Your favorite mat for your RP6. Thickness difference from stock, VTA changes?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by russk, Mar 11, 2015.

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  1. russk

    russk Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Syracuse NY
    Hi,

    Lots of mat threads. Just wanted to make a Rega and RP6 thread that would address things like VTA change from stock and of course what you guys prefer. I've heard a Herbie's, and a do it yourself cork mat, and of course the stock felt. I liked the stock felt the best. Also I'm really curious about leather and suede mats and if anyone has tried a Hide in the Sound Mat or a Moo Mat. Thanks in advance.
     
  2. dianos

    dianos Forum Resident

    Location:
    The North
    I've tried a leather mat on my RP6 but still prefer the original felt mat.
     
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  3. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Stick with the felt.
     
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  4. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I've tried several and prefer the original felt mat.
     
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  5. tim185

    tim185 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Cork here. No idea how it sounds in relation to the felt. However, I got very little static, and none of those annoying bits of felt that seem to always stick to the down side.
     
  6. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Factory felt.
     
  7. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    Can't speak for the RP6 but on my RP3 I liked cork. I hated the felt, but just didn't like dropping the record directly on the glass.
     
  8. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    Herbies Audio Lab Way a Excellent Mat 2 3mm thickness.Only used with "thin" vinyl.All 180 gram used directly on top of Groovetracer Delrin Platter
     
  9. Original felt
     
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  10. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Auditorium 23.
     
  11. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    The original Rega wool felt mat supplied with the TT is designed to do the job properly. Changing it is a total waste of money IMO.
     
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  12. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    I always go back to the felt mat after trying other materials. I have used the Ringmat which I liked batter than rubber or solid cork. I have made hybrid, layered mats and tried a lot of stuff. I have not tried the latest leather mats but from my past experiments, I don't think I would prefer it to the felt. Each material changes the sound in different ways, sometimes that is very subtle and other times it is more noticeable. In general, softer materials provide a bit softer sound and harder materials do just the opposite. The fine tuning can come in when you have a system synergy, whether it has to do primarily with the cartridge choice, the speakers, the room, or the amp, and only one end of the frequency spectrum needs a boost or a cut. A softer mat will allow a softer top end and a more full, softer bass attack. A harder mat makes the top end more pronounced and tightens-up the bass. So there are trade-offs if you like the tighter bass but also want a softer top end. For that, the felt mat just trikes the best balance IME. Very soft rubber mats with some mass, like Sorbathane, will dampen a lot of energy and change the sound in a way that I don't care for (too dead) but it certainly doesn't sound bright or accentuate record surface noise like a harder mat can.
    -Bill
     
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  13. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    And you KNOW this because? The close minded ness of the Steve Hoffman Forum members never ceases to amaze me...
     
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  14. Drewan77

    Drewan77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK/USA
    .....I couldn't live with a felt mat, regardless of the impact it had on the sound - too many pieces of dust & crud collected there I'm afraid

    I get the best results with leather glued (with Prit-Stik ie removable later if necessary) to the underside of a Funk Achromat. Used as shown gives a slightly softer more organic feel to music and is my preference. It's a very subtle change. The RP6 now uses an Audiomods V arm (variant of the original RB303) which has a micrometer so VTA is set correctly
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    When reversed, everything becomes slightly more dynamic sounding but as I leave the platter spinning during a listening session, I don't like the scratching effect on the underside of an LP during removal. Gluing to the underside means the label recess is still usable if turned over
    [​IMG]

    Another benefit of gluing the two together is that no matter how much static a new LP comes with (!) it never has the strength to lift the combined mat. Also, I have always glued an Achromat, leather or acrylic mat to the platter with Prit-Stik whilst trying them out so it is totally secure but removable later and the platter, Funk or acrylic can be wiped clean with a damp cloth
     
  15. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    It's an opinion, hence the use of 'IMO' at the end of my post. But it is an informed opinion and is based on two factors:

    Firstly, Rega are a company with substantial pedigree and a proven track record and if they think their mat is the best one for the job at any given price-point then it seems (to me at least) utterly foolish to disagree - unless, of course, you are an audio engineer of similar standing...

    Secondly, I've been down the 'Rega tweeks' road myself - mats, platters, sub-platters, counterweights, feet etc - and, in my experience (0ver 35 years in the 'audio game'), none of them make any worthwhile improvement and certainly not compared with the necessary expenditure. Spending that money on more records will always be the better option in my opinion.

