TT mats

dorkwad, In what respect are you agreeing with noromance?  Noromance uses an LP as a platter mat, not a bare platter.  And really, using a bare platter only means that you are placing the LP on a surface that is native to that particular platter.  In other words, one man's bare platter is not another man's bare platter, unless both use the same turntable.  Parenthetically, LPs have rounded circumferential edges that I think were once put there so that when one is using a record changer, the piled up LPs on the spindle do not make contact with each other on the playing surfaces.  Therefore, noromance is technically suspending the LP in space.  That's the idea of the Resomat, too.

I've got an upgraded Lenco, too. The platter was sprayed with a dampening paint.  Then I use a BA Mat1 on top of that.  Anyway, my only point is that mats are like seasoning on food.  There is no universal right answer, and what to use is not subject to a vote.  I can sub in the SAEC SS300 metal mat on any of these three turntables, and that changes the sound by a very little bit, perhaps toward more of the sound that noromance prefers, perhaps better reproducing the leading edge of transients.  Not sure.  I certainly do not perceive the detrimental effects that noromance describes.  His entire vinyl system is geared to a big, in your face sound, which I kind of like too.  (I had a Decca London for years and enjoyed it very much.)

Has anyone ever tried the Dereneville Magic-Mat made in German?
Dr. Feickert Analogue distributes and sells it.
It is only 0.4mm thick, and it eliminates microresonance.

Saec SS-300 is great mat, very well designed, not only for "12 inch records, but also for "7 inch records. It's a lightweight mat which i'm happy to use on Luxman pd-444. 

Micro CU-500 is heavy gunmetal mat that i use only on Technics SP-10mkII 

Bondmanp: Sounds like what you’re referring to is about the same mat I’m using on my pioneer. It’s designed to drain any static charge into the spindle and dissipate it into the ground. I keep my humidity around 50-60% and use a Zerostat to be sure. I bought this mat over 35 years ago and it has served me well. It’s interesting to read all the comments on how my old Pioneer PL-71 in no way, can approach the same sonic quality of my VPI. I guess I’m just lucking. I must have hit the correct "synergy" by dumb luck. I did have to increase my tonearms mass, then balance out the tracking force.  Being 63 years old, I can't hear much above 12K.  Maybe I'm not hearing what others still can.