SP-10 Mat

 Has anybody else tried the replicas of the MS CU mats that pbnaudio references? Lewm- where do you get the Texas instruments copper shielding from?

A few years ago, I purchased a replica of the CU-180 from Peter's reference. It was the last a German seller had on hand, and I don't know if he had more made. It fit the SP-10 platter perfectly, deadening the ringing at least as well as the stock mat. I topped it with an ultra light TT Weights "Supreme" mat - thin cork bottom with thin carbon top, sandwiching a composite Kevlar  fiber/carbon fiber middle layer. Beautiful clear epoxy finish. I use the lightweight TTWeights aluminum record clamp as well. The combination looks great and does the job. 

I didn't see Peter's 7/28/17 post prior to mine just added. Indeed, my CU-180 replica came from this EBay seller, and I am happy to learn that he continues to sell them. Even more thanks to Peter for again informing us of their availability!

I'm not a "contender". I'm not trying for "best". I've used the SAEC mat for years and like it. I've switched to other mats, and always come back. Friends bring over the latest-greatest mat made of exotic materials, and it's fun to try them, and I'm happy to go back to the SAEC. I've tried it in combination with various other mats of various materials (adjusting for VTA) and I'm still happy with the SAEC.

I don't put it directly on the platter. I elevate it about 0.5mm, so there's only air between it and the platter. I do this because I did extensive tests many years ago on several expensive turntables and all had some degree of bearing rumble in the platter — I raise the SAEC mat so it doesn't touch the platter, hopefully isolating it from that rumble — and indeed there is Zero rumble. The SAEC still contacts the central spindle (which is attached to the bearing) through the central hole — I doubt it transmits much rumble to the vinyl, but I put a small clamp on the spindle (only 1.5" but dense) to help absorb that small bit of bearing rumble that reaches the spindle. I don't like clamps in general, but using this small one for the purpose described does not have the "deadening" effect larger clamps can cause. In my view, clamps don't flatten edge-warps anyway — mostly they just look really cool — today it seems a turntable is naked without a sexy clamp on it.

I'm not striving for perfection but the improvements are quite audible. I'm able to indulge my need to tweak, hear the beneficial effect of my own creative contribution, and I have a highish-tech mat and a clamp so I can hang with the cool kids — without going nuts, trying every mat under the sun, then debating if it's better or only different — and if it really is better, is it better enough to matter.