Way Excellent II Turntable Mat Reviews Archive
Name: Steven Williams, Sandy, OR
Review: I put Tenderfoots under the power amp and DAC/Preamp, Soft Fat Dots under the turntable point/feet, and I changed to the Way Excellent II mat from the stock felt mat. The intent of putting absorption under the power amp and DAC/Pre is the size of the cases with sound pressure will vibrate the rack without absorption.
The mat grips better than the felt mat and should keep LP's from vibrating while spinning.
Using vibration software for the iPhone I tapped on the rack shelf while measuring on the rack shelf then on the turn table mat mid play point. There was a significant reduction in vibration peaks -- about 1/10th. No doubt that it helped. Also measured with the same song and got a definite reduction (was playing a CD). Yes, a little subjective for the scientists out there.
My Rega RP8 has a isolated frame for the dust cover. It had to be brought up to level to clear the arm with the Dots under the table's feet. I used felt pads. Also, measured a reduction on this frame but only about one-half less vibration -- so felt pads aren't as good as the dots.
Where it counts -- listening. It does seem that it is clearer across the spectrum. That is harder to discern as it sounded very good to start with.
Name: Henry Babenko, Aston, PA
Review: Wow, excellent mat. it really makes a difference in sound. so glad I got this.
Name: Ken Jarrell, Lubbock, TX
Review: I purchased an AT LP120-USB but wasn't happy with the felt mat. At first, I was wishing I had held onto my TTs of the past or at least their rubber mats, after realizing how difficult it was to find them. But after testing out the Way Excellent II-4mm mat, it is so much better than the rubber mats of old. The fit and added weight and balance to the platter is perfect and eliminates the bit of platter noise.
Name: Jack P, So. California
Review: I was undecided between the Way Excellent II and the Music Hall cork mat to replace the Non-Felt on my MMF-5. If I couldn't hear any difference I knew I could easily return the mat to Herbie so I tried his first. Difference!? Whether classical, jazz, folk or even pop the music is completely transparent and natural sounding against a quiet background. Sonics aside, it's Way Cool Looking too! Buy it without hesitation!
Name: Ernie Adams, Georgia
Review: Got the mat today. First impressions: more detail, a clarity to voices that is quite good. Bass seems better, with my actually now being able to hear the bass guitars string vibration. Before it was just a nice tight deep note. Now the note is still deep and tight, but I hear the actual vibration of the string. I know I have a good table, so this has just allowed it to reach its full potential. (Way Excellent II-2mm Turntable Mat replacing a Music Hall cork mat.)
Name: Gabe Walters, Washington, DC
Review: My mat arrived today and I have to tell you that I can't believe what a difference it's already made. Immediately I noticed that the noise floor of my Debut III has dropped to an inaudible level, where previously there was motor rumble. As you know, this is due to the mat decoupling the record from the platter. And because of your recessed label design, and materials used, the records play flat and with great definition. Transients have the right amount of attack, but don't splatter. The bass guitar and kick drum are present but focused, never flabby. Midrange instruments like piano, guitar and voice have all the warmth and presence one expects from vinyl. The snare snaps the way it should. The overall presentation is sublimely musical and it just coheres. I admit I was skeptical of spending this money on a mat, but am so glad I did. I can't imagine a better sounding upgrade for the money, and your product deserves all the accolades and hyperbole one can muster in its praise.
Name: David Massaro
Review: Dear Steve Herbelin,
I spoke with you on the phone last week regarding my Rega P5 with a Benz Micro SL Wood cartridge. You recommended your ‘Way Excellent II-2mm’ mat. I received it a few days ago and played it yesterday. I am very pleased and impressed with this mat. The background noise has been greatly reduced. Your mat is significantly better than the stock Rega felt mat, a carbon fiber mat I purchased, and a cork mat that I tried.
Thank you again!
Name: Pierre Terrier
Review: First off, great packaging and very nice personal touch by the owner in how he handles his business.
Now the mat: Keep in mind I listen mainly to late sixties and seventies rock of all kinds. That kind of music needs to sound vibrant to deliver a clean bright energy output to sound best to me. I have a basic pro-ject debut turntable with steel platter and after three days of testing the Herbie's mat verses a felt mat and a rubber mat I have come to the following conclusion:
The only way for me to get the 100% pure "rock" sound I need out of the Herbie's mat is to simply lay the record on the mat as gently as possible without applying any force to it whatsoever against the mat (like pushing down on the label to improve contact with the mat has a real negative effect with me as it muffles the sound big time, giving way too much of a dampening effect). From what I can see and feel it's because the mat has a suction cup effect on the record where when the record is forcefully pushed against the mat it literally gets absorbed into the mat. I mean it cuts down the clarity of the sound by a big margin. I personally would NEVER use a clamp or weight on a Herbie's mat as it produces a double dampening effect giving you a very dull sound overall missing out on all kinds of subtleties in the music.
In conclusion, by simply gently laying down the album on the mat and nothing else as I described, I experience a terrific overall sound, keeping all the clarity I want and adding the perfect amount of dampening to cut out unwanted resonance. This Herbie's mat is a real winner.
Name: Michael Schroeder, Lehigh Acres, Florida
Review: I recently received your wonderful Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat for my Rega/Moth Planar 2. I am Dee-lighted with the results! High frequencies are clearer and crisp, instruments and voices are better placed with a broader sense of space, and the lows have more clarity and authority. Wonderful improvement over the stock felt mat!
Name: Mike R., Washington, DC
Review: My only regret about the turntable mat I purchased from you recently is that I didn't purchase it sooner. I had been using a "none felt" mat on my Linn LP-12 and credit it with a subtle but still discernible improvement over the original felt mat. I was quite astounded when I replaced it with your mat. The improvement--deeper and tighter bass, cleaner and clearer mids--was more than subtle. Indeed, the improvement was what I might have expected by upgrading to a better cartridge.
Other products of yours that have improved my system include the square fat dots I also purchased from you recently and your tube dampers, which I bought some years ago and continue to use on my Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 pre-amp.
Name: Robert Stein, The Cable Company
Review: Herbie's "Way Excellent" mat is one of the least expensive upgrades for any turntable, and one that outperforms virtually any other mat available—no kidding. This mat makes transients sharper, decays more sustained, tightens bass response, lowers the noise floor, enhances imaging depth, and harmonically enriches the midrange all at the same time. Ask any of the Cable Company consultants about this—we all use the Herbie's mats in our own systems!
Name: Rich Brkich, Signature Sound
Review: As a long time Rega dealer, we have never been much of a fan of the ubiquitous felt turntable mat that comes with the well known Rega Planar series turntables. Herbie's Way Excellent Turntable Mat beats the pants off the Ringmat, felt mats and other mats. Finally! We have a well designed mat that is reasonably priced.
Name: Robert Herman, Lyric HiFi
Review: I'm using them on my customized SP-10 MK II, which was using an Oracle hard mat and Goldmund clamp; and my STD 305D. Being in the high-end audio biz for 25 years I've seen lots of accessories come and go. This is easily the best mat I've used, much better than the Ringmat (which we sell), or the Oracle hard mat. It definitely sounds best without the clamp. Thanks much!
Name: Alex Gonzalez, AG Labs/ Odyssey Audio
Review: I received the order a few days ago—very fast shipping. I can only tell you after a few hours using your 'way excellent' mat, the sound coming out of the turntable has improved a few notches! Immediately clear to my ears is the sense of more space without the extra damping I was getting with the stock (rubber) mat. Overall better definition. So far I like it better without a clamp! Great product.
