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What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-17 19:17
by springwood64
A few days ago I discovered my mat was the wrong way up and was struck by the character of the difference between the two sides.

If the same mat can sound different, it might be fun to experiment with home felting. I have some woollen clothes that aren't likely to get much use so I fancy making my own mat.

Has anyone experimented?

What makes a good mat?

This has probably been done to death at some point!

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-18 09:20
by Hermann
No experience with other materials but ordered a new one. Except the Ringmat, but it has survived only a few minutes.
My current is already very old and I want to exchange. Its one of the first mats that Linn offered. Do not know which year, but must be more than 30 years ago.

Some time even operated without a mat, which was rather less good. But other materials, especially homemade, never tried.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-19 13:58
by Hermann
Could be interesting for you. New mat versus old

John Grand

1. Mat

1 tagged

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wPHK1T ... sp=sharing

2 not tagged

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mMwjyU ... sp=sharing

2. Mat

1. tagged

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1covJNL ... sp=sharing

2 not tagged

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aKl4J2 ... sp=sharing

Easy to see how thin the new mat is

20210219_075407x.jpg

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-19 16:23
by springwood64
Very funky! Reminiscent of The Creatures Kiss The Girl.

For both mats I prefer tagged to untagged. I can't say I hear a difference in timing, but I do hear a difference in sound. Untagged sounds a little duller.

I prefer mat 2 tagged to mat 1 tagged. Mat 2 tagged really boogies.

The difference between mat 2 tagged and untagged seems greater than mat 1 tagged and untagged.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 10:46
by Hermann
Thats also my impression. Mat 1 is the old ergo 2 is the new one. The right side of the new one can be very well recognised.

Ok, the arm height should be adjusted.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 11:43
by Defender
I agree tagged sounds better with both mats. For me its more the timing that makes a difference - untagged interrupts the flow.
It took a bit longer for me to decide which mat I liked better as I wanted to make sure we dont always choose option 2 as habbit being better. But also agree with that - his voice makes more sense with mat 2 in my opinion.

How do you hear your arm height needs to be adjusted or do you do because the new mat is thinner?

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 12:54
by Hermann
For me, it has always been difficult to determine the correct side of the old mat. That took quite a long time. And admittedly, it was easier with Tundra. With the new mat, however, the right side shows up immediately.

The arm height has a strong effect in my setup. The higher the arm, the less bass. And I do not have enough of it. On the other hand, a straight arm sounds easier to me. Although the angle changes very slightly with thicker vinyl, but I do not have much of it.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 13:31
by Defender
I had the same feeling when I got my new mat ... it was easier to find out which side up is right. But than I screwed the mat up as it had wrinkles and I tried to iron them out with a rather cold temperature but screwed thr mat up because it was shrinking during ironing.

Btw. which side is up on your one - I suppose the more fluffy/rough one as opposed to the flat side.

Need to test it with my arm.

All the 180g vinyl I have is wobbly/not flat. So if I can I rather have the 110-120g version is possible.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 13:59
by Hermann
That's not nice, of course. The piece of felt is not cheap.

I also prefer standard vinyl. However, there is a reissue of King Crimson's Islands 200gr and I am really flashed. Never listened to the record at that volume. A great experience. So it goes...

I prefer the rough sides.

Do you mean to test the height of the arm?

I use this one
tool.jpg

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 17:12
by Defender
thank you for the recommendation of the tool. Its funny after your test I thought well the new one is screwed up but maybe still sounds better than the old one ... and the screwed up one did sound better. So much that I am questioning if my old one was a genuine Linn one - anyway a nice upgrade on this wonderful day

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-20 17:38
by Tony Tune-age
Hermann wrote: 2021-02-20 12:54 For me, it has always been difficult to determine the correct side of the old mat. That took quite a long time. And admittedly, it was easier with Tundra. With the new mat, however, the right side shows up immediately.
I had the very same experience with my old Linn mat, and the new Linn mat. Does anybody know how often the Linn mat needs to be replaced?

