Just recieved my new Rega Planar 8

Couldn’t agree more - great combination imho

Rega Planar 8 + Ania Cartridge

Rega Aria Phono Stage

upgraded from my dad’s 1960’s Empire TT with Denon DL-110 which I overhauled

Congrats. Room looks good. 

Congrats on your planar 8 jkeitel, have you replaced the Rega felt mat yet on yours?

Since receiving my Planar 8 I have upgraded from the Ania to an Apheta 3 cartridge. I have also replaced the Rega Phono MC with a Rega Aria V2 phono stage.  Both changes made more than subtle improvements. I finally feel like my turntable source is complete and I can move on to upgrading other things. 

I also have a digital source and DAC that I used to be happy with but now seems luck luster compared to the Planar 8. It just doesn't sound as good.

Thank you noromance, I was just looking through your system photos.  You are a mad genius. I'm envious of your record collection and that display stand.  That looks super convenient. Pretty amazing looking systems. 

incognito, I’ve been looking for a replacement. I haven’t found one that I like yet. The original mat is a weak link. Any ideas? Very nice upgrades, congrats! Thinking about upgrading the cart next. 

I bought a deer hide mat from "Jake's Turntable Mats" on Amazon and have been very happy with it. I have been using it since March 2018 with my previous Planar 2 and moved it over to the Planar 8 when I upgraded. Being deer hide it is very thin and supple so it doesn't mess with VTA like some of the thicker mats.

With the planar 2 the leather mat fixed all my static issues. I have noticed with the planar 8 I occasionally have some cling issues caused by the plastic cover sitting directly on top of the mat. No real issues during playback but the lid itself will pull the mat up after the TT has sat idle for some time. I point this out because I suspect if its happening with my leather mat it probably happens to other mats as well. I think this is an issue more with the lid than the mat.

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Leather-Deer-Hide-Turntable/dp/B00JDWHDSS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&...


In another forum post a user with a new model Planar 10 ended up with a Teac TA-TS30UN rice paper mat. He seemed pretty happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Teac-TATS30UNBW-Turntable-Sheet-Converter/dp/B01DQ1XM22

I recommend the Herbie's Audio Way Excellent II mat for better sound quality and it also eliminates static very well.  I compared the Teac Washi mat, a white leather mat, and the Herbie's Way Excellent and Grungebuster mats on my Rega P10.  I ended up preferring the Way Excellent mat over the Teac, my leather mat and the Grungebuster mat for sound quality.  The Teac and both Herbie's mats eliminated static.  The Way Excellent mat provided more detail, larger soundstage, better imaging, and a more lively, full body sound than the Teac mat.  There's a thread in this forum that I posted my comparison and another member came to the same conclusion on his P8.  Here's the link to that thread:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/mat-for-rega-p10

I've got the Herbie's mat, the achromat, a cork/rubber mat, some expensive Japanese paper mat, and a bunch of other mats that I have tried on my P8 and P10.

I prefer the stock felt mat. There is the occasional static issue but on balance it still sounds the best. Rega know what they are doing.