Fonotek TURNTABLE MAT - 3mm Thick Cork & Nitrile Rubber Platter / Gimp Mat

I had high hopes for this platter mat when it arrived, which it did safely. However there is a variation in flatness to about 4cm of the edge that is VERY annoying when playing singles, but I guess this may flatten over time. Turning the mat over makes it even worse, so I don't think these are being stored well.The spindle hole is too tight meaning you have to be very careful putting this mat on and once on, you wouldn't want to take off often. However this may mean that it prevents any slippage.Sound wise, I don't have a particularly high end set-up so I wasn't expecting miracles as this was a replacement to a worn original mat. But the sound is warm and comfortable so I have no complaints there.There is however a LOT of dust coming off this thing, so I hope that settles down with use. If I could justify a higher expense at this time, I would have gone for something else and will likely replace this, but for now at less than £10 it will do.I have measured this accurately with a digital tool and it is not the specified depth however so you may consider getting the 3mm which I suspect is also not quite 3mm, as another reviewer has pointed out.

So is it any good ?? Without any shadow of a doubt a resounding yes ,I have a project carbon debut deck ,rotel RA04 amp and B&W speakersAnd the sound is vastly improved i guess it is soaking up any vibration that can transmit through the platter ...The project deck does come with a very flimsy felt mat 1.5 mm thickSo this might not improve sound quality on all equipment but it certainly has made a substantial difference on this one , it is also easier to brush any dust or debri off it as nothing sticks to it As for reducing static i see no change in that respect , its well worth the moneyMine was deliverd in a sturdy envelope with do not bend stamped on itSo arrived dead flat , so to Cap this review a top quality product ..

Excellent quality mat. I did not expect any sound improvement but bass is improved. It looks great and fits to the edge of the platter perfectly on my Pro-Ject carbon turntable without any overhang as some mats do. I've still to test its antistatic properties but I didn't notice any on the one record I played so far.Update on the above review; I have noticed a brown dust on the record caused by static from this mat. This is caused partly by wiping the record surface too long when brushing prior to playing. The static attracted the dust which seems to be cork dust so until I treat myself to the acrylic platter, I will have to try vacuuming the mat. It also needs a record clamp to stop the mat slipping.

Feels like a quality item. Have not noticed any real change in sound output / quality. Reassuring in that makes me feel that I have possibly ruled out static issues if I ever had them, and lets other people see I have made a bit of effort on my turntable as if I know what I am doing. Which I don't to be honest.

An excellent product, quality at a good price, 1.5mm size works very well with the budget decks such as my Pro-Ject (DC Carbon). Stock felt mat will lift off with records where as this one won't. Nitrile Rubber bonded cork is basically an industrial gasket material so it is resilient to damage plus it adds a little mass. Resonance from the pressed steel platter is also less. This became more audible following an upgrade to MC type cartridge. Mat thickness is very important. Budget decks rarely allow (straight forward) adjustment to tonearm height. Recommended !

Quality cork/nitrile mat for a great price...a lot less than some other mats including the Project mat. Only downside was that the hole pressed in the centre for the spindle had not been cut properly so when I tried to pop the centre piece out it made a small tear...not the end of the world but a little annoying! Other than that, great!

This has definitely upgraded by Project carbon DC. I had terrible static issues with the supplied felt mat. This hasn't totally eliminated the static but has made a marked improvement. The sound has become a lot tighter with improved definition in the bass. Well worth the money. I had considered the project one but this was half the price and the fact this is a composite of cork and rubber i think helps a lot.

Fitted this mat to my recently purchased Rega Planar 1 in place of the stock felt mat. Not a huge difference but I think there is a bit more definition to the LF and Mid ranges. Worth doing for not of lot of money.