Cheers!

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-22 07:46
by Hermann
As long as there are no kinks or damage, I see no need to replace it. Should it be an old mat, I would recommend an exchange though.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-22 19:04
by Tony Tune-age
Hermann wrote: 2021-02-22 07:46 As long as there are no kinks or damage, I see no need to replace it. Should it be an old mat, I would recommend an exchange though.
I replaced my Linn felt mat fairly recently, but still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.

Cheers

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-22 19:24
by springwood64
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04 still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
Convert it into a stylish beanie?

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-22 19:55
by Tony Tune-age
springwood64 wrote: 2021-02-22 19:24
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04 still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
Convert it into a stylish beanie?
Too funny... LOL

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-23 19:49
by ThomasOK
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04
Hermann wrote: 2021-02-22 07:46 As long as there are no kinks or damage, I see no need to replace it. Should it be an old mat, I would recommend an exchange though.
I replaced my Linn felt mat fairly recently, but still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.

Cheers
I would say the time to replace the mat is whenever Linn comes out with a new one. Other than thot only if there is significant shrinkage (such as when ironed) or damage.

The best use for an old mat is to give it to a budding record collector to replace the crap rubber mat on their cheap 70s turntable. Thicker Rega mats are better for platters that are really ringy but relatively dead platters, like those on many Technics direct drive DJ units, work quite well with an older Linn mat. I keep used Linn and new Rega and Linn mats in stock for replacement of the mats on most turntables that come in here.

I'm quite late to the party but I also preferred the tagged 2 mat. Tagged 1 was not as musical and the untagged were not as musical either. i didn't try to rank them farther.

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-23 20:22
by David Neel
springwood64 wrote: 2021-02-22 19:24
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04 still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
Convert it into a stylish beanie?
Oxymoron alert!

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-24 15:05
by Tony Tune-age
David Neel wrote: 2021-02-23 20:22
springwood64 wrote: 2021-02-22 19:24
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04 still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
Convert it into a stylish beanie?
Oxymoron alert!
+1 :-)

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-24 15:08
by Tony Tune-age
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-02-23 19:49
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04
Hermann wrote: 2021-02-22 07:46 As long as there are no kinks or damage, I see no need to replace it. Should it be an old mat, I would recommend an exchange though.
I replaced my Linn felt mat fairly recently, but still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
I would say the time to replace the mat is whenever Linn comes out with a new one. Other than thot only if there is significant shrinkage (such as when ironed) or damage.

The best use for an old mat is to give it to a budding record collector to replace the crap rubber mat on their cheap 70s turntable. Thicker Rega mats are better for platters that are really ringy but relatively dead platters, like those on many Technics direct drive DJ units, work quite well with an older Linn mat. I keep used Linn and new Rega and Linn mats in stock for replacement of the mats on most turntables that come in here.
All good suggestions Thomas...and thanks for the information too.

Cheers

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-26 00:21
by sktn77a
Uh, I must be missing something here....... tagged? untagged? tagged 1? tagged 2?

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-26 08:22
by springwood64
Check out Hermann's post earlier in this thread on 19th Feb 13:58

Re: What makes a good LP12 felt mat?

Posted: 2021-02-26 12:06
by V.A.MKD
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-24 15:08
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-02-23 19:49
Tony Tune-age wrote: 2021-02-22 19:04 I replaced my Linn felt mat fairly recently, but still have my original mat for whatever that's worth.
I would say the time to replace the mat is whenever Linn comes out with a new one. Other than thot only if there is significant shrinkage (such as when ironed) or damage.
The best use for an old mat is to give it to a budding record collector to replace the crap rubber mat on their cheap 70s turntable. Thicker Rega mats are better for platters that are really ringy but relatively dead platters, like those on many Technics direct drive DJ units, work quite well with an older Linn mat. I keep used Linn and new Rega and Linn mats in stock for replacement of the mats on most turntables that come in here.
All good suggestions Thomas...and thanks for the information too.
Cheers
+1, Yes, very good ...