Turntable

I would think that layer of felt would help to reduce rumble and vibration in the table.  What other materials are mats made of?  

If you do decide to try using just the platter sans mat don't forget to adjust your VTA. Personally I'd use the mat which should help minimize micro vibrations. 

My old Rega Planar 2 with upgraded acrylic platter sounds best to my ears with record direct on the platter, no mat at all but....ymmv.

Enjoy!

Always avoid a mat whenever possible. 

flashcider, the goal is to keep the record from resonating and slipping on the platter. A record weight will stop the record from slipping but the problem with a hard platter surface is that it has a much different mechanical impedance than the record thus it will not keep the record from resonating. You want a mat that has a similar mechanical impedance to vinyl then it will serve to dampen any resonance in the vinyl. The Funk Firm Achromat get high marks for this and I would absolutely consider getting one of these. People love them. If my turntable did not come with an excellent mat I would definitely consider getting one!.