Herbie's Audio Lab
...........................................tube dampers | footers | cd mats | system vibration | specials/misc

Way Excellent II Turntable Mat:
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Way Excellent II Turntable Mat

Reviews

Made from finely textured, open-cell silicone foam, this mat has unsurpassed vibration-absorbing characteristics and no resonant qualities to discolor the music. Records are thoroughly decoupled from unwanted platter vibration.

A black elastomer "donut" on top of the white full-size foam base reduces vinyl/stylus feedback and eliminates lateral slippage, while drawing static electricity away from the record. Unique qualities allow the vinyl to "give" slightly, microscopically, to stylus contact, allowing the record groove to be tracked smoothly and accurately. Completely non-tacky, records lift right off the mat, while the underlying foam sticks firmly to the platter (records can be lifted off while the platter is turning). Available in a variety of thicknesses and diameters and virtually any size center-hole (more info).

You've Got to Hear it!

"Outperforms virtually any other mat available."–Robert Stein, The Cable Company

Since its introduction in December, 2002, Herbie's Way Excellent Turntable Mat has been tested against almost every kind of turntable mat. With suspended-platter turntables like Linn LP-12 and AR, delicate tables like Regas, and others, Herbie's Way Excellent Turntable Mat has consistently proven superior. Herbie's mats clearly outperform stock felt or rubber mats, aftermarket cork-and-paper mats, Sorbothane, Non-Felt mats, and Spotmats. Compared to high-end mats costing several times more, Herbie's Way Excellent Turntable Mat competes within a "margin of personal preference" with virtually any kind of turntable, with preference sometimes varying from one turntable to another.

Now featuring a unique carbon microfiber-filled black elastomer "donut" on the same white foam base, Way Excellent II delivers even faster dynamic response and more finely-textured detail.

If you've been using a felt, cork, lead, paper, or rubber mat, you're in for a pleasant surprise and genuine upgrade.

Way Excellent II-2mm:

Recommended upgrade for most turntables with thin felt mat. (For turntables without VTA adjustment, choose whichever mat is closest in thickness to your present mat.) Ideal for Linn, AR, Audio Note, and other suspended-platter turntables. Most popular choice for Pro-Ject, Music Hall MMF.5 and MMF.7 turntables. Overall mat thickness: 2mm; weight: 60.grams (2.1.oz.).

Size options:

 
$59.99

Way Excellent II-2.4mm:

Recommended for turntables with medium-thick felt mat. Perfect upgrade for Rega Planar-series turntables. Overall thickness: 2.4mm; weight: 65.grams (2.3.oz.).

Size options:

 
$64.89

Way Excellent II-3mm:

Full-size mat with thicker foam base for turntables with thick felt mat or thin rubber mat about 1/8" thick. Most popular choice for Thorens turntables. Overall thickness: 3mm; weight: 70.grams (2.5.oz.).

Size options:

$68.50
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Way Excellent II-3.7mm:

For turntables with mat about 5/32" thick and for VTA-adjustable turntables with semi-hollow cast platters prone to ringing. Popular choice for Technics, Garrard, Dual, Kenwood, and Pioneer turntables. (For vintage turntables without VTA/tonearm height adjustment, use whichever Way Excellent II is closest in thickness to your present mat.) Overall thickness: 3.7mm; weight: 99.grams (3.5.oz.).

Size options:

$72.50
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Way Excellent II-4mm:

For turntables with mat 4mm thick*. Overall thickness: 4mm; weight: 108.grams (3.8.oz.).

Size options:

$74.25
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Way Excellent II-4.5mm:

For turntables with mat about 3/16" thick*. Overall thickness: 4.5mm; weight: 113.grams (4.oz.).

Size options:

$75.00
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Way Excellent II-5mm:

For turntables with mat 5mm thick*. Overall thickness: 5mm; weight: 120.grams (4.2.oz.).


Size options:

 
$77.50
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Way Excellent II-5.3mm:

For turntables with mat about 7/32" thick*. Overall thickness: 5.3mm; weight: 125.grams (4.4.oz.).


Size options:

$79.50
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Way Excellent II-6.1mm:

With extra thick dual-layer foam base, for turntables with mat just a little under 1/4" thick*. Overall thickness: 6.1mm; weight: 153.grams (5.4.oz.).

Size options:

$93.50
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Way Excellent II-6.35mm:

For turntables with mat 1/4" thick*. Overall thickness: 6.35mm; weight: 160.grams (5.6.oz.).

Size options:

 
$94.75

Way Excellent II-6.9mm:

With extra thick dual-layer foam base, for turntables with mat just over 1/4" thick*. Overall thickness: 6.9mm; weight: 182.grams (6.4.oz.).

Size options:

$99.50

Way Excellent II-7.2mm:

With extra thick dual-layer foam base, for turntables with mat about 9/32" thick*. Overall thickness: 7.2mm; weight: 190.grams (6.7.oz.).

Size options:

$101.50

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A note on thickness:
  ... The open-cell silicone foam used with Way Excellent II Turntable Mats does not need to be as thick as hard rubber mats to effectively decouple from the platter and do a better job at it. Any thickness above 3.7mm, which is more than sufficient to damp any resonance and ringing from a semi-hollow cast platter, simply adds thickness and height, with no real increase in performance. Usually, the only reason you would want a mat thicker than 3.7mm is if you cannot adjust VTA/tonearm height to accommodate. (scroll up to return)
. Custom Center Hole:
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All Way Excellent Turntable Mats are available with custom center hole for only $1.50 extra, any size. If you would like a custom center hole, simply order whichever Way Excellent Turntable Mat you want, and specify in the "comments" section of the order form the desired center hole diameter, in either inches or millimeters.

Standard Way Excellent II spindle hole is 7.25mm (.2854") and accomodates all standard LP spindles (which vary only slightly, from .278" to .285"). Standard singles "45 RPM" adapter requirement is 1-1/2". (back to top of page)


Inch / mm converter

grungebuster Turntable Mat:

grungebuster Turntable Mat
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For "matless" acrylic-platter turntables and Rega P9.

SuperSonic Record Stabilizer:

SuperSonic Record Stabilizer
 A molded and hand-machined composite of fluorocarbons formulated for use with Herbie's turntable mats to enhance overall turntable performance. Stabilizer is not a clamp or conventional record weight – it's designed to add virtual mass to the record without clamping. 163.5 grams (5.8..oz.)

Recommended for turntables with adjustable suspension (adjust suspension to optimize performance with Stabilizer).

SuperSonic Record Stabilizer
$22.49

Herbie's Donut:

SuperSonic Record Stabilizer

Firm elastomer "donut" is a great record/platter interface for VPI Classic, Raven AC, Verdier Platine, and other turntables that typically do not use a platter mat. Has sufficient body/weight that it stays in position on the platter and records lift right off.

Herbie's Donut is also handy to use instead of awkward-to-use shims and to avoid adjusting VTA between records: just place on top of your present mat when you need a height boost for thin records, take it off for use with thick records.

Dimensions:

  • Outside diameter: 280mm (11")
  • Inside diameter 108mm (4.25")
  • Optional spindle washer allows use of record clamp
  • Thickness: .81mm (.032")
  • Optional .5mm also available
Herbie's Donut
$32.95

90-day no-risk trial. If not satisfied, simply return any Herbie's Audio Lab product within 90 days for a complete refund.

Lifetime warranty. If anything ever goes wrong, simply return any Herbie's Audio Lab turntable product and it will be repaired or replaced and returned to you at no cost.

International Shipments. Because of packaging requirements, actual First-Class International shipping cost for turntable mats are somewhat more than the default shipping cost that appears on our shopping cart order form. International orders are adjusted to reflect actual shipping costs.

With plain packaging and scant marketing, Herbie's Audio Lab offers low-prices, high-value!

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Herbie's Audio Lab products are precision crafted in the U.S.A. (We ship worldwide.)

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Herbie's Audio Lab • 240 Cloud Crossing • Cibolo, TX 78108 • U.S.A. • Voice/fax: (210) 658-9439
Steve Herbelin, founder • established August, 2001