Gee, thanks, atdavid. For a minute I thought the mats had a gaseous or liquid center---and maybe even tubes!
New Omega E Mat from Perfect Path Technologies
Many of you own or have read of the highly-regarded PPT Omega E Mat, one of Tim Mrock’s revolutionary signal-enhancing accessories. Just prior to his untimely passing, Tim had finished developing a new generation of his Omega mat, soon to be available. Krissy Mrock has asked a few of us to introduce this new mat, here given the working title of The Double Omega.
In distinguishing the Double Omega, we know the original Omega, herein called the single, as a 7.5” by 10”, rather heavy and somewhat pliable mat, a bit more than 1/8” thick and with a vinyl-like feel. One face is glossy white, displaying the PPT logo and Omega name, while the other is black, smooth and magnetized. Sandwiched between these faces is the active material that causes components to reject the EMI that saturates everything in our surroundings. The Double Omega is much the same, with one important difference: the magnetized face has the finely-textured feel of around, say, 220-grit sandpaper. This texture, it is presumed, comprises yet a second active layer of EMI rejection. Presumed—because working details of the Double Omega are not well understood—better yet to know how to apply it.
With the understanding that the single Omega E mats generate field effects from both faces, mats have typically been placed under and over components and vertically over circuit breakers. How you apply the Double Omega will depend on best use and experimentation. In my case, I have removed two single mats, lying side-by-side, from the top of my large Wadia CDP and have replaced those with two Double Omegas. The Wadia is a one-box player that contains a pre-amp, so I wanted that second, strong field effect exerting downward as well as upward. I also have several singles placed underneath, just as before. Going straight to amps, this player is my only source, so I want it fully protected from EMI. Your priorities will differ.
As of this writing, I am only thirty-hours in on placing these Double Omegas, and I can already tell you they are powerful in their prevention of EMI within my digital source. Yet another veil has been lifted—all instruments and voices are even more sorted out in the aural space with new information heard within that space. There is much more decay heard against a new silence behind and between the musicians. I am already so pleased and excited about what the Double Omega E mats are doing. As Krissy told me, Tim was really stoked to have these new mats available. Rather than wait for the the fourteen-day window of improvement, I want to get this intro out so others can relay their experiences sooner.
Showing 35 responses by jafreeman
Yes, when I described that some "sonic landmarks" were no longer as prominent, it's not that those sounds are rolled off, rather, there is so much more information filled in around them, they don't stand out in a formerly stark background. A lot of the music was actually missing before the mats. I mean, it was there, just not audible through the noise competing with it. From this, I have posited that EMI is what the mats remove/block/reject from the real signal. |
Three days gone, fired up the system and played the CD "Stories," by John Mayall. Smokin' hot, and a sonic gem---great stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L23P4uO-Scs |
Thanks for the advice, Tom--I think I'm still hearing improvements, even after a month. Everything I put on is such a surprise now---that's the greatest part of these products---you know the music is going to sound better every day for weeks at a time. There's a lot of added value because it's the same system you've always had, so there's a new pride of ownership that says, "You did alright." |
In my experience placing mats under components, on top of components, over the circuit box---even on the floor under my Maggies---the mats' effects are omni directional. Why do the mats improve over time--why is their effect lost if removed for more than an hour--while these questions may be good or interesting, the most practical and interesting real-world question is: How would you describe the mat's effect on your music listening experience, GK? |
You don’t need an E mat to enjoy your stereo, but you do need a stereo to enjoy an E mat. They help phones and TVs, sure, but movies, music--you have such a passion for these, you want them to look and sound as good as possible. Your passion for your music is that you suffer, you agonize over getting the best sound to hear it because you know the experience is so much more heightened. As you have developed your system over time, you have been rewarded with more pleasure, a more dramatic experience of what you crave, so it all runs together---the music, your passion for it, how well you can experience it--and then you want more. So it is with art, with beauty, with love, with life. |
