This is exactly the demo I needed!! To my ears, the differences were extremely subtle... in fact I kept jumping down to read the comments, I'd hear a "cut," guess which material we were on now, scroll up... and I don't think I was right once. 😂 It's reassuring because the test suggests that maybe I can squeeze a tiny bit more coloration of the sound out of my system with a particular material... but no matter what I use, it's not going to "ruin" the sound. I don't need to go donate plasma to get the latest, greatest material for my turntable.

I just replaced my cork mat with the Hudson Acrylic and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!!! First of all, I've always had to battle dust and static...this mat has almost totally alleviated this problem! Also, it is so great to be able to adjust the anti-skate without damaging the stylus ; just turn on the turntable, lower the tone arm and fine tune it. My results were very similar to yours; 1.5 rather than 2.0 to match the tracking force. It's great to know it's tracking perfectly. The reproduction of the cymbals and improved bass did not go unnoticed! I am not being paid for this endorsement; I just want people to to hear about some improvements that worked for me. I'm using the Hana SL and SL Mono cartridges and I love them too!

Thank you for engaging in presenting interesting topics for vinyl music enthusiasts. I've just purchased a white acrylic mat. Greetings from Germany, from Braunschweig.😘

Ive tried them all over the years and I keep coming back to a thick dense rubber mat for its ability to manage surface resonance and dampen the inherent "ring" in some aluminum or steel platters (my opinion). My 1980's Harman Kardon T40 table and all other HK's of this era came with what was describes as a "high density anti resonance" rubber material and to me anyway rubber feels and seems like the best above all for this - if seen some cork mats heavily impregnated with a high percentage of rubber that look like they might do well but cork likes to shed with age and im not a fan for that reason and the fact that most cork mats dont have a label depression in the center so the album sits flat. Of course these are all just my opinions - except for HK and Pioneer who always used rubber back in the day before all this plastic fantastic stuff came into play.

I have a black Hudson acrylic. I don't notice any difference in sound between it or any of my other mats (felt, thicker felt, two rubber and a cork) but it sure looks cool. As for antiskate, I have spent hours and hours researching it and came to this conclusion: it cannot be set perfectly. The perfect value changes with modulation from passage to passage. 'Close enough' is the best you can hope for and it is probably the biggest weakness of the format. That said, close enough sounds great and I will never stop loving vinyl.

I like the separation between the high range instruments on the acrylic. Thats the single major difference i could discern across all these mats. The price-to-quality ratio on some of them is insane. I was initially going to buy Achromat but this video changed my mind. Thank u for ur service sir

I use the Cork and Rubber mix mat and the Acrylic mats. The Acrylic mats are the best for less static.

I use the Teac Washi from Japan. Best investment so far in terms of turntable tweaks

It was hard to tell a big difference, but when closing my eyes to hear one that "jumped out", more often than not it was the acrylic mat. I thought the achromat and the hudson rubber sounded the "worst", but they didn't sound bad. The acrylic mat just had some kind of a punch to it that was pleasing to me. The technics rubber was a close second.

Let me add this....I don't have a super system, just a well balanced one. Some audiophiles that have much more expensive systems than mine, were having problems with the new Tone Poet "Picture of Heath" mono release, saying it was cut to hot and made their stylus jump and not track correctly; I had no problems at all; it rocks! I've said all this to tell you that adjusting the anti-skate with the acrylic mat is a wonderful thing!

I can honestly say that any difference was not worth worrying about.

I don’t hear any differences. I’ve tried numerous mats. I just like them for their aesthetics.

Thanks for that :) Achromat for me sound wise is the winner. I played this video through my rocket 8 monitors fairly loud and the difference was pretty noticeable as far as separation. Close 2nd was the Hudson Acrylic. Less separation but balance and low end punch was accentuated. Might go with the Acrylic though just because money :(

I also use a Funk Firm Achromat in 💛. Your suggestion of using the Hudson HiFi Acrylic platter mat to set the tonearm's Anti-Skate compensation is brilliant. Ordered one just now ... Many thanks :)

I use an Achromat. It’s been great. I think the most risky mat materials are felt and cork. Either could rip the needle off a cartridge if the needle is dropped on the mat with the platter in motion.

It seems some don't understand what a mat is for. Simply speaking it isolates the record from the body of the turntable. Acrylic doesn't carry vibrations well, nor does thick felt, but rubber and cork can give both good and poor results.

I have to agree with you, the Hudson acrylic and Achromat were the best. I have borrowed both of these to trial and still found the EON to be a nicer sounding mat. Like a good comparo.......

First off, love your channel. My table came with a acrylic platter. I put a cork mat on it and I’ll swear it changed the sound, especially the highs. I removed it and have no intentions of putting a mat back on. However, I never considered that it could have been the VTA that changed the sound. Now I’m back to scratching my head lol.

