I have used the Mystic Mat and have had good results, but record mats are turntable and system dependent.
In my system and with my turntable, the music was more dynamic and the backgrounds became blacker with instruments better located in the sound stage, & bass improved. Other folks with the same turntable and electronics heard similar changes to their systems but didn't care for the over all presentation.
I am sure they are still available, carbon fiber is expensive right now due to world wide shortage of the material and they were always quite expensive anyways.
Look an Audiogon for a used mat and try it, if you don't care for it in yoru system, you should be able to sell it for close to what you paid for it..... |
Bbenn,
Thanks for the response. Pluto is advocating strongly for thier turntables with a copper submat. I have a copper submat on my table & thus I am very curious. |
I used it on a VPI Aries with great results. I thought it made the overall presentation more quiet with great dynamics. I know that Harry at VPI is not a fan but I can tell you it worked for me. |
I use it together with Rudolf Bruil´s Outer Record Ring and a record weight on my Scheu Premier (Eurolab in the US), and was flabbergasted by the improvement: better defined bass and voices, better soundstaging. The improvement was greater, in fact, than upgrading from my 1500-Euro-Ortofon Venice to a 2500-Euro-Ortofon Vienna. I can not recommend it highly enough. I followed the opinion of both Michael Fremer and JR of soundscapehifi.com, who both wrote, or told me, that it was the best mat they ever tried. I cannot comment on that, as I did not try any others, but on my player, the Mystic Mat works wonders. |
They are still available at Music Direct for 299.00, 100.oo dollars less than I paid for mine. Yes it is system dependent but they will let you try it for 30 days so if your not happy return it. One thing though it is suggested not to use a clamp with it unless the record spins on the Mystic mat but on my Oracle it sounds better clamped loosly. |
Its a great product, IMO a must have.
Have a look here :
http://www.soundscapehifi.com/lv.htm#mystic |
Cmk,
Looking at your pictures it seems the same as my Carbon Mat made by m puck de. in Germany. I honestly think it is just OK. It softens the dynamics. It also gives images a rounder feel if you like that. I tried to sell it w. no hits. How does the Mystic Mat affect the sound? In what specific ways? |
The Mystic Mat is NOT the same as the german Carbon Mat - which I saw in a German store. The Mystic Mat definitely does not soften dynamics - just the opposite. There is another new review of the Mystic Mat by Edward Barker on sixmoons.com, I think, his observations are comparable to mine |
Anyone compare the Mystic Mat to the Boston Audio's Mat 1? |
I tried the Boston Audio Mat on a copper platter. The sound with vinyl direct on the platter was more dynamic and with more definition. The Boston Mat made everything sound bigger but more fuzzy. This is based on placing the mat on a copper platter. The Simon Yorke turntable comes with a graphite mat and Pluto Turntable which comes with an aluminum platter advocates using a copper mat with the Mystic Mat in conjunction. One of the members on this forum with a vast experience in analogue recommended using no mat at all, suggesting that the placing the LP directly on the metal platter is best. So far that has been my experience but I am curious about the Mystic Mat. |
I've use both the Mystic Matt and the Boston. Of course both matts depend on what turntable etc., but on mk 80mm acrylic platter the MM is a distinct improvement in most areas, while I probably wouldn't use the Boston long term. On Garrards, both work very well. Havent tried either on really high mass platters. They don't work in all circumsatance. For instance the mystic's designer doesn't recommend it with SMEs. As usual these matts will be system and taste dependent. |
Dgad
The Mystic Mat on my Kuzma had the effect of tightening images, ie in the lower mid/bass, there was better focus. This was the most obvious difference. Of course once you listen more, then you will notice that the background gets quieter, thus dynamics are enhanced. Even cymbals have greater clarity. Other mats just don't compare with this.
It does require the use of a clamp, so your spindle should be long enough to accomodate this. |
Cmk,
What is the Kuzma platter made of? I use both a clamp and an outer ring. The outer ring being the most significant improvement (but a pain in the sjs to use). The outer ring opens up the sound stage to let you hear into the image. I find it funny that few people use it. The difference between a mat and the outer ring has been large for me. The outer ring obviously being "better" and the mats I have tried not being anything special. I might try the Mystic Mat though. I would love to see some detailed photos of it. |
Hi Dgad
The Kuzma platter is made of alu with a felt surface.
The shop here that sells the mat and the outer ring said that the mat made a more musical difference than the outer ring.
My own experience of getting an insight into the soundstage was the Schroeder arm. Of course as you reach the heights of analogue playback, every little bit counts and they each contribute in unique ways. I would stop when the value of the change made is uncertain, but the mat was definitely a step in the right direction. |
I will be comparing the Mystic Mat to no mat & to my Millenium mat shortly & will post my impressions. |
I have the Mystic Mat now. In my system it is a much better mat than the Boston Audio Mat or the German Mat. It is similar in design on one side to the German mat but much thicker. It really doesn't change the sound a lot compared to placing the LP directly on the platter. What it does do is slightly improve the detail from the midrange on up. I find the bass slightly softened (very slight). The improvement in mids & treble make it worth it for me. It makes the treble cleaner & more defined. In fact it seems to me that it takes the hardness out of the treble letting you hear a more defined cymbal or snare. Midrange takes on a little more body. Again all these changes are subtle. You need to a/b several times to really hear the difference. We adjusted VTA to accomodate the mat with each a/b test. It truly is a pain but we did it for the comparison. I can see this mat being excellent with some tables which don't have a metal platter. My guess is it will probably give you the benefits of the metal platter due to the thickness of the mat and the mat sounding very similar to my metal platter.
We will be doing more comparisons in the upcoming days but I have spent 3 days a/b ing w. & without the mat. It truly is subtle. For me the other mats out there were not subtle but were not better either. |
Dgad, glad that you like it too. I think your experience with the softening bass is just a matter of VTA adjustment. A bit higher should tighten things up. My Denon 103R is less sensitive to VTA generally. |
I also have a Living Voice Mystic Mat, which I am now prepared to sell.
(Living Voice stopped making them as they were too expensive to manufacture, but they ARE THE VERY BEST)
Mine is completely as new.
Sadly, I don't have a second turntable any longer and so must sell some associated treasures.
I also have an unused Cartridgeman Isolator for Moving Coil cartridges.
Let me know if anyone is interested. |
I also have a Living Voice Mystic Mat, which I am now prepared to sell.
(Living Voice stopped making them as they were too expensive to manufacture, but they ARE THE VERY BEST)
Mine is completely as new.
Sadly, I don't have a second turntable any longer and so must sell some associated treasures.
I also have an unused Cartridgeman Isolator for Moving Coil cartridges.
Let me know if anyone is interested. |
How do get in touch with you. The forum doesn't allow me to pm you! |
Leicachamp, You can contact members directly. Sign in to Audiogon, click INBOX, on the page that pops up, toward the bottom in grey text, select Lookup members. Search on the members name. The next screen will give you the option to contact a member. (I believe the order of operations is correct.) |
Any comparison in between?? which is the best?? pls provide details.. |