Name: Todd Reitz, TR Audio
Review: Well the reviews are right, your mat sounds more lively and punchy than the None Felt doughnut mat I was using. I ended up playing records a lot longer than I planned to this evening, and you KNOW that's a good sign. I noticed that the records seem to stay flatter than before, maybe because the mat is a little more compliant? Dunno, but it works.
Name: Sonic Perfectionists, Kirkland, Washington
Review: I purchased one of your 'Way excellent' mats from you a while ago. It has been a tremendous improvement when used on my classic Thorens TD-126 MK II turntable.
Name: Wayne Waananen, The BOLDER Cable Company
Review: I have one on my MMF-5. It is quite a bit better than the stock felt. No problem changing albums while the platter is still turning.
I brought one over to a buddie's place to compare to his Non-felt. The Herbie's had quite a bit tighter and extended bass. Surface noise was even reduced. Highly recommended.
Name: John Pharo, The Cable Company
Review: Just thought you might like to know what tables some VERY satisifed customers of mine are using your "WAY Excellent" Mat with in addition to the ones already mentioned on your website.
I personally have a Music Hall MMF9 table (Benz M2 cartridge) and your mat is a huge improvement over the ringmat (and every other mat/clamp that I've tried). Some of my very happy customers have:
Rega 25
ClearAudio Master Reference (with TQ1 arm and Dynavector arm)
Thorens TD 180
The only problem with the WAY excellent mat is the price—people who haven't tried it think it can't possibly be any good if it costs that little!
Name: John Zimmerman, The Audio Connection
Review: That mat is AWESOME!
Name: Stephæn Harrell, Reviewer, The Absolute Sound, 6Moons
Review: From 6moons.com:
"If you're like me and love to dig deep into the grooves late at night without disturbing your loved ones, just get the mat, spin the black licorice and get ready to hear more than you thought possible from a $50 upgrade."
Name: Terry Provence, Naples, FL
Review: Originally bought a Way Excellent II for my Music Hall MMF7.1. The differences were incredible. I sold that TT and opted to head down the "classic path" so bought a mint Denon PD47F. Looking forward to the arrival of the new mat for this TT. I just installed some soft Tenderfeet under it and that made a marked improvement already. Thanks for great products.
Name: Luis Santiago
Review: My set up is receiver onkyo TX-SR605,cd denon CDR-W1500,Phono Tube project TubeBox w Electro Harmonix 12AX7EHG,turntable Music Hall MMF-2.1LE ferrari red w Cartridge Ortofon 2M Red and Speakers Athena Technologies Micra-6- i used in 2ch my cables is monstercables navajo white w interconectors MIT - alas i put the herbie mat in my turntable i listen some Lp's Mofi i will hear the diference in all fequencies more body more information more tridimensionall more extended sound i watch the ortofon i encountered more stability and more trackability than before and i'm very impressed in this set up is changed the soundstage is more open i will recommended this tweek my friends for a cheap is the best tweak i ever tried thanks herbie
Name: Mathieu Marcil, Toronto, Canada
Review:
I had tried felt (2 kinds), rubber, and a cork spot mat on my mmf-5 and the Way Excellent mat easily outperformed them all. That mat now sits atop my new Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 Genie, and I bought a second mat for the Technics SL-B3 I keep in the study for transcribing vinyl to digital—the 285 mm version is a perfect fit for the platter with a raised edge, exactly as advertised.
Name: Rich/Long Island, New York
Review: I don't know what else I can say about This Way Excellent Mat that I received today that hasn't alreday been said....
It is one of the best tweeks of the century....Anyone owning a turntable should not be without one....It just makes you want to listen to your albums all over again and hear what you've been missing.......Thanks again....
Name: Doug Brasier, Sydney, Australia
Review: The Way Excellent II Mat and the Well Tempered Turntable vs AQ Sorbothane Mat
Steve,
Ok, so I'll be keeping the Way Excellent II-3mm Mat on my Well Tempered Classic!
Just a few comments in response to what you've said below (Which was mostly quite on-the-money).
My findings with respect to your predictions...
You said, "...Sorbothane has a tendency to sort of skewer sonic linearity. Sometimes, with Sorbothane in the system, bass response is uneven and some higher frequencies attenuated. As time goes on, sometimes the system itself is skewered to accomodate the Sorbothane influence, and then when the Sorbothane is removed, the whole system might seem over bright, 'off' in the bass, and other problems."
In comparison to the Audioquest Sorbothane mat, the Way Excellent-II definitely provides tighter, more extended bass and linearity. More hi-frequency extension and linearity. Mid range was much the same.
The only area where the Sorbothane mat was better was in its ability to dampen spurious record noise, i.e. small clicks and pops. Records seem "quieter" insofar as if they're "in better condition" with the sorbothane mat.
But the AQ mat emphasizes the mid range and mid range dynamics. Music seems "LOUDER" overall with the AQ mat - but not at the frequency extremes. I hadn't "tweaked" my system, I'd just ignored it. Or got used to it. Compared to digital for example, the TT high freq extension and energy is now MUCH more, and some would say "over-bright." But I'll do something about that in another way.
In comparison with no mat at all, both the AQ sorbothane mat and the Way Excellent II dampen bass in my system and clean up treble, but the Way Excellent II does a better job. The AQ mat dampens the highs TOO MUCH.
The one situation where the AQ mat could be used again at its best is where i have a "BRIGHT" RECORD that i...
Name: Robert Simpson, Ohio
Review: My first impression with the mat (Way Excellent II) is that it takes my humble vintage AR turntable to another level. It's like I upgraded to a $1500 table. Everything is much more focused and musical. I love it.
Name: Michael Dubrow, Sedona, Arizona
Review: My Linn LP12 is 23 years old, but is fully updated with Keel/Tampolin suspension, Ekos tonearm and Akiva Cartridge, etc. But man, I CAN'T BELIEVE how great it sounds with your new mat. You took perfection of sound to a new level. Thank you.
Name: Michael Lal, Bolton, Ontario
Review: Just recieved my Herbie's Way Excellent II (3mm) mat for my Thorens TD160 and let me just say one thing: "Wow!" I've noticed right away a more open wider soundstage, lower surface noise, better defined bass and cleaner midrange. The turntable just increased its value by a thousand bucks! Awesome product Steve, keep up the good work.
Name: Jacob Wildemore, Chalfont, Pennsylvania
Review: It sounds great on my MMF 7.1.
Name: Robert Kernechel, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Review: I bought the Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat for my Nottingham Horizon TT and it is fantastic. What an improvement in soundstage and depth! I also have tighter bass and more liquid highs. I was skeptical but this is the real deal.
Name: Claybourne White, St. Charles, Illinois
Review: Thanks for the quick service, and for a product which, so far, seems like one I'll be happy with for a long time. I'd replaced the felt mat on my Music Hall MMF-7 with a Ringmat. Sonically good combination, but after a record change or two, the mat loved to stay with the record. Your mat sounds as good with no static problem. Wish I'd found it sooner. Had no idea what you had to offer until I read several posts on the Steve Hoffman site.
Name: Grady Lewis, Virginia
Review: Bought your mat for my AR ES-1. Very pleased with it.
Name: Adam Edwards, Altamont, New York
Review: The mat was delivered in yesterday's mail, perfectly packaged. Thanks a lot. Last night, I tried it out. My latest "reference LP's" are Sonny Rollins "Way Out West" and Shelby Lynne "Just a Little Lovin".
