Remember the Ringmat? You should!

Turntable mats are like seasonings on food. They certainly make an important difference, but no one of us is in a position to say whether the perceived difference that one guy hears is right or wrong. Like salt and pepper, it’s a matter of taste. Or as Frank Sinatra said about his favorite bourbon, I’m for whatever gets you through the night. Especially during these times.

@lewm ,

I guess I could say the same thing for any difference one perceives in any one TT design.

Turntable mats are like seasonings on food. They certainly make an important difference, but no one of us is in a position to say whether the perceived difference that one guy hears is right or wrong. Like salt and pepper, it’s a matter of taste. Or as Frank Sinatra said about his favorite bourbon, I’m for whatever gets you through the night. Especially during these times.

Excellent post

I guess I could say the same thing for any difference one perceives in any one TT design.

No. 

The difference is that a turntable is designed by an engineer who knows the parameters of a vinyl record.

When someone designs a mat, unless it is designed for a specific turntable and the underlying platter structure is known, then the aftermarket mat will always be a lucky dip - or seasoning as Lewm calls it.

I have heard the ringmat on many turntables - it does not support the record properly, its only use is to paper over the cracks of a poorly designed turntable, or turntable that is low in resolution.

Try a MyMat.

BTW, the MyMat completely supports the lp by way of hundreds of tiny inverted 'dimples'. These also help to decouple the lp from the platter/bearing.