Technics SL1200/1210 owners - which mat?


I've upgraded to the Boston Audio mat, it's quite a big improvement over the stock rubber mat. I thought the stock rubber mat sounded very loose and ripe in the bass. The mids and highs were drowned out by the loose bass. Maybe this is the 'dark' sound people are referring to when listening to the Technics?

The Boston Audio Design Mat1 brings the sound together, firming up the bass, and bringing it in line with the mids and highs. Far more cohesive presentation.

What other mats have you tried and are using?
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Showing 3 responses by james1969

I tried the stock rubber mat upside down, it was a big improvement over right side up. However, the Boston Audio Design Mat1 was always better in an A/B swap with the stock. I even tried the BAD on top of the stock (both right side up, and up side down).

The Boston Audio Design Mat1 always revealed more detail and resolution. Individual instruments are easy to hear. Dynamics are more alive, and the lower end bass is tight. A more even handed delivery of the frequency range. The stock rubber mat is very obtuse in comparison.

Zenblaster, I'm not a physicist, so I cannot scientifically describe what is exactly happening, but just keep in mind the needle is tracing a groove that has bumps, and those bumps translate into sound. So contact with the needle is what it is all about.

Vibration control is critical to get the very best out of your components. If you haven't explored this path, you are in for a surprise. Your system is capable of quite more when you address these issues of dampening and vibration.
Oh, I forgot, I have the Technics on a Symposium Ultra shelf and it currently has Isonoe footers with out the sorbothene boots. Its a direct aluminum (top of Ultra) to stainless steel (Isonoe footer) coupling. Now the Isonoe has a viscus elastic dampening design similar to what the SME tables are hung on as an example. This gives the Technics a suspension.