Music Hall • Cork Turntable Mat
I don’t mind admitting it: I am an audio sceptic, albeit an open-minded one. By this I mean that although I’m not prepared to accept at face value many of the audio theories and products that have been espoused by various manufacturers, I am more than willing to give them a fair chance. Such has been my approach to topics such as different interconnect and speaker cables, speaker bi-wiring, and isolation devices. In all of these cases I’d read about the claimed improvements they could bring, but was sceptical that they would work or would be audible in my system (which in those days was pretty humble!). But the cost of trying them out was well within my very limited means, so try them I did and in every case I heard a difference. The fact that these differences were repeatable, coupled with my expectation that they wouldn’t work, rules out any placebo effect.
Because I’ve heard the differences with my own ears, such concepts are no longer a contentious issue with me. Of course, there are many other tweaks and ideas out there in audio land that I haven’t yet tried, so when Music Hall’s Leland Leard offered me the opportunity to try out one of their cork turntable mats, I couldn’t refuse!
Technical Description
With the Music Hall Mat, there’s not much to describe. It is a thin (about 0.5 mm thick) cork disc, approximately the same size as an LP. Around the circumference of the cork disc, about 1 cm from the edge, are twelve smaller cork discs, each of which is about 1 mm thick and 13 mm in diameter. A separate cork disc, about the same size as a record label and the same thickness as the main mat, is supplied to support the centre of the record. This smaller disc is removable to facilitate use with records whose labels are thicker than usual.
The mat can be used with your turntable’s clamp (if it has one), but Music Hall prefer that it be used without, so as to decouple the record from the turntable.
The mat comes in an antistatic record sleeve, which is itself packed in a sturdy corrugated cardboard box.
Use and Listening
Using the Music Hall Mat is simplicity itself: one just places the mat on the platter (label side up), places the smaller disc (assuming the record label’s thickness doesn’t prohibit it) on top, and finally puts on a record.
I used the Marantz TT-15S1 we previously reviewed for this test (I decided that my Forsell Air Reference would be an inappropriate match because it is designed to be used without a mat), and only had time for a relatively brief test before the TT-15S1 had to be returned. After trying a few records, I finally settled on using disc one of Classic Records’ Clarity version of the Casino Royale soundtrack [Colgems COSO 5005-45].
When I used the Music Hall Mat, the main thing that struck me was the improvement in the mids and highs. Specifically, they seemed a touch more prominent, and low level details were improved. I’ll be honest and say that beyond that I’d be hard pressed to describe any differences—not necessarily because there aren’t any, but because I couldn’t pin them down in the limited time I had to test.
The good news is that I couldn’t hear any negative effects of using the mat. Apart from the improvement in low level details I mentioned previously, the TT-15S1’s basic sonic signature was not adversely effected.
Verdict
I must admit I was mildly surprised to discover that a turntable mat can have an affect on the sound, but thinking about it more it only makes sense. The platter (and anything on it) is in direct contact with the record, so it’s not unreasonable that a mat would affect the sound quality. Given the mild improvement in the mids, and bearing in mind the reasonable price, I’d say this is one accessory that’s worth trying!
Specifications
Description Cork turntable platter mat.
Price $50.
Warranty One year non-transferable.
Manufacturer
Music Hall
108 STation Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
USA
(516) 487-3663
www.musichallaudio.com
Associated Equipment
Analogue source Forsell Air Reference Mk 2 turntable and arm.
Phono cartridge Lyra Parnassus.
Phono stage Allnic Audio Labs H-3000.
Preamps Allnic Audio Labs L-3000, Audio Research SP9 Mk 2.
Power amplifiers Allnic Audio Labs M-3000s, PrimaLuna ProLogue Sevens.
Speakers MartinLogan Spire.
Cables Phono: Nordost Frey. Interconnects: Nordost Frey. Speaker: Nordost Frey. AC: stock.
Accessories Target and SolidSteel equipment stands; Mission Isoplat; Furman Elite 15-PFi power conditioner; Audio Physic cartridge demagnetiser; Acoustech carbon fibre brush; Last record and stylus cleaning products; The Cartridge Man tracking force gauge.