While at Wal-Mart one day at the crafts section I found some felt decretive things that were a little larger than 12 in. in diameter. So I thought they would make a cheap turntable mat for my Thorens TT.
See the picture of the one I got and modified to fit. I now have three mats the Thorens rubber, the Wal-mart felt, and a cork mat from Ebay. All three mats are (small) different heights.
In testing them with a signet 5TK5E cart my preference is as follows, the cork more relaxed cleaner sound, the felt and the rubber very similar overall not sure if I had a preference, but cork was a clear winner. But to be fair I had set up the VTA for the cork mat and did not change or play around with VTA for the other two. But in the past I had set up the VTA for the rubber Thorens mat and still preferred the cork mat. But for around two dollars for the Walmart felt how can you go wrong. By the way the cork mat I got on ebay for $25 dollars is a steel, get you one, best $25 dollars I have spent in a long time.