I compared short three minute spins with each album first on my Rega felt and then on your mat. The music with your mat in place seemed cleaner and more realistic. Sonny's breath through the sax reed was more "in the room," and Shelby's voice seemed a bit less nasal and more "alive." I then sat back, and enjoyed a full side of Ella (Live in London), Graham Nash (Songs for Beginners), Cat Stevens (Tea for the Tillerman), and Dexter Gordon (Go !), and I was very impressed with how all the music seemed to sound better with the Herbie's mat. My initial reaction to your mat is a very good one, and I'm looking forward to more listening this weekend.
Name: Bill Faust, Whitehall, Montana
Review: Steve, Just received my "Herbie's Way Excellent II Turntable Mat." First, I would like to thank you for your quick response. I ordered late Monday evening, and yet you responded that night to let me know that the mat would ship the next morning. Great service! I installed the mat on my Music Hall MMF 5.1, replaceing the stock felt mat. I am a budding audiophile and have been upgrading my audio system over the past several months. Because I am new, I still have difficulties explaining the differences that I hear with the various upgrades, but let me state unequivocally that the mat made a significant difference for the better. I can say that the bass is much cleaner and has more "punch" without being overbearing.
Can't wait to hear more of my collection on the mat.
Name: Sean Heath, Golden Valley, Minnesota
Review: Got the mat today and am amazed at the improvement. I could go on and on but the best example is mistaking the barking dog on the Temptation record by Holly Cole for one of my German Shepherds even though I have heard that track many times before. Well worth the money, thanks also for the quick service." (Way Excellent II-3.7mm, 285mm diameter mat with Technics SL-1200MK2.)
Name: Joel Waterman, San Jose, California
Review: I had a RingMat 330 XLR on my Thorens (125 MkII). I did a number of A/B/A tests with the last track on Side 1 of Ben Webster/Joe Zawinul's "Soulmates." I found that the Ringmat displayed some brittleness around the treble which I did not experience with Herbie's mat. The midrange was less muddy than with the Ringmat. I found I could more clearly discern the piano lines. They, and the bass, had more foundation, the tone was "rounder" and it sounded like they were brought forward in the mix somewhat. There was an evenness to the sound of the band that I found more pleasant to listen to with Herbie's mat. The Ringmat accentuated the tenor and cornet to the slight detriment of the piano, bass and drums. Herbie's mat put it all nicely into place again.
The differences were not earth shattering in my system. But they became more clear upon repeated switching and listening. Overall I found the differences worthwhile and certainly worth the money.
Name: Randy Krelle, San Francisco, California
Review: "The Way Excellent II (2mm), as you recommended, is sounding very fine on my Lenco."
Name: Neale Ramakrishnan, Toronto, Canada
Review: Firstly, I'm glad I gave you a good measurement for the custom OD - and glad I let you cut it! No way I would have been that clean. Same for the ID, of course - great start.
Now, I wasn't a skeptic, but I didn't think I'd hear much difference. Difference, sure, but I wasn't expecting what I heard. Much improved clarity and detail. I didn't even bother A/Bing it with the stock mat. So much more stuff that I was hearing that I didn't EVER hear before. Definitely different, and there's no accounting for taste, but I like the difference. Like it a LOT.
Name: JF, Simi Valley, California
Review: Just a word to say how much I like the mat. It's working better than the Funk (or felt)
Name: Robert Stuthridge, Straughn, Indiana
Review: The Way Excellent II 2 mm Turntable Mat arrived in perfect condition (and very quickly) today - thank you. I lost no time fitting it onto my Ariston RD11s (SME series III, Shure V15-RS) and am totally astonished at the improvement over the premium felt mat I was using previously. Reduced noise, improved tonal quality throughout the frequency spectrum, and the music sounding "effortless" and "unstrained" with your mat. I can't believe how much difference the mat makes. I had already modified the Ariston to get the best out of it - this is really more than the icing on the cake! Well done and thanks!
Name: Barry Grant, Missoula, Montana
Review: Just a note to say how much I like your stuff. The TT mat and stabilizer make the greatest difference (w/Clearaudio Champion). Replacing a marigo interface platter, LPs now are more detailed and more relaxed sounding, and so more engaging.
Name: Kenneth Goss, Fremont, California
Review: I rec'd the mat today, worth every penny if not more. Listening to Heart "Dreamboat Annie" Nautilus Super Disc, I am hearing better vocal timbre, more air around the acoustic guitar and a bit more bass extension." (Older LP12, Valhalla, Cirkus bearing, Shelter 5000 Cartridge, Van Den Hul tonearm cable.)
Name: Ian Threadgold, Warrington, United Kingdom
Review: The turntable mat (3.7mm version) works a treat on my Garrard, more neutral and natural sounding.
Name: Gary Sasso
Review: Just got my Way Excellent II (2mm) mat in the mail today. Put it on my Rega P3-24 and wasn't sure that I'd hear any difference. I was wrong. Everything tightened up; soundstage improved, bass was tight and right, treble shrillness went away. But, by far the most improvement was in midrange voicing; Shelby Lynne (Just a Little Lovin--great album) sounds stunning. Remastered 180g vinyl Pet Sounds is incredible. And, the Atlantic remaster of Cotrane's Giant Steps now really shows what a genius the guy was.
Thanks for a great product at a great price.
Name: Jeff Baird, Des Moines, Iowa
Review: hey I wanted to take a second and tell you thank you for taking time to answer my questions so quickly and to tell you WOW!
I normally do not email a manufacturer on a product after I have purchased it but this has made such a huge difference I had to. Being old school audiophile and not warming up to the idea that a lot of tweaks really work I have been very hesitant to try a lot of little things like this, but I have to say your mat has made a huge difference in my system! The lows are where I really hear the difference, they seem so much tighter than before, I would have never believed it until hearing it! But everything seems just a touch more real. After playing just one side of Billy Joel's MFSL I thought maybe your mat was magic?? When I closed my eyes I would have sworn his piano was in my room!
Thanks again, I will recommend this to everyone I talk to!!! (Way Excellent II-2mm mat w/Rega P25)
Name: Richard Benner, Highspire, Pennsylvania
Review: Almost all my audio equipment is 'vintage' and I honestly thought that the sound couldn't be improved until I received my Way Excellent Mat and SuperSonic record stabilizer. It's like having a new system.
Name: Ray McClain, Savannah, Georgia
Review: The Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat arrived today. I want you to know how pleased I am with it. I put it on a stock AR XA, and noticed a clear improvement over my former '70's vintage Discwasher felt mat. With both mats, I tapped the platter and also tapped on a record with the stylus in the groove (motor off), and could easily hear a difference in resonance control, the Way Excellent II mat being my preferred choice.
The mat is destined to go on a highly modified AR XA with after-market sub-chassis, motor and Sumiko MMT tonearm. I will be ordering another mat to go on the stock table, which is going to be part of a second system.
I have wanted to try a new mat for many years. For whatever reason, I was not inclined to try sorbothane, lead or cork. I am glad that I found out about your products and gave your mat a try.
Name: Jaime Amador, Puerto Rico
Review: Hello! The Mat just arrive and it fits perfectly! It sound great right away! THANKS! (Gyrodec Mk3 w/Way Excellent II-3mm, 292mm diameter.)
Name: Russell Bucans, Manchester, New Hampshire
Review: Your mat made a very significant difference over the good old AQ Sorbothane mat I've been using. Detail, sweetness, focus (bass too!), dimensions, frequency extension (bass and treble), groove silence (!) All increased VERY NOTICEABLY. I really believe my cartridge is tracking much better (Denon DL-103) on your mat.
I'm using a classic Well Tempered turntable and arm.
