Turntable platter-LP impedance match

[Tirebiter]

From HW at VPI...his response to questions on what mat to use:

I use three pieces of 1" wide black electrical tape on my platter now. Set at 120 degree spacing in the center of the groove area one piece is 1"X 1", and two are 1" X 2" with one of the rectangular ones 90 degrees to the other. Sounds crazy but Gary Koh from Genesis Speakers came up with this while using his direct drive VPI Vanquish. It works on all the bare platters very well.

He also uses three 1/16" balls glued to the bottom of his center weight at different distances from the center and using three different ball materials. I know, sounds crazy, it works beautifully.

I tried the tape last night...it works.

 

[ack]

Yes, electrical tape is also vinyl, good material to use, just not a complete solution.

 

[Barry]

I really like the SPEC AP-UDI turntable mat on my TW Acustic Raven Anniversary with copper platter. Use a sorbothane puck on top of the spindle/ record for just a touch of damping. Alternatively, use a heavy, polished stainless steel record weight if the record is slightly warped.

 

[ack]

I really like the SPEC AP-UDI turntable mat on my TW Acustic Raven Anniversary with copper platter. Use a sorbothane puck on top of the spindle/ record for just a touch of damping. Alternatively, use a heavy, polished stainless steel record weight if the record is slightly warped.

Right, I have sorbothane under my VPI center weight for the same reason

 

[Tango]

Tang and Christian, are you guys using your leather mats or placing the records directly on your platter? Do you hear a difference between the two?

Hi Peter,

I put a leather mat with thickness of about 1mm on the platter. I tuned all my carts with the leather mat on. So when I took out the mat I should have adjusted the vta but I didn’t. Without the mat, the sound is thinner. Less dimension and tonal spectrum of instrument. Strings zing more. High extension goes even higher. But also less presence especially on vocal. A bit more blank space between instruments.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[XV-1]

From HW at VPI...his response to questions on what mat to use:

I use three pieces of 1" wide black electrical tape on my platter now. Set at 120 degree spacing in the center of the groove area one piece is 1"X 1", and two are 1" X 2" with one of the rectangular ones 90 degrees to the other. Sounds crazy but Gary Koh from Genesis Speakers came up with this while using his direct drive VPI Vanquish. It works on all the bare platters very well.

He also uses three 1/16" balls glued to the bottom of his center weight at different distances from the center and using three different ball materials. I know, sounds crazy, it works beautifully.

I tried the tape last night...it works.

This just sounds like another version of Peter Belt's infamous tweak for the LP12 in the early 80's. Put some sticky tape onto the edge of the LP12 platter and listen again. It sounds better!!

 

[BruceD]

When I had my Sondeks I used a piece of non slip rubberised pitted fabric as pictured from one I had in the 90's--

It is the material one uses on boat tables /etc to prevent sliding--

Don't laugh it works quite well and only 20C for a piece to try

BruceD

 

[MadFloyd]

When I had my Sondeks I used a piece of non slip rubberised pitted fabric as pictured from one I had in the 90's--

It is the material one uses on boat tables /etc to prevent sliding--

Don't laugh it works quite well and only 20C for a piece to try

BruceD

View attachment 43594

As an ex-boater, I am aware of this material and continue to find uses for it. It's now on the top of my left speaker so that my cat has better grip when he launches himself to and from it.

I might try it on my turntable....

 

[PeterA]

Hi Peter,

I put a leather mat with thickness of about 1mm on the platter. I tuned all my carts with the leather mat on. So when I took out the mat I should have adjusted the vta but I didn’t. Without the mat, the sound is thinner. Less dimension and tonal spectrum of instrument. Strings zing more. High extension goes even higher. But also less presence especially on vocal. A bit more blank space between instruments.

Kind regards,
Tang

Thanks Tang. Yes, some of those sonic attributes might be from too high a VTA now, it is hard to say. Regardless, it seems you really like the sound of the AS2000 with the leather mat/interface. Congratulations on the sound and your learning how to fine tune your various cartridges. It makes it fun when you are confident of your own abilities and don't need to call a set up guy to change cartridges.

