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Platter mat insanity

I was doing an idler upgrade to my 401 (more anon) and when finished used the Keystrobe disk to ensure speed. I use a 10" EP as a platter mat. I played a bunch of albums and it sounded fantastic. On the 6th side, I noticed I'd forgot to remove the 4" strobe disc. Duh. I took it off and figured VTA was responsible. So I lowered the arm to see if that made it sound so good. Nope. Put back on the 4" strobe disk and raised arm. The awesome sound returned. So air under the record removed haze, smearing, flattened soundstage and muddled bass; and made it so more musical. Comments... 
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Showing 2 responses by terry9

terry9
2,243 posts
 
My search stopped with graphite. I use a 1" slab of graphite atop the platter, like Nottingham Analogue (Tom Fletcher design).

Does two things - couples to vinyl, and deadens the platter.
terry9
2,243 posts
 
@slaw 

I use a custom spindle for the air bushing (thrust and radial air bearing), which supports a cast iron platter and the graphite mat on a machined stainless taper. Part of the design is an extension of appropriate length to serve as a record-centering spindle. I daresay an extension could be made to accommodate any TT for a few hundred - but it does need precision machining.

The reason for a two-piece spindle is simply experimental uncertainty - I didn't know what would work. By itself the cast iron rang, by itself the graphite rang, but together on the spindle they are as physically dead as Archimedes.
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