Moderator: dante
Jon Agner wrote:
My new DIY turntable mat:
An "ACE" anti-slip table mat, from ACE Hardware. The texture of this anti-slip mat is almost the same as the "Skin" turntable. For PRO-JECT owners, this is a good alternative if you are still using the stock mat that came with the Turntable.
How and Why I came upon this? Well, the stock felt mat is very slippery when in contact with the platter. So I had to find an alternative. Luckily, Audio Den has the "Skin" mounted on their demo unit and I was able to get a close look at the material and texture.
There are lots of anti-slip mats available, but finding the right one seems almost impossible, as most of them, though called anti slip mats, so not have the texture similar to the "skin", until I chanced upon this anti-slip mat from ACE hardware. This anti-slip mat, for me, worked well for its price. Smile
Cheers. Thanks for looking Wink
Jon Agner- I'm sorry if I have to burst your bubble about your DIY ACE slipmat, but LEAVING VINYL or any PLASTIC on top of the aforementioned rubber slip mat will PERMANENTLY DAMAGE the surface in time. It will leave bubble markings on your precious vinyl w/c cannot be removed.
Such a mat is also sold in Acoustic Sounds as the Extreme Phono Non-felt Mat. It will also do damage. Try it out on an LP you don't mind losing/testing. Better safe than sorry.
MoJAZZ wrote:Thanks again TT gurus and enthusiasts. I'll try to see if I can get shims to adjust the VTA.
In the meantime its back to the felt mat!!!
mandym wrote:MoJAZZ wrote:Thanks again TT gurus and enthusiasts. I'll try to see if I can get shims to adjust the VTA.
In the meantime its back to the felt mat!!!
Sorry, I am a bit confused! You changed two parameters and without further data, one cannot conclude with any certainty which of the two caused the improvement. Although I personally prefer a low-riding tonearm, I cannot say that the mat material did nothing to improve the sound.
Anyway, if you believe that the change in VTA is the cause, then using a shim to raise the tonearm will not work. You need to LOWER the arm to duplicate its position when you were using the thick mat. You might do better with a shim on the headshell, this will have the same effect of lowering the tonearm.
Mandym
MoJAZZ wrote:Im interested to know what the long term effects of not properly adjusting VTA and VTF is to the stylus and to the vinyl itself.
MoJAZZ wrote:Im not really too good with the VTA/VTF stuff, but I think why I heard the audible improvement was because of the damping that was added to the platter because of the mat and also the sticking effect it had on the vinyl, which then reduced sliding and added friction to the stylus/vinyl contact.
Im interested to know what the long term effects of not properly adjusting VTA and VTF is to the stylus and to the vinyl itself.
mandym wrote:If you are so inclined, I can help you pursue this matter. I can make you an aluminum shim to place betwen your cartridge and the headshell. This way you will be effectively decreasing the VTA just as when you used a thick mat. If you don't hear the improvement you heard before, then chances are that the mat material did the trick.
Just give me the mat thickness and your address, I'll send you the headshell shim, no charge.
Mandym
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests