GrooveDeck Platter Mat

Description

The GrooveDeck Platter Mat sits between the turntable platter and the record surface, providing a vibration-damping interface that reduces stylus pickup of airborne and structure-borne noise. The standard felt mat supplied with most belt-drive turntables performs this role adequately — until it accumulates dust, develops static charge, and begins to hold contaminants against the record surface it was supposed to protect. The GrooveDeck Platter Mat uses a carbon-fibre top surface that dissipates static charge and a soft rubberised base that damps platter resonance without adhesive.

Material and Design Choices

The performance of a platter mat is determined by two properties: static charge dissipation and acoustic damping. Carbon-fibre provides both in a thin, lightweight format that does not change the vertical tracking angle of the tonearm cartridge:

– Carbon-fibre weave top surface — dissipates static charge on contact, preventing record adhesion after play
– Rubberised non-slip base — damps platter surface resonance and prevents mat rotation during playback
– 3 mm total thickness — within the vertical tracking angle tolerance of all standard tonearms; no adjustment needed
– 295 mm diameter — fits all current GrooveDeck models and most standard 12-inch turntable platters
– Perforated relief pattern — allows air to escape as the record is placed, preventing the platter adhesion effect

Compatibility and Vertical Tracking Angle

Changing platter mat thickness changes the effective height of the record surface relative to the tonearm pivot, which affects the vertical tracking angle (VTA). The 3 mm GrooveDeck Platter Mat is designed to be a direct replacement for standard 3 mm felt mats:

– If replacing a felt mat of identical thickness: no VTA adjustment required
– If replacing a thicker rubber mat (5-6 mm): lower the tonearm height by 2-3 mm to restore correct VTA

Compatible with all turntables using a standard 295-300 mm platter diameter. Backed by a one-year warranty.