Name: Paulo Mendes, Portugal
Review: I just received your way excellent II mat to install in my Micro-Seiki RX-1500 which did wonders but I wasn't expecting what came next. I tried it in my custom made turntable and my jaw fell into the floor, god what a difference, it seems I did a $1000 upgrade like my cartridges where upgraded (Van den Hul Grasshopper III SLA, Benz Micro LP and Dynavector D17 MKII). I love it so much that I going to buy another for the Micro-Seiki because this baby isn't leaving my main analog setup, so in a word THANKS for a great product.
Name: Don Walizer, Conway, Arkansas
Review: I'm really happy with my Way Excellent II Turntable Mat on my Thorens TD 126 tt. I've used various cork and felt mats in the past and have not been very satisfied.
Name: Jeffrey Matthews, Markham, Canada
Review: The other day I received my new Herbie turntable mat for my vintage (fully restored) Garrard Zero 100. As per my last email I told you I'd let you know if I hear any difference. Well to keep it brief...
"Holy Cow" - what an amazing product you have. I've always liked the sound of my turntable (along with the rest of my vintage analog audio gear), but this simple upgrade really made a big difference. I'm not hearing surface noise or motor noise anymore --- which was very minimally being transferred to my speakers (but still I could hear it).
What this did was almost like taking a veil off of the speakers. Now because only the music from the record is being transferred to my speakers without anything being added, I can hear details I did not hear before. It's so much clearer that you'd think I did a speaker upgrade, instead of just a turntable mat upgrade.
...I'm very pleased.
Name: Stephen Anderson, Canada
Review: I'm using your turntable mat with my Linn Sondek LP-12. It brings out the best in everything; it's really quite fantastic, and I'm very happy to have it.
Name: Frank Smith, Lusby, Maryland
Review: I got the Way Excellent for my Music Hall MMF-7 Turntable. Hard to believe a mat could make this much difference. This is one of those tweaks that you don't have to pretend you hear. It's all right there.This mat replaced the Non Felt mat that had replaced the original felt mat. Compared to the Non Felt, the very dynamic bass in my copy of Pink Floyd -- The Final Cut went from sort of wooly and out of control with the Non Felt to smooth, tight and even more extended. Waters' voice comes right out at you.Listening to Hank Mobley's Self titled album BN 1568, the Herbie mat put Mobley's horn in the room, and Sonny Clark's Piano (I think it is Clark) had notes literally popping out like bubbles of sound. It was so cool. Noise levels for all records went down and the pops in records were not as invasive as they once were.It was a good purchase.
Name: Steve Weber, Madison, Wisconsin
Review: Been listening to my TT with the "way excellent" in place for the last few evenings and I have to say that the darn thing may actually improve the sonics of my vinyl rig (Rega P9 - Sumiko Blackbird). I bought it mainly to fix the static cling hassle with the stock felt mat and was not really expecting much in the way of better sound. In my line of work, I am paid to be skeptical, to debunk myths, to scoff at unsupported but widely believed illusions. I'm not going to gush out a lot of audiophile blather about sound staging, PRAT, and dynamics, etc. But female vocals and acoustic guitar do sound more realistic. Perhaps you could add another prefix to the product description: "Really is a way excellent TT mat"
Name: J. P., Chicago, Illinois
Review: The way excellent mat is great -- you had told me it is not so much anti-static as non-static, and this is 100% correct. A month deep in a dry chicago winter, the static problems I had with my felt mat (and even worse with the extreme none-felt) are totally gone. No static pops during play or when I lift the needle. The mat never sticks to the record! The sonic improvements are noticeable vs. the felt, and I'd say about the same as what I noticed with the none-felt. But I'd pay twice this amount for the static relief alone!
Name: Tony McCarty, Columbus, Ohio
Review: Just received the Herbie Mat, and I'm very pleased. It added both firm bass punch and more clarity on the high ends at the same time. My Pro-ject RM-4 was already a sweet sounding turntable, but the Herbie Mat really makes it sing. And, I don't really need the record clamp anymore. Oh, and it looks really cool, too. Thanks again.
Name: Patrick Poggia, Le Pecq, France
Review: The TT mat arrived earlier than announced and I thank you for that. It works beautifully. From an initial A/B comparison, I imediately found that the treble notes of a piano were richer and less aggressive. Then I tried to find the best adjustments. I suppose it is normal I had to change VTA as the Way Excellent mat is slightly slimmer than the original felt mat (no big deal). Then, with your mat, I was able to very precisely adjust cartridge bias and weight with no doubt on what was best. Also, I corrected very slightly one of my speaker angles and now, wow, the mat sure adds depth, width, air and harmonics. On some good recordings, the instruments are here in the room. Overall, my system (Linn LP-12, Ekos II, Akiva) is more musical than with the original felt mat. Thank you, I am rediscovering my records.
Name: Doug Olsen, U.S.A
Review: I have found Herbie's "Way Better Turntable Mat" to be far superior to the stock mat and another aftermarket mat I have tried (w/Thorens TD125 MKII).
Name: Cheryl K., Pahoa, Hawaii
Review: The TT matt really is WAY-Excellent. Wow, big difference! It cleaned up the mud.
Name: Richard Quaite, Leeds, U.K.
Review: Just a quick belated note to say thanks. That mat is incredible. It made a massive improvement the moment I put it on, and I've tried all sorts including the Funk Achromat, SDS Isoplatmat, Clearaudio Harmonicer, felt, cork, rubber etc and combinations of all of them, but the Way Excellent mat easily beats them all. One day I should take it off to see what it sounds like without it, but it's been on since the day it arrived and taking it off sounds like a frightening prospect!!!
Name: Mark Kirby, Baltimore, Maryland
Review: The turntable mat made a remarkable improvement: a far more coherent presentation, flowing and alive. I must say Rosemary Clooney sounded like she'd risen from the dead to sing those Harold Arlen songs.Before I installed the mat, I considered my SACD player (Sony NS500V) my best source. Now I figure the old AR turntable is. Right off, I had the feeling that I wanted to drag out stuff I hadn't listened to in a long time.
Name: Ken Adams
Review: The Way Excellent II-4.5 has been a wonderful upgrade for the Technics, much, much better than either the thick or thin Technics rubber mats. I also have the SuperSonic Record Stabilizer and find it to be useful on some records. Great products!
Name: Rob Mickus, Geneva, Illinois
Review: Hello Way Excellent Mat! So long LP12 felt! A huge upgrade. Kinda shocking. Thanks!
Name: Curt Springmeier, St. Louis, Missouri
Review: The turntable mat is as advertised. I have a Linn Sondek with Armageddon Power Supply, Naim ARO tonearm, and Dynavector cartridge. The sound falls between the stock felt mat and the Extreme Audio mat which is exactly what I wanted. Had to play with the VTA as the mat is thinner than the Extreme Audio, but I like thinner better. The Extreme Audio mat in my system drew too much of the dynamics out of the sound.
Name: Alan Olan, Sidney, Australia
Review: Just installed the turntable mat on my Kuzma Stabi. I just expected the sound to be different as I thought the sound was great as it was. Like the cd mat I noticed the difference straight away. The sound became clearer, the voices became more focused and there was more depth and ambiance. There was more clarity to the sound. Anyway I now prefer having the mat on my Kuzma Stabi. I think it's a cheap upgrade well worth it.