 

[ddk]

Thanks Tang. Yes, some of those sonic attributes might be from too high a VTA now, it is hard to say. Regardless, it seems you really like the sound of the AS2000 with the leather mat/interface. Congratulations on the sound and your learning how to fine tune your various cartridges. It makes it fun when you are confident of your own abilities and don't need to call a set up guy to change cartridges.

With the record sitting directly on the stainless platter the sound has more impact but it’s less musical the chosen leather mat rounds off the sound to the right balance IMO and without the negative overdampening of some materials or thinning of some others. Experimentation with different mats is always encouraged if further sonic tuning is desired or for nothing else than experience.

david

 

[BruceD]

As an ex-boater, I am aware of this material and continue to find uses for it. It's now on the top of my left speaker so that my cat has better grip when he launches himself to and from it.

I might try it on my turntable....

Hmmm MF-- You come across as the perfect gentleman---!

If any Moggy got atop my Speakers he'd be launched to

Sorry

BruceD

 

[Ron Resnick]

To promote family harmony with our beloved Lola my wife thoughtfully suggested a glass wall between the listening room and the kitchen to keep the dog away from the equipment.

 

[ddk]

To promote family harmony with our beloved Lola my wife thoughtfully suggested a glass wall between the listening room and the kitchen to keep the dog away from the equipment.

Taser !

david

 

[Tirebiter]

This just sounds like another version of Peter Belt's infamous tweak for the LP12 in the early 80's. Put some sticky tape onto the edge of the LP12 platter and listen again. It sounds better!!

Yes it does....considering how little material is used I was skeptical...but it was cheap and easy to implement so I gave it a spin...so to speak.

 

[Mosin]

After building turntables for over a decade, I remain convinced that LP/platter interface is the single most important aspect of turntable design.

Further, I believe that if the end user can improve the design by changing that interface, it says a lot more about the orignal designer of the piece than it does the end user, or the resulting performance.

Summary: A good design stands on its own merit.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

After building turntables for over a decade, I remain convinced that LP/platter interface is the single most important aspect of turntable design.

Further, I believe that if the end user can improve the design by changing that interface, it says a lot more about the orignal designer of the piece than it does the end user, or the resulting performance.

Summary: A good design stands on its own merit.

+1.

 

[DaveyF]

After building turntables for over a decade, I remain convinced that LP/platter interface is the single most important aspect of turntable design.

Further, I believe that if the end user can improve the design by changing that interface, it says a lot more about the orignal designer of the piece than it does the end user, or the resulting performance.

Summary: A good design stands on its own merit.

Interesting, I would have thought it was speed control. Without precise speed control, you sure are going to have one lousy sounding table. IME, the better the speed control, the better the SQ. Which is why I am so interested in the new Grand Prix Monaco table...and Alvin’s obsession with exactly this issue...and his claim that his table has speed control down to a very fine factor. The platter/LP interface is important, but I believe it pails in comparison to exacting speed accuracy. IMHO

 

[Mosin]

I like precise speed control, but consistency is the most important. After all, there are a zillion records that aren't spot-on at 33-1/3 rpm. I am OCD about speed accuracy on my own turntable, however.

 

[ddk]

After building turntables for over a decade, I remain convinced that LP/platter interface is the single most important aspect of turntable design.

Further, I believe that if the end user can improve the design by changing that interface, it says a lot more about the orignal designer of the piece than it does the end user, or the resulting performance.

Summary: A good design stands on its own merit.

True and basically the sound quality and character is already determined by the tt's design parameters but one can alter the sound using different mats, weights, etc. and improvement is a relative term when there's no accounting for taste !

david

 

[Folsom]

Meh. I find platter interaction can make a TT sound great even if the speed slowly wanders up and down a little. LP slip is really bad though, which is a form of speed. The funny thing about speed is that no matter how accurate it is, you get variances in it if you dont have one of those self centering tables. Pitch wanders a little. A centered LP sounds different.