Best platter mat, especially for DD turntables


There has been quite a bit of posts about platter mats and I wanted to add my experiences. I have posted this on the vintage DD thread but have been requested to move this into a new discussion, so here it is.

For my Technics SP10mk3 (Krebs 2 mod), I have tried Boston Mat 1, Micro Seiki CU180 and the TTM Mat with Matching Oil filled clamp (http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649203862-ttm-mat-2-and-oil-damped-stabilizerweight-combo/). Among these 3 mats, the TTM was the best and after I introduced it to Albert Porter, he too thinks it's the best for the Sp10mk3. However, I have found an even better platter mat that I would like to share with the group. It's Acoustical Systems SDP (http://www.arche-headshell.de/accessoires/sdp-the-sonically-most-effective-upgrade-for-every-turntable/). SDP stands for Special Decoupled Platter. This is not just a mat but an additional platter that decouples and isolates the bearing and spindle from the stylus. While most mats offer some isolation and decoupling of the platter, this is the only mat I know that also decouples the spindle. It stands head and shoulders above all the other mats. In fact, for me, the improvement it brought to my SP10Mk3 was greater than the Kreb mods. It's expensive and requires the arm-boards to be raised but it's worth the trouble IMHO. Especially for DD turntables where you have  the motor directly connected to the spindle (in most designs though there a few that are decoupled), it makes sense to decouple not only the platter but the spindle from the LP. Hence, SDP probably makes more improvements for DD turntables than Belt drive turntables. 
Here is how the SDP is different from other mats. What is not obvious form the pictures is that the SDP mat is thicker than the original spindle height. Hence it sits over the original spindle completely and has its own precision spindle to guide the LP and clamp/s onto the SDP. In other words, the original spindle is buried inside the SDP. Underneath the SDP are soft vibration absorbing gel packs which interfaces between original platter and SDP. This allows the SDP to absorb vibrations from the original platter. The mass of the SDP also acts as a damper for any vibrations from the original spindle. 

The net effect is that the noise floor drops further and I can hear more detail, resolution, separation and space. Very startling improvements.  FWIW. 
ddriveman
It does look interesting, but somehow I'd be more inclined to try wooden ones like these: 
http://i57.tinypic.com/10ge1pt.jpg

That's from this trip about halfway down the very long page:
http://killerdac.com/index.php?topic=842.380;PHPSESSID=7a831d709ddb6478e0ed42388ec5f2d9

These are all idler-wheel driven turntables, but I would suspect the direct drives would respond in a similar way. There are plenty of pictures of similar ones on the page.
If this arrangement helps as much as you say, what does it tell us? It tells how poorly those turntables were designed or/and made in the first place. Why use those tables at all then ?
Halcro,

 Note that Acoustical Systems makes tonearm risers to match the height of the SDP. So you do not need new tonearm pods.
Interesting point about the pigskin mat. I must try it too on my upcoming TT-801. I managed to snag a couple of Victor pigskins mats. Do you use the suede side up? 


Inna,

No, the fact that the SDP works well does not mean that the turntable itself is bad. No more than putting different mats, headshells, damping feet etc means that the design is bad. SDP works well also for belt drive turntables like Micro SX5000, Brinkmann and other high end belt drives. SDP completely isolates the spindle from the LP. This is something that other mats or TT designs do not do.
Hi Sampsa,

Thank you for sharing the link to the wonderful Japan trip with Jean Hiraga. There is so much to learn from Japanese audiophiles. And I really like WE horns and recently heard a replica WE system. Sounds very good. And of course the Japanese food. Yum! The wooden platter on the Garrard 401 seems to go after the same principle as the SDP i.e. isolate the platter and spindle from the LP. Just a different use of materials. I also like the vintage Gray Research tonearm. It looks odd but sounds great.