Name: David Hall, Alpharetta, Georgia
Review: Well, the new Way Excellent turntable mat sounds terrific! Better than the Extreme Donut mat that it replaced. The music is really very, very close to sounding like the real event. I think in my case it's the synergy between good components -- making the whole picture complete. I have a pretty good setup -- VPI Mk IV with JMW arm, SAMA standalone moter, Decware phono stage (using HAL-O's on the tubes).I've gone nuts trying different cables, phono stages -- and yes -- turntable mats. Thanks for the HAL-O's, Way Excellent turntable mat and Isolation feet -- they are essential ingredients to my current setup. It's nice to be able to sit back and just enjoy the music for a change without the need to upgrade anything else. The mat also stays in place when changing albums.
Name: Mark Gilbert, Lynnwood, Washington
Review: That turntable mat is some kind of (expletive) incredible. On my Thorens, it blows away the Ringmat.
Name: Samuel Fagaly, Charleston, Illinois
Review: The first one I ordered made an incredible improvement on my AR XA and my LP 12. I'm tired of moving it back and forth so I need a second mat. Thanks for a great product at a reasonable price!
Name: Glen McKenzie, Toronto, Canada
Review: I am very pleased.
Name: Erik Huddleston, Farmers Branch, Texas
Review: Long story short, your mat slayed my original LP12 mat. No contest.
Name: Denny Spangler, Jackson, Michigan
Review: I can't begin to say how much of a difference the Way Excellent Mat has made in my system! So much more detail! The soundstage has expanded! Vocals sound so real! Bass has more impact and detail! Some LPs sound like a master tape. Even rechanneled stereo sounds a lot better. Thanks for making such an awesome product and at a good price too!
Name: Robert Clemens, Chicago, Illinois
Review: I bought a second-hand Boston Audio Mat 1 and was pleased with it. When I heard about Herbie's mat, I thought I'd try it too. Well, guess what? I'm using the Herbie's Way Excellent Mat now. With the Mat 1, ensemble, jazz, and acoustic music sounded a bit "heavy" or "dark" in comparison, sort of like chamber music playing in a minor key. Maybe I just prefer a more light and breezy sound, but with Herbie's mat everything seems more realistic.
Name: John Madsen, Fredrikstad, Norway
Review: Received my Way Excellent Turntable Mat a few days ago in good condition. Very sturdily packed, I must say! Spun up the old Spacedeck still with the PlatterMatter on and listened through a few reference recordings (Belafonte in Albert Hall, Mahler's 2nd, Jethro Tull Aqualung and others). Swapped the mats, same records back on the deck and voila! Most definitely an improvement in dynamics and "life" and "sparkle" (for want of better words). A little bit less "wool" around the edges and slightly sharper transients. Not huge differences, as mine was already a great-sounding rig, but certainly noticeable and very well worth the less-than-substantial investment. Overall I'll give it a 12 out of 10 for price/performance! Rest assured that I'll, if not perhaps shout your praise from the rooftops, then at least spread the word and recommend it whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Name: Marty Thomas, Modesto, California
Review: This is much better than any other turntable mat I've ever used. It's more full-bodied than the cork Ringmat and doesn't dull the low end like the Non-Felt does. I've tried other mats too, over the years, and this one is definitely the best.Added more than two years later:Well, I sold the Linn and have purchased a Platine Verdier Turntable. This is a massive unsprung turntable with a 40 pound steel platter that makes a dramatic improvement over the Linn. And after listening for a period of time, I decided to try your mat on this table. The result was about the same improvement as it made on the Linn. I'm getting lots of mileage from this mat.
Name: Scott Klein, North Carolina
Review: Hate the name, love the mat. The NonFelts, expecially the donut shaped mat, are excellent, but the Herbie's does everything a degree better. Unequivocally recommended.
Name: Sean Ogarrio, California
Review: Your turntable mat has done very nicely for my P25 Rega table.
Name: Tom Mulgrew, Brentwood, Tennessee
Review: Very effective.
Name: Chris Howell, St. Helena, California
Review: The mat works great on my MMF-5 -- certainly much better than black felt. The sound is brilliant!
Name: Richard Fanning, Lower Templestowe, Australia
Review: The TT Mat is much better than the standard felt mat on my Rega P25. Most noticable difference is clarity and focus with more ambience in recordings evident. Overall, a lot more involving sound!
Name: Mark Dunn, McKinney, Texas
Review: About a year ago I decided to try a Herbie's Way Excellent Mat, since it was reasonably inexpensive and had some fairly solid reviews from people whose opinions I take seriously. The effect of the Herbie's mat was to reveal a little more detail and extend both frequency extremes somewhat and it did this without changing the fundamental character of the LP12. Not changing the "Linniness" of the LP12 is important to me.A short while ago I ordered the new Way Excellent II Donut. For those not familiar with the Herbie's mat, it comes in two layers. The bottom layer is a sort of dense foam (for want of a better description) and the top layer, the donut, is some kind of rubber-like polymer. The Way Excellent II "donut" is just the top layer. The donut is the only part that changed with the Mat II.I have since received and fitted the new type donut and can say that it is *much* better than the original. Again the character of the LP12 remains intact and again there is a little further extension of frequency extremes. However, the amount of extra detail/resolution across all frequencies is greatly improved and I can now hear musical strands that were absent before, -- even in complex and frenetic music like The Rezillos. The other obvious difference is that tracking security is very much enhanced. The XV-1 is a good tracker to start with, but it now sounds so much more "planted" in the groove. Hard to describe without experiencing it.Overall, I would say that the new donut alone has made a rather bigger improvement than the complete original mat. Whether the Herbie's mat will work as well with other decks I have no idea, but on my LP12 it does live up to its name, -- Way Excellent.
Name: Fernando Escarcega, San Antonio, Texas
Review: Makes the music sound tighter, cleaner (Nottingham Horizon turntable).
Name: Luis Melendez
Review: I have been using your TT mat, which is on loan from a friend, and can honestly say that I like it much more than the AudioQuest Sorbothane, RingMat, and Extreme phono non felt. I'll be ordering one of your mats soon.
Name: Steve Miller, Newton Center, Massachusetts
Review: The turntable mat was a considerable improvement over the felt mat on my modest LP12 setup. Then, since I had the isolation feet (Tenderfeet), I tried them under the turntable frame base, and yet more improvement.
Name: Earl Thomas, Capon Bridge, West Virginia
Review: My phono rig is a TD 125/Rabco SL8E arm/Grado Master/YSA Audio Concerto phono pre tweaked w/smooth plates and a few other things. Its 54db gain with a high output Grado makes it equal the output of the Trivista within a couple of db. Great for comparing. So, heres what I think.The bass improvement was immediately noticable. It's a nice looking mat as well. I've tried cork and felt and other things. I like this better although I wish it addressed the image more. I am an image/soundstage freak. Of course I wish it made my system sound like it was worth millions but hey I am realistic. So it's a keeper.
Name: Randy Wells, Bellevue, Washington
Review: The Way Excellent II-3mm mat is an improvement over the original stock felt (and your original Way Excellent mat). It provides a perfect VTA on my Rega P9/RB 1000 with Koetsu and the sound is the best I've heard from this combo.
Name: Marc Andes, Howard Beach, New York
Review: The mat is amazing. I thought my turntable's poor bass response and dynamic range were because it's a relatively inexpensive $600 belt drive. Turns out it was that cheap-ass felt mat. The bass response has improved 100% and the midrange is much more lifelike and "analog" sounding. An absolute must for budget turntables and probably all others as well.
Name: Robert McKie, Belmont, Massachusetts
Review: The 3.7mm mat arrived quickly and in fine shape. I dropped my tonearm a bit to match the somewhat reduced thickness of your mat over the original and sat down to listen. I have been listening ever since! I have a large collection of jazz LPs, many mono, from the 50's and 60's that belonged to my dad, and I have been working my way through them. Your mat is certainly an improvement over the stock setup, and the Denon 3000/Sumiko MMT/Shelter 501-II have removed whatever compulsion I felt to do an upgrade.
