Turntable platters, mats, stabilisers comparison plus Headquarters Audio QVMatPro review
- Thread starter montesquieu
- Start date
I should have mentioned I tried the SPEC mat and found it sounded pretty good, but I felt it ergonomically lacking - no label recess, but more annoyingly it's a full 300mm wide (exactly the same as an LP), and about as thin as a record too, making it tricky to lift the record off without taking the mat off with it. Overall I didn't like it, mainly for those ergonomic reasons.
Interesting comments on leather mat ... this was where I found 'system' benefits in careful matching with the stabliliser. Too heavy a weight I found killed the musicality, but I guess this would be influenced by how thick the leather is. I was impressed with the Zavfino both on its own and with a not-too-heavy weight.
Interesting comments on leather mat ... this was where I found 'system' benefits in careful matching with the stabliliser. Too heavy a weight I found killed the musicality, but I guess this would be influenced by how thick the leather is. I was impressed with the Zavfino both on its own and with a not-too-heavy weight.
The new SPEC is a smaller diameter and has a recessed label area.
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Montesquieu/Tom was kind enough to lend me his HQ Mat/Stabilizer, I thought I'd leave some impressions. I'm not using it absolutely correctly, but the positives are undeniable and different to any outcomes with my current platter-LP interface, so it's almost certain when I do fully optimise setup, the results will be even more favourable.
I'm using the ResoMat that Tom also tested as standard on my rim drive Salvation TT. I was a bit unsure about his criticism of the ResoMat being too "exciteable" but when I refer back to my slight negatives of hardness or glassiness on piano crescendos and massed strings, "exciteable" is a correct analysis.
As with all good upgrades, what's ideal is if the effect is self-effacing, ie doesn't shout attention, but the effect becomes apparent as music washes over you.
Putting on some Brahms solo piano with Julius Katchen/Josef Suk, indeed a good proportion of slight shrillness I've had before on loud fast runs on the keyboard were ameliorated, but not at the expense of verve and dynamics.
I've tried any number of mats where calm is mixed with softness and mutedness, this not the case with the HQ system.
Playing the Tone Poets reissue of Ornette Coleman/NY Is Now and Love Call, this is pretty furious polyrhythmic stuff, easy for the twin horns to sound clashy and strident. Again, the HQ system did what I call decluttering and organising of the music, but not at expense of forward drive. Chaos in music is always nice if it feels deliberate, not fully out of control.
Playing Dixie Dregs first album, I was struck how pertinent bass was, not a false highlighting, more again resonance control allowing more delineation of lower frequencies.
In all the music I listened to, but most of all the Brahms, the biggest compliment I can pay the HQ system is how it really allowed notes to play out, ridding harshness on piano strikes, and reducing glare and graininess so that the full reverb and harmonic texture of notes was fully rendered, and as a piece of music played out, whole veils removed bringing playing of music at home closer to what I hear live.
Once this product is finally released, I'll be buying mine.
I'm using the ResoMat that Tom also tested as standard on my rim drive Salvation TT. I was a bit unsure about his criticism of the ResoMat being too "exciteable" but when I refer back to my slight negatives of hardness or glassiness on piano crescendos and massed strings, "exciteable" is a correct analysis.
As with all good upgrades, what's ideal is if the effect is self-effacing, ie doesn't shout attention, but the effect becomes apparent as music washes over you.
Putting on some Brahms solo piano with Julius Katchen/Josef Suk, indeed a good proportion of slight shrillness I've had before on loud fast runs on the keyboard were ameliorated, but not at the expense of verve and dynamics.
I've tried any number of mats where calm is mixed with softness and mutedness, this not the case with the HQ system.
Playing the Tone Poets reissue of Ornette Coleman/NY Is Now and Love Call, this is pretty furious polyrhythmic stuff, easy for the twin horns to sound clashy and strident. Again, the HQ system did what I call decluttering and organising of the music, but not at expense of forward drive. Chaos in music is always nice if it feels deliberate, not fully out of control.
Playing Dixie Dregs first album, I was struck how pertinent bass was, not a false highlighting, more again resonance control allowing more delineation of lower frequencies.
In all the music I listened to, but most of all the Brahms, the biggest compliment I can pay the HQ system is how it really allowed notes to play out, ridding harshness on piano strikes, and reducing glare and graininess so that the full reverb and harmonic texture of notes was fully rendered, and as a piece of music played out, whole veils removed bringing playing of music at home closer to what I hear live.
Once this product is finally released, I'll be buying mine.
Marc, I think you nailed really well in your post what I also heard, a sense of naturalness and musical freedom. Pianos as you say are one of the big tests. The improvement over the previous top dog in my system, the graphite mat and stabiliser, was both subtle and not-subtle, pretty much as you describe.
Tom, at the level I've now got my system working at, it's critical any change if I'm going to adopt it has the absolutely not "add" stuff, only "subtract" what's negative.
A good example is IsoAcoustic Gaias footers under my Zus spkrs v Revopods. The Gaias were great in many ways, but they presented music with a totally different bass presentation that felt like an "additive", certainly a coloration. Easy to hear in direct comparison with the Revopods.
The HQ mat/stabiliser absolutely leaves the tonal balance and dynamics/speed of my LP playback unaffected, but strips out a good deal of noise and hash, thus the resultant greater feeling of transparency thru notes (less shrill attack, more unimped reverb), and clearer bass definition.
If there *is* a specific change to presentation, it's in a slightly wider stereo image, but this is quite subtle, and I believe a function of less hash. Welcome all the same.