Here's my update: Two days ago, I placed two new E+ mats. I already had two original Omega mats over my circuit breaker switches. Fine--I could have done a mat upgrade there--would have made a significant difference, but then I remembered Tim had once reminded me of putting a mat on my transformer. Well, I never did--the amps, CDP and speakers are the "A list" and had become my focus for mats--sixteen in all--because the sound improvements were so rewarding and were quite predictable. But now, having at least one mat in every place, it was time for the B list, a 240V/120V isolation transformer with six outlets that sits with and powers my system with 4000W. Upon that sits a 55-lb front-end power-on-demand conditioner. I put the E+ mats in between the two, and after only two days, I think this is going to end up being like The Gate. There's more gain and bottom end--too much at times--something like what new mats have done all along, only this is in another league. The sound is so big, I'm almost afraid to turn the thing on today...... |
Update: Day nine of two E+ mats on my 240V/120V transformer; have been away from my system for three days. Today, the sound is profoundly improved--so dimensional, robust and clear--the energy just rings forth. New instruments are layered within previous layers to create yet another chamber of depth and imagery. Tim Mrock was right to advise me to put his Omega mats at my transformers, sitting with the components. When there are 240V coming into 175 lbs of power supply, the circuit breakers are a secondary concern. I have to be in Gate territory with these E+ mats, an extension of the original Omega mat that is now a reality through the ongoing commitment of Mrs. PPT. I have to say, no component upgrade could bring so much improvement as these E+ mats have delivered in just nine days---highly recommended. |
The E+ mats project a powerful field. If you have any components stacked on each other or in a vertical rack, the mats will treat at least two components if not more. I have two side by side where there is enough surface area. It also doesn't hurt to let them extend out an inch or two on a shelf, but I have never put a component footer on top of a mat. Wherever you place the mats, and as you hear the sound improvements, you are probably on the road to more of them. I am up to 20 now, with the last 4 being E+ mats. The original mats are not to be ignored, either. Those of us with a lot of mats built up our supply from the original Omega mats, which are now a great bargain. |
I feel like my CD collection was just converted to SACD, and my player doesn't even play them. Yeah, Santana's I, II and III are sweet. Here's something I ran into while searching the archives. https://youtu.be/t6tLFi-Yjxc |
Jerry, under your amp sounds like a great place. Last week, I put an E+ mat under each tube amp, and the amps have just taken over, as if to say, "Whatever everyone else is doing on this team, we’re now going to see that their efforts are maximized." As Tim said, the mats do their best work around big power supplies, and your amp has them--transformers, capacitors, tubes/transistors--signal amplification/purification--it’s all waiting for an E+ mat to make it work and sound better. |
Nice results, Fleschler---the same is going on here. I am two days into another two E+ mats under my ARC amps, which makes two under each amp. I took out the remaining two regulars and put them up against the breaker switches, making four regulars there. I also placed two regulars under my 240V/120V transformer to augment the two E+ mats on top. Predictably, the bass comes on a bit strong at first---had to turn the subs down to almost nothing again---Maggies are pumping out uberbass, have to keep the main volume down, too. Extended decay of voices and percussion is coming in. As each main instrument is more articulated, masked accompaniments between them are again popping out---more information heard within this cavernous amphitheater as an acoustic space. The sound will continue to refine, the stage will expand in the coming days, then the subs can come back up a bit. Am I repeating myself? Yeah....keep the comments coming, folks. If ya got 'em, post 'em. |
With the E+ mats, yes, I noticed an improvement right away that became more of an improvement over days. At first, the sound was a bit much in the low end. Over time, the sound refined to a very satisfying performance. Hard to say what you should do. Maybe put them somewhere else and add your next order of mats to your amps? May I ask, where are you in overall mat usage--not so much in numbers, but in distribution? I now have some E+ mats around components and quite a few regular mats spread around, eg, under each Maggie speaker, over breaker switches, under CD player, under and on top of a transformer. The E+ mats under amps were the last placed--did have regular mats there, though. Those four regulars were able to go elsewhere. So, wondering if my amps responded so well to E+ mats because other areas had been treated first? I am looking forward to your results either way. You have a great system! I have a feeling there are more mats in there now than I am seeing in your pics. |
Cutting the mats has been discouraged in past discussions. What I did: I left the panel door wide open and stuck the mats right over the breaker switches. They stick nicely to the panel body that surrounds the door and form a nice seal over the breakers---took two mats to cover the area. Just peel them back to reset a breaker. |