Platter mat insanity


I was doing an idler upgrade to my 401 (more anon) and when finished used the Keystrobe disk to ensure speed. I use a 10" EP as a platter mat. I played a bunch of albums and it sounded fantastic. On the 6th side, I noticed I'd forgot to remove the 4" strobe disc. Duh. I took it off and figured VTA was responsible. So I lowered the arm to see if that made it sound so good. Nope. Put back on the 4" strobe disk and raised arm. The awesome sound returned. So air under the record removed haze, smearing, flattened soundstage and muddled bass; and made it so more musical. Comments... 
128x128noromance
@jnorris Hmm... so I did. Getting old is no fun. Whenever I see a comment like yours contributing nothing, I want to punch a wall. In fact, what is the point of your existence? I am detailing an observed phenomenon and passing it on so others might try it for themselves.
@jnorris Actually, my wife is a classically-trained musician and I trust her ears over your suspicions. I played the same track twice without telling her anything. 20 seconds into one of them, she commented on the difference. 
noromance, The intent of my post was not to suggest that you purchase a Resomat.  I was merely trying to point out that possibly the inadvertant effect of leaving the strobe disc on your platter, thereby raising the LP off the surface of the mat, was analogous to the effect deliberately achieved by using the Resomat.  You may be liking that effect of letting the LP resonate freely in air, essentially. 

By the way, the Resomat was not by any means the first and only implementation of the idea.  Decades ago, the Transcriptors platter did the same thing; the LP sat on felt dots mounted on a set of regularly arranged pucks fixed to the surface of the platter.  It was not even possible to use a conventional mat with the Transcriptors.  I am guessing that the Transcriptors idea must have influenced Vic of Trans-fi, in his design of the Resomat.  Vic is English.  Transcriptors was a British product.
While the Terminator arm is temporarily unavailable (Vic builds them in batches), Trans-Fi is still in business and the Resomat currently available.
Noromance, I tried the trick using the KeyStrobe disc last night, first playing side one of "The Blues and the Abstract Truth" (45 RPM Analog Productions re-issue), and, as always, It sounded very, very, good. I then slipped the KeyStrobe disc in, and was surprised at noticing the same phenomenon that happened with you. Why, I don't know. I then played Lee Morgan "Tomcat", another 45 RPM disc, same result.

My strobe disc is brass, so the heavy brass record weight had to be used to keep the record from slipping on the disc. It may have to become a permanent fixture in the playback chain. Good thing you forgot to remove it!

By the way, I purchased, and installed, the Audio Silente idler wheel, and it worked just as well (at least) as the original Garrard idler. I tried to find your review of the Artisan Fidelity idler, but it didn't turn up. Can you direct me on where to find it?
 
Thanks and regards,
Dan