Changed tubes & interconnects, now listening to platter mats?!

@knownothing Funny you mention that. As Ive now been reading about matts, I see acrylic matts. So Im thinking, the whole big platter is acrylic. Yes, that is a good free idea to try. My concern would be slippage. A smooth record against a smooth surface.

Form what Ive gathered so far, seems softer matts enhance bass, warm but can cloud detail where as hard matts enhance detail, treble. 

Basically different material matts tweak sound to ones preferance. Too bad some of the higher rated matts are way overpriced. Makes it hard to compare.

@bikefi10 

”Form what Ive gathered so far, seems softer matts enhance bass, warm but can cloud detail where as hard matts enhance detail, treble.”

This squares with my experience.

Here is a discussion on acrylic platters with no mat containing some conflicting advice:

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=117475#p1044167

The owner of a local HiFi shop once told me that I should use a record clamp (not a weight) when placing a record directly on an acrylic platter to help address the slipperiness you mention and improve coupling.  Something like this, or the $50 little plastic bit that is marketed by Clearaudio.

https://www.audioadvisor.com/new-rdrclp-blk-chr?setCurrencyId=1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22402735186&gclid=Cj0KCQjw35bIBhDqARIsAGjd-cYB64ORe3oKNsZ6vhuhP3WfrITQDR9t3eHU77PQg7nmM5s91oGoszkaAgw5EALw_wcB

kn

knownothing  thanks for links. That post got a bit more granular than my short attention span could handle, but interesting. It made me look under cork matt and I saw the plinth does have a recession for label as mentioned in that post. But if platter is made for direct surface contact with vinyl, why does a matt come with tt?

Oddly, Ive played records on ever increasing quality systems and never considered clamps or weights. The clamp link you sent seems like a decent inexpensive device to try. So IS THAT the main purpose of clamps to prevent slippage?

Another note, I have multiple layers of isolation under tt. 1st mdf shelf, padding, granite, padding, wood, rubber,  spike legs and the unique 3 layer plinth on the mmf 9.1, but when stylus is on a record, gain up on pre amp and no music I can tap on system mdf shelf and hear the thumps amplifed to speakers. I dont think any matt will stop that. I kind of wonder if the stylus is picking up my finger thumping through the air?  

However, very good and great vinyl recordings sound very good. It just bugs me how that thumping can get through.

@bikefi10 

“It just bugs me how that thumping can get through.”

That is not really uncommon with most turntables unless they weigh 150lbs, especially tables that aren’t sprung, which a lot of tables aren’t these days. I have a old Thorens table that is sprung, but I find tremendous improvement adding isolation under the plinth.

I think the record clamp does more than just reduce slippage.  I think it also helps couple the record to the platter, allowing vibration in the record to drain and dissipate into the larger mass of the platter.  Your table has a quiet motor and good bearing, so the likelihood that noise from the table would find its way into the stylus is probably reduced, bit the only way to know if a clamp helps is to try it.

kn