A good example is IsoAcoustic Gaias footers under my Zus spkrs v Revopods. The Gaias were great in many ways, but they presented music with a totally different bass presentation that felt like an "additive", certainly a coloration. Easy to hear in direct comparison with the Revopods.
The HQ mat/stabiliser absolutely leaves the tonal balance and dynamics/speed of my LP playback unaffected, but strips out a good deal of noise and hash, thus the resultant greater feeling of transparency thru notes (less shrill attack, more unimped reverb), and clearer bass definition.
If there *is* a specific change to presentation, it's in a slightly wider stereo image, but this is quite subtle, and I believe a function of less hash. Welcome all the same.
it is fascinating to see a thesis for performance of these mats and stabilisers rather than just seeing piece meal review.
i couldn't agree more that it depends on where you are in the journey. my early days garrard 401 made so much noise in motor that the vertere mat with its felt top and cork bottom was a wonder! but now, with a Long Dog Audio PSU and new bits and pieces, I'm shocked by what the SPEC has to offer and i can see how the vertere is just too dampened. I agree SPEC ergonomics are not good but for mine right now the sound is amazing.
i couldn't agree more that it depends on where you are in the journey. my early days garrard 401 made so much noise in motor that the vertere mat with its felt top and cork bottom was a wonder! but now, with a Long Dog Audio PSU and new bits and pieces, I'm shocked by what the SPEC has to offer and i can see how the vertere is just too dampened. I agree SPEC ergonomics are not good but for mine right now the sound is amazing.
I'm going to throw a new contender into the mix.
The Acoustic Revive RTS-30 mat, just received from Japan.
I was planning a big comparo of Hexmat Eclipse v Origin Live Strata v Headquarters Audio QV v Acoustic Revive RTS-30, but tbh this mat has hit the ball out of the park, and I'm not minded at all to try the others, incl reassessment of the QV.
It's that good, and across all the parameters you'd want, plus a critical area that my TT was not showing at it's best, a certain metallic "ringiness" or borderline clanging character on piano concertos, especially hard percussive lines.
Tom nailed this character in his original description of the Trans Fi Reso Mat that I've been using for a decade (it's the stock option with my Salvation rim drive), calling it too "excitable".
The new Acoustic Revive mat has quietened or smoothed that edginess, with zero diminution of dynamics, treble energy, mids definition.
I'm very pleasantly surprised at just how much this mat brings without any downside at all as far as I can hear.
The Acoustic Revive RTS-30 mat, just received from Japan.
I was planning a big comparo of Hexmat Eclipse v Origin Live Strata v Headquarters Audio QV v Acoustic Revive RTS-30, but tbh this mat has hit the ball out of the park, and I'm not minded at all to try the others, incl reassessment of the QV.
It's that good, and across all the parameters you'd want, plus a critical area that my TT was not showing at it's best, a certain metallic "ringiness" or borderline clanging character on piano concertos, especially hard percussive lines.
Tom nailed this character in his original description of the Trans Fi Reso Mat that I've been using for a decade (it's the stock option with my Salvation rim drive), calling it too "excitable".
The new Acoustic Revive mat has quietened or smoothed that edginess, with zero diminution of dynamics, treble energy, mids definition.
I'm very pleasantly surprised at just how much this mat brings without any downside at all as far as I can hear.
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I’ve recently been using a TEAC Washi paper mat on my PTP Lenco, I like it so much I ordered a spare, all of €30. It doesn’t like a record weight or need one and it’s on the thin side, my Korf SF9R will only just go low enough and my Aro needs a cartridge spacer (I borrowed the foamed metal plate from my Schröder) or a thinner arm board. The two sides sound different, the grey is flatter, the white has raised random ridges, grey side down where it damps the platter rather than the record works for me.
One tip, make sure you remove oil from the spindle before fitting the mat, there’s an oily felt washer between bearing and platter on the lenco that tends to lift with the platter and coats the spindle in passing, I presume it’s not unique in that.
One tip, make sure you remove oil from the spindle before fitting the mat, there’s an oily felt washer between bearing and platter on the lenco that tends to lift with the platter and coats the spindle in passing, I presume it’s not unique in that.
I had this mat, didn’t like it at all. Seemed to turn everything soft. Was comparing this directly to the SPEC which was far better. I gave both to a friend who also thought the SPEC was much better.
I have Teac Washi paper mat and it’s very good certainly better than Zanden TPM-1 which I also have but discontinued Concert Fidelity paper mat is the best IMHO.
I used the Origin Live mats for 10 years, they do need changing quite regularly.
No mention if the Garrard mat, which I use with the Zavfino stabiliser, simply because it's prettier than the OL version.
Curiously, the Acoustic Revive RTS-30 is reviewed on the same turntable/platter as I use, can't say I like the look. I think it was looking at Jeff Day's unit that I went for the same deck combination.
No mention if the Garrard mat, which I use with the Zavfino stabiliser, simply because it's prettier than the OL version.
Curiously, the Acoustic Revive RTS-30 is reviewed on the same turntable/platter as I use, can't say I like the look. I think it was looking at Jeff Day's unit that I went for the same deck combination.
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Interesting, not my experience, caveat no Spec to compare to, just my stock mat.
I suspect these things are very system dependent, my stock mat shown to be aggressive, forward and tonally grey in comparison.
I'm getting way greater tonal discrimination between LPs.
This hobby has so many ways to skin a cat.