Direct Drive vs. Idler Drive vs. Belt drive

Are you guys sure that the Micro CU-180 and CU-500 are made from gunmetal? The 'C' in the model numbers would suggest pure copper, does it not? Also, the color is somewhat different from the gunmetal plateaus that Micro made.

When I got my Pioneer PL-70L II DD turntable a few years ago I was planning to use a CU-180 copper mat, which had worked wonders on my Micro belt drive tables. I inquired at HiFiDo where I bought the table and they forwarded the question to Pioneer, who had serviced the table prior to the sale (Pioneer still operates a service shop for their Exclusive range and a select few other units, including this table).

The reply was firm: please refrain from after market mats exceeding the weight of the standard mat (made of thick soft rubber) as this will interfere with the PLL feedback circuitry and could compromise speed stability. Just as lewm suggested. Apparently Pioneer also adopted a very tight control. I refrained from trying out the CU-180 (which took some discipline), but did try alternatives within the same weight range, like hard rubber, cork and leather (even a sandwich of the two). This was no improvement. Quite the opposite in fact, so I decided to stick to the standard mat.

@chakster thanks for that suggestion. The weight shouldn't be a problem, as the standard rubber mat is probably not much lighter. I use an Orsonic DS-500 clamp (weighing 500 grams) with the Pioneer, but could always replace it with DS-250 at half that weight to compensate if need be.

@chakster, thanks for the picture of the two samples of CU-180. I also have two samples with similar differences. I've always wondered if the one with the 'deep groove' was the original, like my blue note pressings! But in this case they sound the same....

How about the Dutch? Remember the Philips slogan 'perfect sound forever'?

Nandric, the 'accusion' as you like to call it was aimed at Philips for their preposterous CD propoganda. Last time I checked this is a Dutch company...... 

Nandric, I'm happy to learn not all Dutch are to blame for Philips propoganda. Thank goodness, I'm off the hook! 
Your grandpa was generalizing a bit, woudn't you agree? Besides, Linn is not a British, but a Scottish company. In the United Kingdom, or what's left of it, they feel there's a distinction there. Then again, Tiefenbrun does sound rather German, the country you say that invented propoganda.....