    Just because I disagree with you doesn't mean I have a 'closed mind'. Disagreements are healthy. Shouty aggressive posturing isn't...
     
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  16. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    Yeah-sub platters "don't-make a worthwhile difference" that's why Rega offers an all metal sub platter on the RP-8.You wouldn't work for Rega-or be one of it's dealers would you?
     
  17. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    No, just a happy customer and a person who has owned and fiddled with many many turntables and other bits of 'kit' since the 1970s. Someone who has spent an absolute fortune and learned some hard truths...

    I don't want to prolong this debate but I said 'make any worthwhile improvement'. That's 'improvement', not 'difference' and I qualified this earlier by stating that this was at any given price-point. The RP8 is a very different beast to the RP6. Its engineering is significantly enhanced, and so is its price. But it works as a whole as that is how it was conceived. Swapping bits and pieces, in my opinion, will likely only serve to unbalance the original design. You can't add an all metal sub-platter to an RP6 and expect it to perform like an RP8.

    I have long experience of Rega and several other major manufacturers and what I particularly like about Rega is that they make well engineered products to meet a range of different budgets and different applications. Like many other producers, their business success depends upon customer satisfaction and if they felt that spending an extra few bucks on some different sort of mat (or sub-platter, or counterweight etc) would make any material improvement on any one given turntable design then they would simply do it... They do offer their own upgrades where they feel they make a value for money improvement (the 'white belt', the 24v motor upgrade etc) but, unlike, some companies, they don't keep ramming endless 'upgrades' down gullible punters throats. I believe they are to be applauded for that...
     
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  18. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    "Gullible"? My Groovetracer products are quite good againI don't think you know what the hell your talking about
     
  19. Drewan77

    Drewan77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK/USA
    I have two TTs that are now more FrankenRega than original (RP6 & Planar 3). Upgrading these turntables can be fun, instructive and can definitely improve the musical performance...which is the whole point, isn't it?

    It is great that there are so many after market mods available and I fully endorse (in no particular order) Audiomods, Audio Origami, Groovetracer, Michael Lim, SRM-Tech, Edwards, Michell, Funk etc. I have products from all of these and my two TTs sound so much better than they were originally

    The stock RP6 was good, the modified version with an AT150ANV on an Audiomods V micrometer arm, aligned with a Mint protractor, azimuth/VTA correction, GT reference subplatter, new mat and acrylic platform is at a whole new level. I can confirm this because 2 of my friends still have their unmodified RP6s purchased the same week in 2012 when it was launched and we all regularly listen to music together

    Some of the mods I have made over the years were even with items supplied by Rega themselves, ie my Planar 3 now has the 24v motor upgrade and I have used their aftermarket white belts etc (before discovering the Edwards Blue Belt which is superb and the only one I can find that runs at exactly the correct speed/pitch)
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2015
  20. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    Fair enough. We'll leave it at that. It's your money and your ears after all. I was only trying to advise the OP...
     
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  21. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Jeez dude....it's just his opinion. It's just as valid as yours or mine. No reason to get bent over a TT mat.:chill:
     
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  22. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    Everyone of these threads starts off or goes the same way on this forum.Let's say it's on audio cables.Some member always chimes in with "well my $2.00 of wire tells me that's all I need to spend,there can't be anything better out there,and anything that costs more and is touted as better is just snake oil" Yeah let's celibrate stupidity here!
     
  23. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    Except that it's not stupidity to try these things for oneself and then comment on whether or not you find them worthwhile. Why should one person's opinion be 'stupid' and another person's not..? I've tried several of these third party 'Rega tweeks' and, in the end, always gone back to the stock design (even though I've already spent my money). That tells me something at least...

    Don't even get me started on cables..!

    Anyway - let's move this along. I'm off to trawl the 'music room'. Go in peace.
     
  24. beowulf

    beowulf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chula Vista, CA
    Spec Corp. has one available through Tone Imports called the SPEC AP-UD1. You can read about it at Jeff's Place.
     
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  25. david zepeda

    david zepeda Member

    Location:
    Appleton, WI
    i disagree with the comment of a sub platter not making a difference. after adding that you can use a record clamp with your rega 3 and therefore i can stop this slight audible wobble bump in my Monk straight no chaser mono Original press. Thats one of my favorite albums, money well spent.
     
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