Not sure if I told about my "final" mat choice which I got I think in the beginning of 2022 (Covid put things in a time warp) after it was highly recommended by a fellow 'Goner on any different discussions over the past 1 1/2 + years.
It is made by a tiny company in Hungary and it is called the Hexmat Eclipse. They also have a less expensive version called the Yellowbird. Unfortunately the prices went up as Covid evolved. I think it is around $300 now sold direct or I think through Music Direct.
It actually lifts the record very slightly off the platter with tiny nubs that pop through each side of the secret substance mat, but the entire lift is exactly equal to the stock Rega mat. The Audiophile guy said it was his favorite mat and he is kind of fanatical.
I didn't notice much of any specific change in sound (I think I made other slight changes around that time), but in theory, it should isolate the record from almost noise on the platter since the total square area touching the platter is minuscule.
1) It does not accumulate much if any dust or dirt (like the Rega mat and Herbie's)
2) It does not lift off the table ever since it is fairly rigid and it's hex shape doesn't come near the outer ring of the platter (like the Rega and Washi and VPI)
3) It looks really cool when a record is spinning, like the record is floating above the table (not a key factor, but it is nice)
I couldn't live with the knowledge that the scotch tape was holding my Rega mat down and the dust was annoying me. I know .... OCD.
P.S. FYI - I like it so much that when Hexmat first came out with another product, the Molekula record stabilizer in the Spring of '22 (works like a clamp) I bought it to try to stabilize any of my records that are thinner with any kind of warp. They recommend using it on every record, but it is another step in OCD process of playing a record (and they say you should turn the turntable off when putting it on the record or taking it off - which I don't. just have to be real careful to pick it up quickly). It is the only clamp type product that will work with the short spindle of the Rega P8. Once again not cheap - I think it was around $120 and had to buy it direct at that point from Hexmat in Hungary. Delivery was surprisingly very quick.
It is hard to justify these things, but once the money is gone, I forgot about it, and compared to the entire analogue section of my system (table, cartridge, phono stage, shelf, vibration control, phon stage to amp cable), it is in total about 5% for both products.
