Which Turntable Mat Should I Buy? 

With a rubber mat I used to flip the record without stopping the turntable. It’s a belt drive with an on/off switch and it takes a few seconds to get back up to speed. There’s probably something wrong with that idea but nothing bad really happened. With the acrylic I tried that and the record slipped on the mat for a second and I thought about all of the possible dust and debris scraping between the surfaces for that time, even if I cleaned both surfaces. I have changed my ways. Now I turn off the motor before flipping. Once it’s rotating there’s no worry of slipping.

My turntable came with a felt mat. Right away, I bought cork and acrylic mats. For a few months, I swapped out mats whenever I felt like it. Eventually, the acrylic mat stayed on the turntable. Sound was my only criteria.

Dude, you have nailed the sound mix on this RU-vid video. It’s nearly perfect. 🎉 And I also appreciate your content. 😊

I had the same dilemma. I now have an acrylic mat below and a leather mat above. It gets rid of the pesky static and, especially in the bass, a warmer sound.

I like my Funk Firm Acromat. It works very well with my turntable.

I have been using the rubber mat that came with my Technics 1200 turn table for 29 years

I'm experimenting with the small adhesive bumpers that you may find on kitchen cupboards to dampen the door as it shuts. It seems to be OK. No problems with static as yet and I can't hear any discernible change in sound from my felt mat. Just got to work out the minimum I can get away with as they can accentuate a warp.

Much to my horror.....I went back and looked at what I paid for my mat in 2010.. I bought it from Herbie's Audio lab. $80 with shipping. Not sure if I got talked into that one...lol. Been a great mat though, still looks new, no degrading that I can tell. Because my Thorens motor isn't shielded, I glued a perfectly cut piece(cut exactly like a record) of HVAC galvanized metal to my outer platter assembly. It still allows me to take off the outside platter. Crazy mod I know, but well thought out and researched on Vinyl Asylum. Probably removed 85-90% of the hum due to the unshielded motor. On these old Thorens TT's, you have a machined piece in the inner platter that you flip over for 45's. The Herbie mat has this cut out, but gluing on the full HVAV piece of metal covered all that. So the mat has a useless 1.57 hole cut out in it. I just checked Herbie price for a 'standard' mat, 3mm thick...$65 before shipping. I really think these Herbie mats do everything they claim them to do.....within reason.

Rubber mat for me👍😊

I use a thin cork mat on my u-Turn just to protect the platter itself from scratches. But I rarely use that TT and when I get the mancave setup done (It takes up about 1/3 of my new 20 x 60 shop building and I'm still adding outlets, insulation, etc.), I'll get more serious about the whole setup and how it looks.

I know Rick's brother is a big fan of his LP60X. I actually replaced the felt mat on mine and placed a blue acrylic mat on the platter. I also swapped out the conical needle in the 60X with an elliptical. Your brother should try these modifications Rick, it's a fantastic enhancement to what is already one of the top beginner's turntables.

The last few years I've been flying or (during covid) driving all over the country for various personal reasons. Everywhere I went I would visit the local record stores. When available I'd buy a store branded record mat. I have about 30 of them now. From Amoeba on Sunset to Electric Fetus in Minneapolis to Waterloo in Austin to Hi Voltage in Tacoma, etc. I'm using them as a decorative display in the ceiling of my music room. They are all felt except the one from Grimeys in Nashville is cork. For my turntables I just use heavy rubber on two (the one each came with), and cork on the other two.

I want the weight and needle height the same as stock so rubber is the way for me.

Platter mat from Origin Live, biggest upgrade for the cost no question.

I would suggest a cork/rubber mat, as it has the best of both in one. I use a rubber mat, because I have an Ortofon 2m cartridge on my turntable. Ortofon cartridges are notoriously bright sounding, and the rubber mat helps boost the bass sound. I tried a cork mat, but it didn’t help the bass or lower sound as much as the rubber mat does. This is why I suggest the combo mat. If you’re not sure if your cartridge sounds brighter or warmer, the combo mat should be a good workaround. Also, I tried a green lit acrylic mat. It looks really cool (especially with my Audio Technica AT 140XP turntable that has a blue strobe light), and it had good sound. But the rubber still beats it in the bass response.

I upgraded to an acrylic platter on my main turntable and I doubt I will ever go back to anything else. Mainly because I can dust it with a carbon fiber brush and it helps with static.

Depends on the turntable. rega advise felt on all of their turntables.

Is ok to switch the stock felt mat on ATLP60x which is 2,5mm for a cork one that is 3mm in thickness? Thanks

What about the acrylic platter? Project advises users to use clean acrylic platter for vinyls without any mat. Can you tell me what you think about it???

I have the 6mm rubber mat from a technics, it pretty much deadens any platter

I want to protect the downside/non-playing side of a record, which material is best?

I still prefer the rubber mats.

Two old LPs taped together with lots of double sided tape straight onto the platter - Sounds Great Costs 0 - Job Done !

Spoke to a chap from Rega who said they all have pros and cons, except wool ones, which only have pros.

it seems you have an acrylic platter. you don't need a mat for an acrylic platter.

rubber rulezz on my technics 1200gr

Instead of buying acrylic mats why not use another older LP?

I am guessing that 70% of audiophiles really couldn't tell the difference in sound with the different mats.

Acrylic slips......

Overall you rated the rubber mat better than your chosen one acrylic 😅

Totally off subject, but i've been meaning to ask: is that a little graveyard out behind you? 💀

The best turntable mat is no mat. Buy a turntable that has a quarter of an inch of pure vinyl that is cemented to the platter .

Why give acrylic mats a 5? Acrylic is notorious for generating static and attracting dust.

Rubber.

I'm sorry but there's no way the mat itself can effect the sound of an album. If you think about how vinyl records actually work on a purely mechanical level, the type of mat only matters on the basis of Static, Stability, and most of all, looks.