Advice for a new Oracle Delphi Owner

It would be foolish to replace the GROOVE ISOLATOR . So is replacing the original soft suspension. Fine tuning becomes much more difficult. So does finding the right tune/sound balance. There´s no real advantage when things get more complicated. The sound surely becomes different but not necessarily better. The GROOVE ISOLATOR / clamp system gives THE best audio w/ HQ high compliance cartridges. Period.

I never liked the sound of stiff suspension with hard mat @  Mk VI.
At the time I didn´t have a HQ MC to try so I say nothing about MC carts. 

Best of Luck

Thanks for the feedback oldears.

Thanks Harold, what exactly is the GROOVE ISOLATOR, is it a mat. The mat I have is the Audioquest sorbatane mat and it appears to be in good condition and not too sticky. Did you ever have this mat? Should I keep my eye out for an alternative?

Also does anyone know what happens to the sound, the firmer you make the suspension.

I have learnt that the current location of my springs in relation to the suspension housing is at the limit recommended in the manual, i.e. when i lift the sub platter my springs are flush with the suspension housing and no excess springs are showing underneath. This setting places the suspension housing 18mm (not 21mm) above the acrylic base.

I think this is why my suspension is quite springy and gives me plenty of bounce cycles. What I may do is re-do the suspension making sure I am 21mm from the acrylic base and in turn this will keep a little of the spring showing under the suspension housing and slightly firm up the suspension.

The manual states that after adjustment to 21mm the springs should either be flush or up to 3 spring wires showing below the suspension housing. If you are in this range and all springs are even then I guess you have the correct springs.

What a great learning curve this is on such a beautiful looking and sounding table.

I have the Oracle SME 345 tonearm on mine and I just got the SRA spot on last night while listening to the 45rpm version of "Jacintha - Jacintha is Her Name" album. Man, that "Willow Weep for Me" was sublime and intoxicating. The fine detail that was revealed and the the tone of her voice and saxophone was as real as I have ever heard. 

Thanks again.

ORACLE GROOVE ISOLATOR 
This is an original ORACLE dense rubber mat for DELPHI and PREMIERE MK I - MK III 
NEW OLD STOCK - made in France

The ORACLE GROOVE ISOLATOR is made from a vinyl based compound which is electrolytically positive charged. Since all record vinyl exhibits a negative charge, the two are electrostatically opposite therefore creating the apparent "stickyness" through electrostatic attraction. This is not a chemical bond, such as what would be found with Sorbothane or even glue. 
This method was chosen because an electrostatic bond leaves no chance for a chemical residue on the record itself. This does happen with the silicon Sorbothane mats and particularly with cork mats, albeit the deposits are infinitesimally small. 
The other advantage of an electrostatic bond is the direct cancellation of negative static build-up in the record due to triboelectric stresses. 
The ORACLE mat doesn't really stick to the record, both are drawn to each other electrostatically. This is why it is important to keep this mat fastidiously clean, since the forces are so relatively weak even the smallest particles on the mat will inhibit this static process. ORACLE BRILLIANCE solution is an excellent cleaner. 

Thanks again Harold.