Name: Bradley Ellis, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Review: I received your "Way Excellent Turntable Mat" today. I must say that it lives up to its name. It is way excellent. Thank you for this upgrade to my entire record collection. I'll be up late tonight listening for sure." (used with lead-plated George Merrill acrylic platter)
Name: Hiroshi Ishii, Fremont, California
Review: The effect is sound get tighter!
Name: Aaron Kovics, Oakland Gardens, New York
Review: I feel compelled to say that your mat not only solved the problems that I had that are inherent with the OEM felt mat, but I was shocked to see no loss of sound quality that I experienced with some other rubber-type mats. I am once again pleased with my purchase of another one of your products.
Name: Terry Phipps, Lemon Grove, California
Review: The mat is GREAT! Like many, I stuck with the felt mat because other mats make you give up some of the lovely sound or liveliness we buy Linns for, to get a measure of clarity (this is also true of many very expensive upgrades). Your mat has no downside I can hear. Basically, it allows better control across the spectrum – clearly, evenly and beautifully. My Linn sounds like a better Linn, that's all!
Name: Pascal Cheng, Burlington, Vermont
Review: I am very pleased with your turntable mat. It is the best sounding mat that I have had on my Rega Planar 3.
Name: Doug Lang, Peoria, Arizona
Review: Just installed the new Way Excellent II 4.5mm Mat on my modified Vintage Pioneer PL-630 TT. All I can say is -- UNBELIEVEABLE -- I never thought a mat could make so much difference. Besides being so much more musical, the focus, detail, soundstage is fantastic. Kudos to you for one heck of a product. I was going to look into getting another turntable in the 2k bracket but after hearing the Way Excellent II mat, there is no need to. Best upgrade to a TT for the money. Thanx for you help and professionalism.
Name: Peter Seravalle, Canada
Review: Your tt mat was a night and day difference in sound and in static control compared to the original felt mat, by the way the masking tape worked like a charm removing the built up dust. (Musical Life Jazz Turntable.)
Name: Gerald Greenamyer, California
Review: Just wanted to let you know that the mat and headshell dampener work very well with my turntable. Very happy. Thanks,Gerald.
Name: Peter K., Netherlands
Review: I recieved the mat in good order, perfectly packed. My 1st impressions are very positive. More detail, better channel seperation and more space/depth.Thanks for this relatively cheap ugrade!
Name: Mike Arden, Slough, United Kingdom
Review: The mat is an item that makes you go back through your record collection playing tracks just to hear the sound difference on them (Linn LP12). I thought I'd certainly get some sort of an improvement but was genuinely stunned by how much. As a value for money upgrade in respect of sound quality it is unbeatable and should really be offered as an option on new turntables (as well as not so new ones!) Impressed? Oh, only a Lot!!!
Name: Ed Hackett, Reno, Nevada
Review: The mat is a definite improvement over the stock felt mat on my Rega P25. As others have reported, the sound is more clear and focused. The sound stage is also deeper and wider. I'm very pleased with the mat.
Name: Zvonimir Komar, Zagreb, Croatia
Review: I wanted to tell you that i'm really impressed with the way excellent TT mat. i'm using it on a rega p3-24 (which has glass platter as you probably know). it sounds great and the sound has gained in focus particulary.
Name: John King, Paris, Kentucky
Review: Many thanks for the mat. I really do like it a lot. My music sounds much more fluid and transparent than with the old stock heavy rubber mat. Also, on the Pioneer 112D there was no change in platter speed (this was a slight concern). Thanks again.
Name: Clifford Johnson, South Bend, Indiana
Review: I have to admit that this mat focuses images in the sound stage in ways I have not experienced with other mats (Music Hall MMF-7 turntable). Records seem quieter than before as well.
Name: Stephen Varga, Staten Island, New York
Review: I received the Way Excellent II Turntable mat today. I have noticed a newfound richness in the sound. Much appreciated, I'll not think twice about recommending this product
Name: Greg Weiland, Ohio
Review: The sound improvement was immediate and dramatic.
Name: Scott Dalzell, Vienna, Virginia
Review: I love my Herbie's turntable platter mat!
Name: Jeff Foster, Round Rock, Texas
Review: There are not big but there are subtle improvements in sound with the Way Excellent mat on my Nottingham Space Deck with the heavy kit (larger platter). I also like the friction of the mat, keeps the records from slipping on the bare platter which is very slick by itself. (I haven't had a chance yet to see about adjusting the vertical tracking angle after the addition of the mat to see if that improves anything.)
Name: Phil Morris, Oregon
Review: I'm currently using your Way Excellent mat on my Well Tempered turntable with excellent results.
Name: Mark McCracken, Houston, Texas
Review: I've been listening to everything from Bill Evans to PIL to Bach to DJ Shadow to Rachmaninoff to Nada Surf to Genesis – Everything is sounding darn good." (Way Excellent II-3.7mm on top of original rubber mat, SL-1210 M5G)
Name: Jeff, United States
Review: I use it on my acrylic platter mmf-7. It was the first mat I found that I liked better than the stock felt mat. (Looks better, too.) I also prefer it with light pressure from a clamp.
Name: Murray Rubinstein
Review: I just put my WEII on my Project III today and have spent the afternoon listening to a variety of lps. There really is a difference -- better soundstage -- more precise sound of instruments within space, etc. It really works even after a few hours of solid and careful listening.
Name: Jeff Zaret, Lancaster, California
Review: My expectations were definitely realized and surpassed with the WAY Excellent Turntable Mat. I had recently had a "tune-up" on my turntable and had also purchased a new cartridge and needle. I was impressed with the improvement it brought but literally had my "jaw drop" after I installed the new WAY Excellent Turntable Mat. I started listening to albums to see if I could hear some noticeable difference. Well, there was a big difference. There was more depth, clarity and texture to the sounds I was used to hearing over the last 30-plus years! Even some instruments that I had taken for granted, which I figured were just "there" and it was the age of the recording and the recording equipment used. WRONG! I heard more clarity and textured instruments than before while hearing some well defined mid-range and clean and clear bass that I was not hearing before. Now I know that some of this is attributed to the new cartridge and needle but I had been listening for 2 to 3 weeks so when I added the TT mat it just made that more apparent and enhanced everything even more than before. It was like I had just moved up another level in excellence.
Name: Patrick Poggia, Le Pecq, France
Review: I adjusted VTA and increased tracking force to 1.9g, which I believe became possible because LP gets a better hold by your mat. Antiskating was easier to adjust than with the original felt mat. Of course, it changed the sound stage and I had to adapt somehow (same felt mat sound for 23 years!). The change was for the best and I could tell right from the beginning. I can confirm it is not just a 'hifi fool', short-time effect. However there are instances when some favourite records sounded disapointing at first. The reason is, whith more details, you get obviously more information about microphone positioning and valve, transistor, mixing console etc. 'signatures', in short you are distracted from music by the recording/pressing engineering. Fortunately, it did not last long. It soon became clear to me that the mat is in fact very neutral and also allows the cartridge to extract much more relevent (i.e. musical) information than the felt mat.I listened last night to one of my long lasting favourites, Bach's cello sonatas by Janos Starker. Mercury recordings have undoubtfuly a strong signature of their own and the mat shows it with great accuracy. My record is only a cheap but well done Philips pressing and it sounds quite well. I listened to a complete sonata as if this music was new to me. At concert hall level, it was so beautiful I did not want to stop listening.This is why I recommended your website to several friends, mainly LP12 owners.
