The cartridge the table comes with is a fine cartridge, the 2m bronze. That’s what Roy Hall thinks anyhow...he responded in kind to that review on stereophile defending the cartridge choice. Michael Fremer also thinks highly of the 2m bronze, as he mentions on Anolog Planet that yes, in inferior set ups, it may be deemed to sound aweful...but in a great system it could sound great. He also mentioned that pairing it with a good tubed phono stage may make someone smitten.
Getting back to a nice mat option that will minimize static and improve overall sound, I’d recommend taking a look at the auditorium 23 standard mat @ 95 dollars. They make one called the hommage, but that one is more than twice the price. The aforementioned A23 standard mat has woven striations on one surface, the one that contacts the LP. My thinking, in reading about the history of the ringmat design, is that the striations on the A23 mat may help dissipate energy and resonances by allowing a bit of air between the record bottom and the mat. Lastly, for support, I’d recommend a butcher block acoustics platform. They offer them with brass threaded inserts to accommodate a variety of feet, which can also be purchased from them. In setting up the mmf-7, you want to make sure the motor housing is dead center within the round cut out. This will ensure proper belt tension and accurate speed. Just a note, If using the ringmat record support mat, they do not recommend using a clamp or weight of any kind. Lastly, I’ve also read whereas one user/owner utilized a ground wire, attaching it to one of the bearing housing screws beneath the table. He then attached the other end to either the ground post of TT or to the center screw of the wall outlet plate. This was done in an attempt to minimize static, for which acrylic platters are notorious. He claims to have had success with this method.
Oh, One more thing I swear! The music hall connect phono cable are said to be a great upgrade over the provided cables.
Getting back to a nice mat option that will minimize static and improve overall sound, I’d recommend taking a look at the auditorium 23 standard mat @ 95 dollars. They make one called the hommage, but that one is more than twice the price. The aforementioned A23 standard mat has woven striations on one surface, the one that contacts the LP. My thinking, in reading about the history of the ringmat design, is that the striations on the A23 mat may help dissipate energy and resonances by allowing a bit of air between the record bottom and the mat. Lastly, for support, I’d recommend a butcher block acoustics platform. They offer them with brass threaded inserts to accommodate a variety of feet, which can also be purchased from them. In setting up the mmf-7, you want to make sure the motor housing is dead center within the round cut out. This will ensure proper belt tension and accurate speed. Just a note, If using the ringmat record support mat, they do not recommend using a clamp or weight of any kind. Lastly, I’ve also read whereas one user/owner utilized a ground wire, attaching it to one of the bearing housing screws beneath the table. He then attached the other end to either the ground post of TT or to the center screw of the wall outlet plate. This was done in an attempt to minimize static, for which acrylic platters are notorious. He claims to have had success with this method.
Oh, One more thing I swear! The music hall connect phono cable are said to be a great upgrade over the provided cables.