Normally I can’t hear much if any difference in these comparisons maybe since I’m listening through an iPhone. However this comparison was different in the sense that I could hear a more powerful bass line when ever you used either of the rubber mats and it sounded lifeless when using the cork or no mat at all. Having my eyes closed I could also detect more vibration through my phone to my fingertips which I double checked by only opening them when I felt it and sure enough you had displayed one of the two rubber mats. This was surprisingly good news for me and now I can use that extra money on other magic beans I’m sure to come across in my pursuit for sound perfection. Thanks Mr. Ben.

Great video, and great music! Thank you for introducing this band to me 😃 I personally prefer rubber mats but in the end it all depends on each person's preference. I do like the idea of using an acrylic mat for the anti-skate adjustment, thanks for the tip! Keep up the great work 👍

Fantastic video! I had many on my technics: cork mat, rubber mat, felt mat, achromat and now the APM (both from funk firm) and the APM is by far the best mat. Heavy duty glass under and the achromat on top - sounds amazing. HD!

Really helpfull. Non were terrible, but there was a noticable difference. The Acrilic sounded a little brighter at times - the Achromat seemed to be the overal best for me - nicely balanced detail throughout - felts sounded....felty! Rubber was less good on the Technics a little more muddled - the Hudson Rubber was a tad better, less wooly in the bass than the Technics - these are all small differences however

I ended up with an Achromat for my SL1200G - its a bit cleaner and clearer than the standard Technics - highly recomend. Note - always worth checking if your record sits flat on it - one of mine sat raised off the mat until I turned the mat upside down! Odd I know! I usually use a basic Michel Clamp too

My main concern about some of these mats is grime and dust. Felt mats, for example, just seem like a dirt trap.

I don't run a mat, i have an acrylic platter and that sounds the best to me in my room.

Thanks . I guess I’ll be staying with the stock rubber mat that came on my Yamaha TT

Hi Ben, Interesting topic and one that raises controversy because everyone has different opinions. Over the years I have used all manner of different mats on my English Logic Gemini Twin motor Acrylic Platter. Always adjusted for different thickness mats. I always go back to my Canadian made EON TriPad mat which is a cork/acrylic/sorbothane mix. Sadly not available anymore. great video.

Pops Resale! I love Pops. Great place to shop

Japan usually used rubber whilst European brands favoured cork but Arthur Khoubesserian got it right with the Pink Triangle acrylic turntable platter way back in the 1970’s eliminating the need for a mat

I upgraded to an acrylic platter. Not necessarily for the sound but to keep static down and it’s really easy to clean. I just wipe it down with a carbon fiber brush. It did seem to make a slight change of sound but without going back and forth to test it, I’m not %100 sure. Might just be placebo.

The differences is any are minute when listening through headphones. I guess looks would be deciding factor for some.

Just came across your channel, and have subscribed. 😉 👍 Have had a play about with mats myself on my channel, too. 😉

One thing I noticed Visually is that the Felt Mats did not correct any of the Vinyl warpage compared to the Firmer Mats! Surely this has some Effect on sound as a warp vs flat Vinyl surface will make a sound difference.

To get my VTA in the right neighborhood I used a thin rubber mat with an acrylic mat on top. The static was terrible with this combination. I think that a felt or acrylic mat alone have the potential to slip on the (Technics aluminum) platter, which can't be good. I keep going back to a thick rubber mat but they are hard to find (at a reasonable price).

I fancy the Achromat.. Fantastic sound on your video.. Regardless.. 👍🤔

I have only tried felt, rubber/cork mix, rubber and carbon fibre but prefer the felt on my LP12. If it’s good enough for Linn then it’s good enough for me. I do get lots of static though.

Great as always thanks

I genuinely don't hear a difference when I switch between mats, and I've got several (acrylic, rubber, felt & the achromat). If there's a difference in SQ from one mat to the other, it isn't noticeable to me. That said, I don't think the different mats are useless. Some do serve a purpose, and some just look really nice on certain 'tables. Also, you can raise & lower the playing surface quite a bit w/ mats, and that may be the difference in whether a particular cartridge will work or not for folks who can't adjust their tonearm. I use the Funk Firm Achromat on my turntable (The Music Hall Stealth). It looks like it should have been on the 'table right out of the box, imho. There was a lot of static w/ my Fluance RT85 (It has an acrylic platter) and the achromat on the Stealth's platter has little to no static. For me, that alone makes the $$$ spent on the achromat worth it.

Thank you, this has been very helpful listening through Audeze LCD-X headphones. I can't say which one is better but each has a slightly different flavor. It would be great if you could perform a similar test with different songs.

I hear zero difference with different mats here but my hearing isn't the best. I will say, I like your legit technics turntable and I'm more curious about which mat is best for dust issues? You might address that here but I didn't get to watch the entire video.

Rubber sounds better on my LP120 hands down.. Acrylic is a little to lively and bright for that table

I seriously doubt that a mat will produce any audible differences. Ringing will only occur when actually tapping the platter which a turntable doesn't do when playing a record. There are of course other important factors to a mat: generating static electricity (or the lack thereof), avoid slipping and release dust partials (some cork mats and felt). I find that most rubber mats who are usually supplied with a turntable tend to be static electricity generators. That's the main reason why I would fit a different mat to a turntable.