Name: John in NC
Review: The Herbies Way Excellent Turntable Mat and Sonic Stabilizer have taken my Linn Axis turntable to another level.
Name: Frank Smith, Lusby, Maryland
Review: I got the mat today. Wow, it's hard to believe a mat could make such a huge difference!
Name: Mohammad Ridzwan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Review: Took about 8 days to deliver from USA to Malaysia plus custom and mail company clearance. I was listening to my TT on that day (Janis Ian breaking sileance album). The different was spot on! The bass is more defined, micro details retrieval is great and the vocal is beautiful with more body. I am totally satisfied with it, no regret!
Name: Chris Sideris, Chester Hill, Australia
Review: Noise levels dropped significantly. It was like the noise levels had halved. Also the tone of the noise changed but not the musical information. I noticed more rounded bass, less mechanical sounding, less distortion and a warmer and refined sound. You could here more detail and sounds you haven't heard before. Probably because it was quieter. This mat really works!
Name: Alex Padilla, Florida
Review: The Excellent Turntable mat works like a champ on my MMF-5.
Name: Brian Kelsey, Hillsboro, Oregon
Review: The turntable mat is great, thank you very much.
Name: Randy Buchanan, Virginia
Review: Your mat was received and installed on my wife's Music Hall MMF-5, and it works great. Many thanks."
Name: Mike Grove, Euless, Texas
Review: Have tried everything from felt to shelf-liner on the platter of my LP12 and your mat is without doubt THE best yet.
Name: Mark L, Winnipeg, Canada
Review: Yeah I am really impressed by your TT mat. I was very surprised how bright sounding my new lead platter was when I first dared to lift the 100lbs onto my teres bearing. I didnt like it until getting your mat which ended up soaking up the brittleness of the sound but yet allow access to the new found detail not found on the PVC platter. Well done.
Name: Todd Murakami, Mililani, Hawaii
Review: I just recieved my excellent mat yesterday and just after playing maybe 10 records or so I have concluded that this way excellent mat is truly an awesome investment.I have been using a ringmat previously and before that a homemade donut mat. In the past I have used Audioquest Sorbothane mat with clamp and Sumiko's interface material that came with the tonearm tweek kit. I haven't even began to adjust my tonearm for the changes and may not want to because the silences between grooves are the best I ever heard. The dynamics come through cleaner and overall tone is tighter; nothing sounds loose or overdamped. Midrange is so clear and at higher volumes sounds more controlled and natural. I am very familiar with 2 tracks on 2 different lps. On the first one (Damn Yankees - High Enough) the vocals build up toward the end and hearing blades and shaws wailing can crackle and break up horribly on my previous mats, but with the excellent mat the vocals are always controlled. I am even hearing textured wailing instead of fuzziness. The second album is George Michaels - Predjudice from the lp "Listen Without Predjudice" (his finest work in my experience). The strength and agnst on michaels voice are engaging, strong, and can also break up during the more complex passages -- but again with my new excellent mat the track soars through so natural and full of energy and with more blackness than before. Bass is the best I've heard -- deeper -- tighter -- feels stronger through my NHT sub. Mids and highs definitely cleaner with more defined placement in space. I dunno if there is more air but I'm only through 10 records thus far. Pops and clicks seem to push a little farther back and are not as intrusive. I applaud your work at Herbie's and hope to possibly invest more into future products with you.
Name: Graham Livingston, London, United Kingdom
Review: The turntable mat arrived today, thanks. I put it on the LP12 straight away, and I'm very pleased with what I'm hearing.
Name: John Lanier
Review: It's great with my MMF-7.
Name: Eric Haller, Shirley, New York
Review: After playing just a few LPs I noticed a tighter bass, much tighter, and quieter background. Very happy with the mat. thank you.
Name: Dolores P., Wrexham, United Kingdom
Review: The difference in sound quality, quite frankly, is night and day! The importance of the interface between record and platter is often underestimated; the Herbie's mat provides a clevery executed and very effective solution to this issue. I'm very pleased -- thanks for a great product!
Name: Peter Gough, Canada
Review: I just wanted to thank you for this wonderful mat. I had been finding my system a tad bright, and the mat has settled the high end down immensely. I listen almost exclusively to jazz recorded between 1950 and 1980 and find piano and vibraphone no longer stings my ears. I no longer suffer listening fatigue.
Name: Buyung Soeharmadji, Jakarta, Indonesia
Review: Your way excellent mat give my analitical clearaudio more soul or maybe people usually use the term Prat.
Name: David Harbaugh, Jackson, Michigan
Review: I ordered a TT mat earlier this week. It arrived quickly and am very happy with the quality and performance of your product. It is being used as a replacement on a restored idler table and looks quite nice as well. Thanks for your quick service and solid upgrade to my analog set-up.
I just have to tell you the mat is amazing! You just don't expect that much from a mat. Sure enough, it brings out better detail, and with my VPI Aries it does even better with a clamp -- the clamp gives it more dynamics and punch.
Joe Mendez, Samammish, Washington
I've had a few days to try the turntable mat on my LP12 and I'm very pleased with the result. Always difficult to describe sound, but I'd say "relaxed precision" would about cover it. I put the felt mat back on and was surprised how muddy it sounded. Certainly good value.
Barry Smith, The Entrance, Australia
The first thing I noticed on my Pro-Ject 1.2 turntable was a better overall balance with extension of bass and treble with an additional clarity in the mids. I am surprised that changing from the stock felt mat to Herbie's mat can make such a difference. The most noticeable performance gains were in low bass and treble extension. Also, your mat does not stick to my LPs unlike my stock felt mat whether the turntable is running or not. It is a great inexpensive upgrade, worth every penny.
Benjamin Yee, Fremont, California
Got the mat today and am amazed at the improvement. I could go on and on but the best example is mistaking the barking dog on the Temptation record by Holly Cole for one of my German Shepherds even though I have heard that track many times before. Well worth the money, thanks also for the quick service. (Way Excellent II-3.7mm, 285mm diameter with Technics SL1200 MK II)
Sean Heath, Golden Valley, Minnesota
As you know I've been using the "way excellent" turntable mat for a few weeks now. I was going to change out the Technics SL1210 M5G to a belt drive but now with your mat in place the table sounds so much better. The mat has dropped the noise floor and given the table a much smoother sound. Have a good one.
John OBrien, Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Got the mat yesterday. Thanks. I'm astonished. The difference isn't remotely subtle. Better everything, to the point where I'm putting aside my search for a new phono pre-amp. (Linn LP-12 w/full-size Way Excellent II-2mm)
Paul Harsha, Cambridge, Massachusetts
I have recently added a Herbie's 5mm Turntable Mat and Supersonic Stabilizer to my Amadeus GTA, and the differences are astounding. A much quieter background and deep well-defined bass are the results, with no perceived negatives. The reviewer for the Absolute Sound was right when he said that isolation would help this table. I believe I've taken the sonics up a notch again with these simple isolation tools.
Ghunter (posted at Audiogon)
Looks and works great; way better than that miserable felt rag that came with my P3.
Russ Riffell, Richmond, British Columbia
Some time ago I purchased a Herbie's Way Excellent Mat for my Pro-Ject Xpression II, and I've been thrilled with the performance and improvement it's made to my setup!
Bill Riel, Canada
Hello. I just enjoyed your mat. It is great. I guess I do not need new/better turntable for now.
