In my experience, it will benefit from damping under the tonearm-mounting plate (a zinc die-casting?), but I base that on using a Grace 707 arm on the SL-110's undrilled plate-- pretty thin, and having only a few ribs. I don't know if your particular armboard is thicker/better/damped underneath.
Technics did offer an optional wood board (mahogany it looks like in their photos), which I have only seen on eBay a couple of times. Perhaps having a wood plate made to replace your metal plate would be a nice thing, using whatever wood seems best to those who know (I don't). I remember mine did not look too hard to replicate in hardwood or birch plywood, acrylic, or even an acrylic/aluminum/acrylic sandwich.
I have always enjoyed the sonic improvements that the original "Platter Matter"-brand turntable mat has made on my various turntables. It comes up every 3-6 months on eBay and Audiogon. Mine is dark green/turquoise, which I think was the only color (when I was a retailer). One must wash it with dishsoap in the sink once in awhile, so it then sticks (literally) to the platter and to the LP.
I do know your stock Technics rubber mat is at least above average - not too hard, not too soft. A Michell record clamp would help your present setup, for not much $$.
Switch to a magnesium headshell with better wires sometime, and remove the rubber washer on its end. Hopefully such a shell will come with an adjustment for your azimuth. I think the one from Nagaoka does.
Is there any way to adjust VTA on your tonearm?
Contact someone about making an "Arc" protractor for cartridge-alignment in your stock tonearm. Makes a big difference over the best two-point alignments I have performed.
Some have said to unplug the strobe-light module when not in use-- I haven't bothered.
Have fun!
Best regards,
Roy Johnson
Designer
Green Mountain Audio
Technics did offer an optional wood board (mahogany it looks like in their photos), which I have only seen on eBay a couple of times. Perhaps having a wood plate made to replace your metal plate would be a nice thing, using whatever wood seems best to those who know (I don't). I remember mine did not look too hard to replicate in hardwood or birch plywood, acrylic, or even an acrylic/aluminum/acrylic sandwich.
I have always enjoyed the sonic improvements that the original "Platter Matter"-brand turntable mat has made on my various turntables. It comes up every 3-6 months on eBay and Audiogon. Mine is dark green/turquoise, which I think was the only color (when I was a retailer). One must wash it with dishsoap in the sink once in awhile, so it then sticks (literally) to the platter and to the LP.
I do know your stock Technics rubber mat is at least above average - not too hard, not too soft. A Michell record clamp would help your present setup, for not much $$.
Switch to a magnesium headshell with better wires sometime, and remove the rubber washer on its end. Hopefully such a shell will come with an adjustment for your azimuth. I think the one from Nagaoka does.
Is there any way to adjust VTA on your tonearm?
Contact someone about making an "Arc" protractor for cartridge-alignment in your stock tonearm. Makes a big difference over the best two-point alignments I have performed.
Some have said to unplug the strobe-light module when not in use-- I haven't bothered.
Have fun!
Best regards,
Roy Johnson
Designer
Green Mountain Audio