[jostber]

I have the Way Excellent II Turntable mat on my Technics SL1200 MKII and it works fine. This turntable has the standard platter which can be prone to some ringing. Is there a way to dampen this platter with f.ex. Grungebuster stuff, or will the mat take care of this?

[Herbie]

If you're using a 3.7mm or thicker Way Excellent II Turntable Mat, you shouldn't have any problem at all with ringing or other platter resonance. Rope caulk (available at hardware stores) or Mortite (a brand name of rope caulk) is good for damping underneath a cast aluminum turntable platter.

Steve
Herbie's Audio Lab

[Wayner]

Do not put any mortite under your platter! You will put it out of balance, and that will put stress on the platter bearing, and not to mention make the speed control unit work harder. The reason being is that you will never be able to put a balanced amount on the platter.

Bad idea, bad suggestion.

Wayner

[Herbie]

I've used Mortite to balance turntable platters, which are not always perfectly balanced from the factory. The alternative is to drill small partial holes under the heavy side. This subtracts mass, however, whereas Mortite adds some. If used conservatively, it will not add stress on the motor. If using Mortite to damp a cast aluminum chassis, use it sparingly and know what you're doing. A well-balanced platter will produce fewer resonances, friction, and micro-movements which will result in better sonic reproduction of the music, better dynamics.

Steve
Herbie's Audio Lab

[jostber]

Since the Technics direct drive motor is quite powerful and can take copper platters that is much heavier than the original, I believe that dampening of the original platter would be OK.

[Wayner]

I've used Mortite to balance turntable platters, which are not always perfectly balanced from the factory. The alternative is to drill small partial holes under the heavy side. This subtracts mass, however, whereas Mortite adds some. If used conservatively, it will not add stress on the motor. If using Mortite to damp a cast aluminum chassis, use it sparingly and know what you're doing. A well-balanced platter will produce fewer resonances, friction, and micro-movements which will result in better sonic reproduction of the music, better dynamics.

Steve
Herbie's Audio Lab

We all know that a balanced platter is going to produce nothing but good. Getting it there, without equipment to tell you where to add/subtract weight is another story, most of us do not own such equipment and it is pretty much a guess and by golly approach to something that may not be a problem in the first place. Because the platter rings when it's in free air does not mean it rings with a mat on top.

Wayner

[Herbie]

You're right, Wayner. It's not often a problem in the first place. Damping a ringing platter can sometimes be helpful, though. Sometimes helps with rumble, too. Being able to check a platter to make sure it's well-balanced is valuable if damping the platter.

Tooling is fairly simple. Just place a 1/2" diameter bearing on the end of a metal tube held vertically. Place the turntable center hole on the bearing. The turntable will always tilt downward toward the heavy side. Subtract some weight from the heavy side or add some weight to the opposite side. When balanced, the platter will stay level.

Some turntables don't accommodate VTA adjustment to a mat thick enough to overcome a ringing platter, and sometimes a mat alone isn't quite enough to bring out the full potential of a vintage table.

I'm sure you'll agree this is an endeavor best left to rare necessity and serious effort, not just "tweaking around."

Steve
Herbie's Audio Lab

[el34]

Heavy Technics rubber mat with Herbie's mat on top works well.  My VTA is MAXED OUT though, I just barely have the space.

[Scottdazzle]

Heavy Technics rubber mat with Herbie's mat on top works well.  My VTA is MAXED OUT though, I just barely have the space.

EL34,

Have you tried the Herbie's mat without the Technics mat underneath?  I doubt if you need the Technics mat at all.

[AlexG]

I tried several mats on my SL-1210MK2 without braking the bank, and ended up with the Way Excellent II as the best in my setup...music to my ears   

I concur not to use the original rubber mat with anything else!

Alex

[el34]

EL34,

Have you tried the Herbie's mat without the Technics mat underneath?  I doubt if you need the Technics mat at all.

Yeah, I tried it that way at first, works fine, but I figure the extra platter damping is good.

[Scottdazzle]

The rubber mat, if I recall correctly, was rather stuff and did a pretty good job of transmitting motor vibrations to the record.  If you need more damping, you'd be better off with a thicker Herbie's mat, imho. 

[jostber]

Has anyone tested the Herbie's mat together with a thin copper mat? With either the Herbie's mat on top or the copper mat? Will be getting one in a couple of weeks. Would believe the copper mat could shield from some interferences from the currents and magnet motor.