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So I replaced the original Garrard 401 mat with an EP

So I replaced my original Garrard 401 mat with a 10" record.

Years ago, I had tried the Boston graphite mat and it deadened the music. I’ve messed around with cork tile, paper, little brass rings, 12" record, no mat, and kept going back to the old mat. The 10" record on the other hand is interesting...reduction of smearing, damped and woolly bass. It’s not that it was badly smeared and soft, but it definitely tightened things up and improved (increased) the highs.

Any stories to tell?

128x128noromance
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noromance OP
9,860 posts
 
Did some back and forth and can confirm the result of removing the mat and replacing it with a 10" record:
1. Warmth - a slightly yellow-brown 'coloration' has been removed
2. Heaviness - with mat, it sounds like the musicians are behind a curtain and on a smaller stage
3. Brighter - As @pani said, it is definitely brighter - but much clearer. Rim of drum and plucked bass distinct, clear and fixed in space.
4. More air, depth, and dark space between instruments instead of a wall of warm sound - less lush. plucked strings snap into space in a startling manner. 
5. Increased pace - I had to test speed with strobe as I was sure it was running faster without heavier mat - it was exact.
6. Sounds louder - confirmed by others present.
Notes:
a. I can understand bright recordings being irritating but the improvement is too much to ignore.
b. I am convinced the mat damps and veils the sound. It's like going from Mullard to Telefunken.
c. Surface noise frequency spectrum shifted up slightly.
jperry
2,453 posts
 
I replaced the original mat on my Garrard 301 with the SPEC+ Analog Disc Sheet (AP-UD1)

A nice improvement to the clarity and resolution.
advanced101
25 posts
 
Same... I replaced the original mat of my 301 with a SPEC+ mat and love the improvement.
noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,860 posts
 
Thanks for the recommendation. Reading about the Spec+ gave me an idea.
I just swapped the 10" vinyl record (Daughter - His Young Heart EP) for a 10" shellac 78.
Wow! All the improvements listed above even more pronounced:
1. Lower surface noise
2. Improved depth
3. Hearing further into recording
4. Better focus and more neutral.

normansizemore
601 posts
 
noromance,

I played around with several mats and found the original Garrard mat on my 301 sounded best. Same with my Dual 1229. I do like the original Oracle Platter mat and will use it occasionally.  A audio buddy of mine recently bought a solid copper mat and I was really impressed by it.

I also like your idea of using a 10Ep. I have some 78's and might give that a try as they are very rigid and flat.  It seems that the softer the mat the warmer the sound. The harder the more dynamic. 

N.
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