Audioquest Sorbothane record mat problem

AudioFilet

Has anybody used one of these things before? When I use it on my Music Hall MMf 5.1 with the supplied record clamp, it seems to leave some sort of residue on the record near the label part, probably the last few minutes of the record. Am I doing something wrong here?

madmax

My guess is you are tightening enough to push something out of the mat. If that tightness is required I guess you could put a piece of wax paper over the mat in that area to keep it off the records. Not really familiar with the mat.
madmax

hearingimpared

Question; is the sorbothane mat doing anything good for you? I like sorbothane for a lot of things but giving a record a mushy rather than stiff platform just doesn't work in my book. I tried one of those types of mat years ago and it made the music sound very muddy and dead, no livelines at all. If you are experiencing the same then I would get rid of the mat. If indeed you are experiencing a sonic improvement keep it, but be careful, sorbothane can take the finish off of anodized aluminum, imagine what it could do to a piece of plastic with grooves.

The wax paper suggestion sounds good just make sure it is good wax paper or it will rub off onto your record.

I was looking at an MMF 5.1 Saturday. I was thinking that you might want to put a different mat other than that foam mat, maybe cork and then because of the metal platter design, take some sorbothane or Dynamat and cover the underside of the platter. This would indeed kill the resonance. The only thing to be careful of is to make sure that whatever you put on the underside of the platter, that it is perfectly round. This will ensure that the platter spins true.

AudioFilet

I really haven't had time to make comparasons with & without the mat yet. I don't like what it is doing to the vinyl though, so I will probably quit using it. I would like to have a good mat on the table though, the skimpy felt thing that comes with it just seems inadequate. Any suggestions for a good mat? What is Dynamat?

SCompRacer

There are two design approaches to mats. One is to dampen and/or transmit vibrations from the LP to the platter, and the other decouples the LP from the platter so the vibrations can be transmitted to the air.

I had read comments in the Vinyl Asylum that the Sorbothane mats were sticky. That is most likely why they put the little bumps all over it, to reduce the contact surface. Putting something between the LP and your mat may introduce a layer of insulation and have a negative effect on the mats performance. Thom Mackris of Galibier Design told me he tried a thin layer of paper between his Graphite mat and the platter and it harmed the sonics. All you can do is try it and see what happens. If you keep the Sorbothane mat, it would probably be best not to use a clamp.

Mats are like turntable and cartridge selections, you’ll know what you like when you hear it. I researched the forums to find what folks were using on different tables. Some mat manufacturers post user comments and they mention what brand of table they have. I use a Boston Audio MAT 1, which is 3mm of Carbon Graphite. I first used it on my Linn LP12 which has a metal platter and came with a felt mat. It carried over to my current table and works quite well. They are expensive though ($200). I have read positive comments about the Carbon Graphite mat from VPI owners with Acrylic platters.

If you decide to try something different, check Audiogon for used mats. They pop up used from time to time and are usually half priced.

AudioFilet

I guess I might be clamping down too much with this thing. I will try it with less pressure and see what happens. I guess I can also try it with my Dual TT, I have a different type of clamp for that one.

treitz3

You would probably want to use lighter pressure anyways as to not damage the TT spindle/platter assembly. Personally, specialized [not stock] mats have had negative influence on sound when used with clamp(s), however that is only my experience. Sorbothane is only used in my TT rig to help the isolation of the entire TT and the shelf it sits on, which for me it performs well. Yes, it is very sticky, attracts every foreign object it can possibly get a hold of and is something I would never consider as a product to get even remotely close to the grooves of a record, but that's just me.