I recently upgraded the interconnect and output tubes on my phono pre and suddenly platter mat height and material seem to make a huge difference. I have a modest analog setup and for many years I was using Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 output tubes and was quite happy. I noticed recently after changing in new interconnects to both my digital and analog front ends that my records were not sounding as good as files.
Since my tubes were 6 years old I suspected they had gone around the bend, and sure enough, putting in the stock tubes that came with the preamp made an immediate improvement in the immediacy of the sound, if a little lacking in soundstage width and depth. So in the spirit of trying something new, I got a pair of matched Tung-Sol Gold Pin tubes to try out and have been kinda floored by the result.
After a 100 hours the detail retrieval and slam is mind blowing. The interesting thing is that I have never heard my system so sensitive to both platter mat height/VTA and material. I have a number of different mats on hand and have been experimenting with different ones and combinations. I have landed some place very different than I started, but am very happy.
Has anything like this happened to you with a simple change in output tubes made your system more sensitive to the mat material used on your table?
kn