I can hear the difference. Since cork matt appeared they at some point no longer can count 😂

OMG, I have the same record weight! Did you also bought it on eBay from the guy who mills them in Moldova?

Good video, thanks for the upload.

I liked and noticed a difference with the Hudson Acrylic. I also own a green one because it looks cool glowing on my 1210GR. When I discovered the anti-skate thing that was amazing to me. Way different than just matching to tracking force. Also I think I have the same headshell as you (just got it with my PTG33/ii with the allen key adjustable azimuth. Great vids!:) The Funk was out of my budget originally so thats how I stumbled on to the acrylic:) I also use the Hudson stylus cleaner with the blue light!

I have a felt mat and was listening to the 1st Movement of Mahler 10 which has some incredibly quiet passages. There was no static whatsoever. Another similarly good condition record (can't remember the piece), there was a fair amount of static. That tells me it has nothing to do with the felt mat and much more to do with the actual record pressing, or maybe the amount of times the record has been played, or the quality of equipment the records were previously played on (both records were 30-40 years old).

Yay Pop's Resale!

Thank you for your informative video! :)

i think the thinner rubber mats are best otherwise the stylus can bottom out if the mat is too thick

Mats are turntable dependent. I mat that sounds good on one table may not sound good on another. I use a Canadian mat called Platter Matter which is rubber with a kind of skin on it.

What’s the first track played here with the count downs etc?

The acrylic sounded a little faster, but not by a lot

would you recommend the acromat for a 1200gr? funk firm recommends a more expensive 7mm apm model for the gr. They also sell a 5 mm model for $150. Thanks!

O R A N G E 🍊

E achromat was best but got dance music pops mat

Is the funk firm just as hard as the hudson acrylic mat?

Rubber Cork vs Kitchen Cabinet liner the winner

Does anyone know if there's any reason to avoid super cheap rubber turntable mats from China? Cause I just bought a bright red one from ebay, it just looks so awesome. Somehow I doubt it could cause any issues with records, but just thought I'd check.

I see that it’s a Technics but I didn’t see what model it was…I was listening on my phone so I can’t really tell a difference. I have a Pro-Ject Cork-It mat but always seem to go back to my stock rubber mat on my SL-1200mkii with lots of KAB upgrades.

Ive just got the achromat aswell for my gold note and its a huge improvement over the felt matt. Its very good but mine is not exactly flat which i think many are not. but good test.

No deer skin mat🥺

I’m not advocating that people spend a lot of money but one reason I think that there may not be so much different in some of the math is because a lot of the Moving magnet

This is just me - ive always been pleased with the silicone rubber mats but in the interest of trying to be open minded I checked this comparison out again and I just dont hear much if any difference, and I certainly dont hear the kinds of highly descriptive differences claimed in the loftily detailed descriptions of improvements given by (some) of the uber high end audiophile reviewers that go on and on describing numerous play by play areas of distinct and dramatic differences. Ive tried everything but the high dollar sound mats made with sound specific materials and maybe those are a step above others, but try as I might I just didnt hear it in this video - and maybe thats just my inability to discern it, but pretty picky sound wise. At the end of the day its still a needle in a groove and I dont see how just a mat can improve that to the degree some reviewers claim such as a cartridge swap would give, but some describe such amazing differences you would think they installed a thousand dollar cartridge and a $$$$$ preamp - one has to wonder at some level if some arent just plugging product with their exotic claims of sound improvement from something as simple as a platter mat.

ORANGE

copper mats are good should try copper. try a couple drops of anti frizz hair conditioner in your rinse, has the same properties anti-static and makes the record anti-static and slippery that's in deionised water with 30% 99% isopropanol use deionised water then distilled it's more pure

Okay, I thought about this video today. Yesterday I took delivery of an Acrylic turntable "mat". Why did I buy it? I liked that it was white (yeah, I know). Anyway, I played some music with it today. It was a replacing a rubber mat. Now it's evening time, and I'm sitting to relax with some music again - and the acrylic "mat" is gone. Yikes, it's horrible. I put "mat" in quotes because really it's just a big, rigid, piece of acrylic. The sound was not good - not good at all. At least to my ears. It looked great though!

Leather?😊

"No Matt"

I can’t afford to upgrade my turntable but I can afford to change my mat! 😅

What’s the name of the music track playing, cheers

This shootout basically works on your table or similar models. In the grand scheme of different turntable designs, it's basically meaningless.

Ill give it a listen sometime when I can do it properly, but from the little I heard, through my system, I couldnt detect much of anything.

The best Turntable Mat is no Mat.

I didn't hear no difference at all but anyway have a great day God bless🙏

This turns weird

There is less than 1% difference between mats. Lol.

Wahahahahahaha

This would have been great if the music hadn't been so crappy 😂😂