Dear Hiendmuse, don't believe everything you hear or read. The impression I get is that most VPI owners prefer matless operation depending on which model they're using?
Synergy is the key issue here (which, along with your own preferences, makes for a complex decision. One thing is certain, it will significantly alter the sound of your turntable.)
It seems glib but try a few different types of mat on the VPI and you may be suprised at your eventual choice.
As a starting point you could try not only the Living Voice but the Ringmat. The hybrid combination of the Ringmat with it's latex Base Mat, I have found, is a clear improvement on the basic model without support. I've done the rounds and tried others but the Ringmat is the winner in my system. I must stress, though, that my tastes may differ and you might prefer an alternative on the VPI t/t.
It is a bit of a minefield but certainly one of the easiest experiments we can try. If you have easy VTA adjustment on your tonearm it's even better but if the thicknesses of the various mats are matched within 1mm it might be worth just trying them all at the same VTA setting. (Depending on how perfectly you want to align everything?)
