Outer Platter Rings

Ok, so there are positives like flattening the record and more controlled bass, but also contradictory results like increased soundstage and deadened sound. 

lostbears: Which model ring do you use?

If conversely you use no platter mat but place the record directly on the platter (or use a solid metal platter mat)....the outer ring tends not to then rob you of those vital ephemeral nuances.

But is there a sonic benefit in this situation, apart from flattening records?

So if there is a benefit from a ring, it's very dependent on the material underneath the LP, i.e., the platter or platter mat. Miner42 above gets a benefit with VPI Aries 3, which I think has an aluminum platter presumably without a mat.

Thanks for the comments, perazzi28 & emailists. This could be worth checking out. But since TTW and URSR are no longer in production, are there other options outside of the rather expensive VPI?