Hi guys,
I've recently been thinking of getting a new mat for my LP12 to replace the standard felt unit. Does anyone have any experience of after market mats and are there any particular ones that come recommended?
I was leaning toward the Funk Achromat which seems particularly good value at £50. The other one that looks interesting is the Roksan Rmat-5 although I have to admit it just looks like a felt mat with a fancy pattern cut into it....
Lefty
Before you try a third party mat you should try a new felt mat from Linn if the one you use is old. The new thinner one sounds better. Be sure to listen to both sides of it. You may find that one of the sides sounds better than the other.
I have tried the Achromat. For me the Linn mat sounds better.
Thanks for the advice - I'm not sure about the age of my mat as I bought the LP12 S/H from a dealer, but the mat itself is in good condition. How much is a new mat from Linn?
Lefty
£13.65 + VAT
A 20 year old mat can look almost like new but it will not sound as good as a new one.....
I have seen several LP12 users try other mats but most of them return to the Linn mat after a while.
That's a very reasonable price
I'd still like to try one of the other mats to satisfy my curiosity but it's nice to know I can get the Real McCoy should I decide the after market mat isn't for me.
Lefty
You may find that one of the sides sounds better than the other.
I have tried to get on with this suggestion - I just can't hear any difference.
Mark
I have seen LP12s come in with about every mat imaginable and I have yet to find one that doesn't sound substantially worse than the felt mat. Feel free to try others but try to get a return policy if you don't like it.
A customer just recently purchased the Funk Achromat and after deciding he didn't really like it lent it to me to try out. While it is not as bad as many of the mats I've heard the felt mat was still noticeably better. The Funk mat seemed more detailed but it did so by pushing some sounds forward. The felt mat actually had more articulation and was more tuneful.
Other mats I have personally heard include the Ringmat, the Oracle mat (even the Oracle sounded better with the Linn mat), the Audioquest Sorbothane mat, the None-Felt mat, an unnamed hard acrylic mat and several rubber types. The felt mat was always superior - sometimes hugely so.
I find that a felt mat will improve the sound of most turntables and our store keeps spare LP12 mats and Rega felt mats in stock to sell for other turntables. The Linn mat is used on turntables with relatively non-resonant platters and the thicker Rega mat for those with more resonant platters. Many people have come in for a cartridge replacement on an old Technics, Sony, Phillips, AR, etc. turntable and, having heard the improvement it makes, have bought a felt mat for their table.
The difference between the two sides is slight but many do find it audible. I make sure to set up LP12s with the mat facing the better way. Usually you can tell by looking as the side that looks a little fuzzier should go up.
lefty,
like you i was curious about the mat and got an achromat replacement and after long listening have returned to the linn felt mat which sounds just right to me.
my advice would be to forget about alternatives and just stick with the felt mat.
scotty
I agree with ThomasOK.
I've tried a few mats and ALWAYS end up going back to Linn's felt mat.
Thanks for the advice guys - think I'll save the money and buy some new records instead
Lefty