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LP12 felt mat

I used to try the belt different ways, flip the mat etc but honestly, I just can't be bothered any more. If there is a difference it's very slight so I don't care. I just want to stick on a record and enjoy the music. Not sit there neurotic over which way up the mat is.
 
IME of always flipping records without stopping the platter with felt mats on, the top side of the felt gets rather 'hairy' over time. Flipping the felt presents a fresh flatter side and somewhat flattens the hairy side back down. Eventually, both sides become so hairy that one may wish to consider using an electric fabric shaver on, or simply replace the mat altogether. For me, this is strictly a cosmetic issue, nothing to do with Linn dealer induced neurosis.
 
I have had two Linn felt mats on my LP12.
One was the original from 1988 and a couple of years ago i got one of the then latest type because the original had shrunk slightly.
I couldn't hear any difference with either of them, whichever way up they went.
Now, you could say that it's my ears or possibly the low resolution of my system and if you can hear differences with mat orientation, good luck to you.
I would just say that if i were selling a turntable that is supposed to play in the highest league of analogue replay and if the orientation of the mat meant that it sounded better one way up, bearing in mind how easy it is for it to fly off, then i would have made damn sure that it was clearly marked as to which way up it should go.
Comments?
 
Steve Haill said:
I have had two Linn felt mats on my LP12.
One was the original from 1988 and a couple of years ago i got one of the then latest type because the original had shrunk slightly.
I couldn't hear any difference with either of them, whichever way up they went.
Now, you could say that it's my ears or possibly the low resolution of my system and if you can hear differences with mat orientation, good luck to you.
I would just say that if i were selling a turntable that is supposed to play in the highest league of analogue replay and if the orientation of the mat meant that it sounded better one way up, bearing in mind how easy it is for it to fly off, then i would have made damn sure that it was clearly marked as to which way up it should go.
Comments?
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Don't be silly that's more company labour, cost twice as much.
 
I’ve had original, Ringmat, Herbie’s, Collaro’s.
Now I’m using a Spec AP-UD1 and its the best one so far.
 
So there we have it , a couple of dozen posts definitively stating the idea that mat orientation makes a difference is laughable.

Well either that or a couple of dozen people publicly advertising their cloth eared inability to discern one of the most basic differences there is.
 
Well i am definitely in the can't hear a difference camp but i would still like to hear a convincing reason as to why such a 'fundamental' make or break to the turntable's sound isn't clearly marked or even mentioned in any Linn set up manual that i have seen.
I can hear the difference between an Origin live mat and a standard felt mat BTW.
I prefer the felt one.
 
I remember my Linn dealer telling me to keep the mat that way up after a service back in the 80s. I recall trying to hear the difference a couple of times before concluding that it didn't matter to me. Maybe it's sales-hypnosis foo or maybe it's really there and my ears are made of cloth. I do hear pitch stability though. That makes a big difference to the fundamental understanding of music.
 
I'm a "well known " defector away from Linn and LP12's (after owning several high spec examples)
I grew tired of all the setup bullshite involved in getting it on song...and keeping it there
I went back to the simplicity of Rega (P8) and I'm happy again

BUT
I can say that (on my Linns) mat orientation WAS a thing....and I could clearly rear which way was "correct" or not
Just saying like......even though I have no idea why it made a difference
 
david ellwood said:
So there we have it , a couple of dozen posts definitively stating the idea that mat orientation makes a difference is laughable.

Well either that or a couple of dozen people publicly advertising their cloth eared inability to discern one of the most basic differences there is.
Click to expand...
There should be a laugh button for people to express their views a bit more clearly :)
 
Craig B said:
One could get a nice Rega mat complete with Planar 2 for the price of all those.
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How about my collection then.....
Herbies, Ringmat 330, Ringmat 330XLR, Sound dead steel (dreadful), 2x Funk (3 & 5mm), some felt/rubbery type mat (no name on it) - not great & a Yellow bird Hex mat most recent purchase. Hexmat currently under audition & if good needs to improve on the Rngmat XLR
 
Anyone who thinks making a turntable mat be hex shaped is a good idea, let alone marketing one, needs being made to stand in a corner until such time as they realize that there will be someone out there who is likely to drop the needle sans record on.

At least, with a nice bit of round felt, one simply gets a good stylus cleaning, as opposed to amputation.

Be careful out there.
 
About 10 years ago, one of the HiFi magazines graphed the sound waves produced via each side of the felt mat and you could see a very small difference between them.
 
One of the biggest factors in how you hear the LP12 is the material used by your dentist in your fillings. On the advice of my dentist, who's a Linn owner himself I had all my fillings drilled out a few years ago and replaced with a more LP12-friendly material. The difference is day and night.
 
Thorn said:
One of the biggest factors in how you hear the LP12 is the material used by your dentist in your fillings. On the advice of my dentist, who's a Linn owner himself I had all my fillings drilled out a few years ago and replaced with a more LP12-friendly material. The difference is day and night.
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I am interested in your lovely cat and its view of the merits of mat orientation. Surely it must have a view as cats always land the right way up.
 
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