What mat for MMF-5 ?

Since this thread is still around I though I would chime in again and add another option for a platter mat.

I went to WalMart over the last weekend and bought a roll of the shelf liner that some folks on the Asylum have been reporting to have used. This stuff seems to work quite well. It is a little thinner than the cork I was using. It seems to grip the records well but I have not tried it without the clamp. Some people have reported a film left on the lables of their records from this stuff so you might want to wash it a few times with mild detergent. I have not noticed any of this.

I'll try to do an A/B with this shelf liner and the cork and report back though I suspect that there will not be a great difference.

Thanx all,

Tried the cork mat, works very nicely and best of all it was cheap :)

jr

When I used to own a MMF5, I did exactly the same as Dan_ed (above). I got my cork from OfficeDepot - 1/8th inch thick. If you do the conversion, this xlates to 3.25mm thick, which is almost exactly the thickness of the factory felt mat. This meant that I did not have to change the VTA (thank God!). The cork mat did not degrade the sound & I was able to forget about static charge build-up on the LP. Works great & is cheap!

Try Herbie's Audio Labs Way Excellent Turntable Mat. I prefer it even to the Extreme Phono Donut Mat, which has rightly gotten a lot of positive attention.

I am using an Audioquest Sorbogel mat on my MMF-7. I understand that there are several other good mats out there, also. Keep in mind that the MMF-7 has an acrylic platter where the MMF-5 has glass. I have not heard the MMF-5 with a mat other than the felt one provided, but with it, it did sound more lively and resonant than the MMF-7. If you want to lessen the lively and resonant sound, then the Sorbogel will work well.

Hi JR,

If you want to DIY, here is what I did on my MMF-7. I went to my local craft store and picked up some cork that is about 3/32" thick. After cutting a piece a little larger than the platter I sandwiched that between two blocks of wood to drill a whole through the center. Then I laid the cork on the platter and cut around the circumference with a pair of scissors. Cost less than $2 and does the job. Just make sure the cork you use doesn't flake easily. You don't want that in the grooves.