Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

I take Lew's point about the Jico mat overhanging the platter's raised metal edge.....
On the other hand, with the original Victor Pigskin mat which doesn't overhang......the vinyl record's outer edge is then resting on the metal edge whilst the rest of the disc is resting on suede....👀
With the Jico mats, the whole record is in contact with the leather...😎
Which is better I prefer to be determined by listening...rather than theoretical speculation....😏
There is much we simply cannot scientifically yet explain in the complex chain known as 'vinyl'....😡

Hey Don,
See my response to Lew about the overhanging mat....
If you are already able to post a 'clickable' Link using the 'markup tags'
then use the last one to create your own title....
Press the 'Preview first' button before 'submitting' to ensure that it works correctly.
You may have to practice a little....😜
Good luck..

In relation to any of the mats discussed I must add a caveat......
I have only used them with a heavy record weight which I think is essential.
I haven't even bothered doing any serious listening without one...so I could be found guilty of 'unscientific' or even 'nonobjective' evaluation......😫

As far as the benefits of the IEC socket, I have three:
1. Cleaner power to the turntable provided by a well designed and shielded pc.
2. A much better ground for the table and if you are plugging it into the same power conditioner as your phono-pre and other components you will have it on a single ground plane.
3. Less transmission of electro-magnetic noise into the air right near highly sensitive receivers such as your cartridge and phono-cable. This is due to both the better ground and the shielded cable.

I hear less noise - especially less 60 cycle hum. YMMV

Gary

As far as the mat goes. I have two needs: I want to deaden the ringing of the platter sufficiently, and I want to absorb the vibrations of the record without deadening the sound. Bad vibes and good vibes. That is why I am using a sandwich of lead to dampen the platter and the Achromat which is made of a foamed vinyl that can absorb the excess vibrations but is hard and smooth.

I also use a very thin (1mm) disk of rubber that is about half the diameter of the record label,with a center hole for the spindle, over the achromat. Combined with the Merrill clamp it forces the whole playable area of the record against the mat. This prevents slipping and chatter and helps the mat to do its job.

Perhaps I would be better off with the lead mat mated to a leather mat. I wouldn't want the record touching the aluminum platter or not being evenly supported. So the combined mat would need to be thick enough.
Gary