3. Hope you’re well Joe, talk to you soon on FB I’m sure :)

@joemorgan4740 5 лет назад

@@nazznomad cheers David I'm good have a catch up with you soon interesting video like it . Kind regards Joe

@jdm-uk-yank 6 месяцев назад

The SG3 turntable had the entire platter made of acrylic

@anthonygriff668 4 года назад

I don't have the best of hearing but I've used rubber, felt and cork mats and not noticed any difference between them. I then bought (about 6 or 7 years ago) a 'resomat' for £35 from trans-fi audio on ebay and I immediately heard what I can only describe as a cleaning and tightening up of the sound where each instrument had it's own space in the recording and always use this mat. This is a link to what the mat looks like www.trans-fi.com/resomat.htm. It is basically a very thin plastic disc with 3 upturned cones on the inner and 6 on the outer of the mat lifting the record about 5mm off the platter. I can't seem to find it on sale anymore but I'm sure it could be diy'd if you could source the cones. Thanks for the video, I found it very interesting and wasn't aware of acrylic mats, only platters.

@andrewhaines3259 2 года назад

Still available in the UK, but not suitable for turntables that don't have height adjustable tone arms.

@ivosan11 Год назад

I've seen cork mats with tiny little pillars that keep the record 1 mm above the rest of the mat

@andrescadabid3022 7 месяцев назад

Thank you for making this informative videos. Cuz there are so much BS out there hinging wrong info

@CJ-hr1ni 3 года назад

Are these mats good for djs. Can you cue back with them.

@nazznomad 3 года назад

C J hi. I would say no they aren’t good for that. Can’t beat good old DJ mats.

@CJ-hr1ni 3 года назад

Nazz Nomad thank you so much for replying back. Stay safe during this Pandemic.

@drewlsy 3 года назад

What could also be happening is that the record is higher than when it was on rubber mat. You got to look at the height difference between the mats. Because your needle is now positioned at a better angle more flat, therefore it's going to sound better. Just saying. I have a TT that allows you to adjust the height of the tone-arm, world of difference. As I notice these mats are thicker than the rubber ones.

@davidjejna9700 5 месяцев назад

Did it reduce static?

@nazznomad 5 месяцев назад

I don't think it did a whole lot in retrospect. I have a static gun now I got used (so cheap) and it works well. I also keep my music room humility higher, so less dry air, which also helps.

@davidjejna9700 5 месяцев назад

@@nazznomad Thanks that helps a lot. I got an acrylic platter mat myself and it didn't do much for the static issue. I guess I'm going to have to try a static gun. I live in a Condo and it gets dry in the winter. It definitely isn't a wire connection. My receiver has Bluetooth and I don't have any pops or crackles when I play it off that.

@nazznomad 5 месяцев назад

I live in a land locked area of Canada and in winter, it's so badly dry. The humidifer helped a lot. Those static guns are pricey, so try that maybe? My static tends to be first song then it tends to be less noticeable

@thomaslytle5519 4 года назад

I’ve been thinking about getting an acrylic “slip” mat for my turntable. What scares me is that I read somewhere that the record doesn’t “stick” to the mat. That the record will slip or spin independently on the mat. OR... that the mat itself spins independently on the platter! If this is true Who would want one?! I don’t feel like having speed issues or scratched records. What do you think? Thanks and nice vids

@Metallizombie 4 года назад

I use an acrylic platter and I haven’t personally had an instance of any slippage. I’m also not an audiophile or vinyl expert but I haven’t noticed any issues in my personal experience.

@Kissarmy180 3 года назад

Record weight might help with that

@ForTheRecordaudiophileMichael 4 года назад

I did a product review on cork platter mats I did not have a good experience with them. Think I fixed the problem giving it a second chance 🤙

@nazznomad 4 года назад

Haven’t tried cork but might do just to see difference

@luigilusi9997 2 года назад

Very prolix! You shot an 11-minute video to say what could be stated in 3! Thank goodness for skipping! ;-)

@yambo59 10 месяцев назад

Also I dont like the idea of putting the hard acrylic surface under the hard surface of my records, rubber mats were meant to dampen platter resonance and im sure the table manufacturers did testing on different surfaces - ive tried an acrylic mat and I just dont hear any difference, if there is any its not worth the twenty bucks plus they charge - I have to relegate hard acrylic mats to the massive pile of snake oil products marketers are paid big bucks to con well heeled audiophiles into buying because they look cool, and ive heard this said by others too - of course theres always those who buy products and convince themselves its made a huge difference with lofty explanations as to why. This is all just my opinion of course.

@ralex3697 4 года назад

I’ll try it for 20.00 nothing to lose

@nazznomad 4 года назад

Exactly. It’s a cheap experiment imo. Feedback I’ve had from people is they like it quite a bit.

@michaelcruz7704 3 года назад

adds weight to the motor which i think is not good. since the motor was designed for the platter itself.

@rabarebra 2 года назад

Lower down in the comment section you say the acrylic platter is "about" the same height as the rubber mat. The difference you hear can be just the slightest difference in height between these mats. You need to set up your tonearm from scratch. "Getting more bass, or punch" LOL, are you kidding me. Please, give me a break.

@johnrobles1572 3 года назад

Why would I place My records on top of a plastic mat...doesnt make sense at all whatsoever..is this a new trend amongst hipsters? ...dont You think they woulda had this decade's ago? ....The rubber seems the best..they way it was designed.

@nazznomad 3 года назад

Well I mean technology moves on and I’m definitely not saying the platter is better or worse because everyone’s ears are different. I like the platter personally. Also, I’m anything but a hipster 😊 I understand your point but trying new things is never a bad thing imo

@dietchapstick7890 5 лет назад

The purpose of the rubber mat on a turntable like this is to damp resonances from the aluminum platter. The engineers that designed the table used rubber for that specific reason. It is unlikely the acrylic mat is doing much other than possibly raising your VTA a couple degrees which won't cause a dramatic change in sound. This is the problem with sighted listening tests - they are easily influenced by factors we see, not what we are hearing. I also disagree that improving the mat is the only thing you can do to improve the sound of the turntable. If you want better sound, get a better cartridge. Unfortunately YT hype has led people to believe that the cart you're using is the be-all, end-all when it couldn't be further from the truth. Likewise, I do not know what phono preamp you are using but an upgrade can make a big difference, especially if you are using one built in to a 70s receiver with aging capacitors. I see many record collector types doing that. My 2 cents...

@nazznomad 5 лет назад

Hi. Points well taken. I did make mention in my video that you can give convince yourself of anything, which is why I made mention that I was sceptical at best going in to it. The cart I’m using is a definite upgrade to my Grado I was using and I do like it but everyone has a different set of ears when it comes to anything stereo related and the inevitable disagreements ensue. I do appreciate the points you made and agree with some of them to some level but I stand by what my ears are hearing. I do appreciate your comments

@SiYCoNMusic 4 года назад

@@nazznomad dont listen to him mate ive compared this cart on various tables against Ortofon Shure and Goldring etc of similar and higher price yes i get that everyone's different and has different set ups but again i have tried a few for the price and even above its great... and I'm talking MM not MC - Rega 3 and 6 - 70s trio & Project debute carbon Audio Technica LP5. if you do want to slightly improve things with a new cart and not spend too much then the Goldring 1006 is a good contender. or if you have the money the MP-150-200