Jarek Guzy, Shelton, Connecticut
WOW! I ordered the Way Excellent II turntable mat to replace the cheap felt mat that came with my Pro-ject Debut III turntable. What an amazing difference!! The sound is so much more balanced, the bass is clearer, and it even somehow makes the pops/crackles quieter!! Sometimes it even eliminates them!! Best $59 I ever spent. You guys ROCK!!!!
Brian Worthing, Shelton, Connecticut
Name: Bhupendra Jain, Qatar
Review: I recently ordered a Way Excellent II, 3mm mat for my Clearaudio Concept turntable. The TT sounds excellent even without the mat, so I was initially sceptical about trying the mat. However, the sonic quality improved astonishingly with the new mat. Huge improvement in instrument separation as well reduction in static from old vinyls too. In fact, the sound is now warmer and has eliminated any minor ear fatigue. Robert's advice was great....he asked me to try the 3mm mat instead of 2mm and was spot on. I had to increase the Tonearm height of course, which was relatively simple. Another inexpensive yet astoundingly good product from Herbie's Audio Lab!
Review: I put Tenderfoots under the power amp and DAC/Preamp, Soft Fat Dots under the turntable point/feet, and I changed to the Way Excellent II mat from the stock felt mat. The intent of putting absorption under the power amp and DAC/Pre is the size of the cases with sound pressure will vibrate the rack without absorption.
The mat grips better than the felt mat and should keep LP's from vibrating while spinning.
Using vibration software for the iPhone I tapped on the rack shelf while measuring on the rack shelf then on the turn table mat mid play point. There was a significant reduction in vibration peaks -- about 1/10th. No doubt that it helped. Also measured with the same song and got a definite reduction (was playing a CD). Yes, a little subjective for the scientists out there.
My Rega RP8 has a isolated frame for the dust cover. It had to be brought up to level to clear the arm with the Dots under the table's feet. I used felt pads. Also, measured a reduction on this frame but only about one-half less vibration -- so felt pads aren't as good as the dots.
Where it counts -- listening. It does seem that it is clearer across the spectrum. That is harder to discern as it sounded very good to start with.
Name: Henry Babenko, Aston, PA
Review: Wow, excellent mat. it really makes a difference in sound. so glad I got this.
Name: Ken Jarrell, Lubbock, TX
Review: I purchased an AT LP120-USB but wasn't happy with the felt mat. At first, I was wishing I had held onto my TTs of the past or at least their rubber mats, after realizing how difficult it was to find them. But after testing out the Way Excellent II-4mm mat, it is so much better than the rubber mats of old. The fit and added weight and balance to the platter is perfect and eliminates the bit of platter noise.
Name: Jack P, So. California
Review: I was undecided between the Way Excellent II and the Music Hall cork mat to replace the Non-Felt on my MMF-5. If I couldn't hear any difference I knew I could easily return the mat to Herbie so I tried his first. Difference!? Whether classical, jazz, folk or even pop the music is completely transparent and natural sounding against a quiet background. Sonics aside, it's Way Cool Looking too! Buy it without hesitation!
Name: Ernie Adams, Georgia
Review: Got the mat today. First impressions: more detail, a clarity to voices that is quite good. Bass seems better, with my actually now being able to hear the bass guitars string vibration. Before it was just a nice tight deep note. Now the note is still deep and tight, but I hear the actual vibration of the string. I know I have a good table, so this has just allowed it to reach its full potential. (Way Excellent II-2mm Turntable Mat replacing a Music Hall cork mat.)
Name: Gabe Walters, Washington, DC
Review: My mat arrived today and I have to tell you that I can't believe what a difference it's already made. Immediately I noticed that the noise floor of my Debut III has dropped to an inaudible level, where previously there was motor rumble. As you know, this is due to the mat decoupling the record from the platter. And because of your recessed label design, and materials used, the records play flat and with great definition. Transients have the right amount of attack, but don't splatter. The bass guitar and kick drum are present but focused, never flabby. Midrange instruments like piano, guitar and voice have all the warmth and presence one expects from vinyl. The snare snaps the way it should. The overall presentation is sublimely musical and it just coheres. I admit I was skeptical of spending this money on a mat, but am so glad I did. I can't imagine a better sounding upgrade for the money, and your product deserves all the accolades and hyperbole one can muster in its praise.
Name: David Massaro
Review: Dear Steve Herbelin,
I spoke with you on the phone last week regarding my Rega P5 with a Benz Micro SL Wood cartridge. You recommended your ‘Way Excellent II-2mm’ mat. I received it a few days ago and played it yesterday. I am very pleased and impressed with this mat. The background noise has been greatly reduced. Your mat is significantly better than the stock Rega felt mat, a carbon fiber mat I purchased, and a cork mat that I tried.
Thank you again!
Name: Pierre Terrier
Review: First off, great packaging and very nice personal touch by the owner in how he handles his business.
Now the mat: Keep in mind I listen mainly to late sixties and seventies rock of all kinds. That kind of music needs to sound vibrant to deliver a clean bright energy output to sound best to me. I have a basic pro-ject debut turntable with steel platter and after three days of testing the Herbie's mat verses a felt mat and a rubber mat I have come to the following conclusion:
The only way for me to get the 100% pure "rock" sound I need out of the Herbie's mat is to simply lay the record on the mat as gently as possible without applying any force to it whatsoever against the mat (like pushing down on the label to improve contact with the mat has a real negative effect with me as it muffles the sound big time, giving way too much of a dampening effect). From what I can see and feel it's because the mat has a suction cup effect on the record where when the record is forcefully pushed against the mat it literally gets absorbed into the mat. I mean it cuts down the clarity of the sound by a big margin. I personally would NEVER use a clamp or weight on a Herbie's mat as it produces a double dampening effect giving you a very dull sound overall missing out on all kinds of subtleties in the music.
In conclusion, by simply gently laying down the album on the mat and nothing else as I described, I experience a terrific overall sound, keeping all the clarity I want and adding the perfect amount of dampening to cut out unwanted resonance. This Herbie's mat is a real winner.
Name: Michael Schroeder, Lehigh Acres, Florida
Review: I recently received your wonderful Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat for my Rega/Moth Planar 2. I am Dee-lighted with the results! High frequencies are clearer and crisp, instruments and voices are better placed with a broader sense of space, and the lows have more clarity and authority. Wonderful improvement over the stock felt mat!
Name: Mike R., Washington, DC
Review: My only regret about the turntable mat I purchased from you recently is that I didn't purchase it sooner. I had been using a "none felt" mat on my Linn LP-12 and credit it with a subtle but still discernible improvement over the original felt mat. I was quite astounded when I replaced it with your mat. The improvement--deeper and tighter bass, cleaner and clearer mids--was more than subtle. Indeed, the improvement was what I might have expected by upgrading to a better cartridge.
Other products of yours that have improved my system include the square fat dots I also purchased from you recently and your tube dampers, which I bought some years ago and continue to use on my Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 pre-amp.
Name: Robert Stein, The Cable Company
Review: Herbie's "Way Excellent" mat is one of the least expensive upgrades for any turntable, and one that outperforms virtually any other mat available—no kidding. This mat makes transients sharper, decays more sustained, tightens bass response, lowers the noise floor, enhances imaging depth, and harmonically enriches the midrange all at the same time. Ask any of the Cable Company consultants about this—we all use the Herbie's mats in our own systems!
Name: Rich Brkich, Signature Sound
Review: As a long time Rega dealer, we have never been much of a fan of the ubiquitous felt turntable mat that comes with the well known Rega Planar series turntables. Herbie's Way Excellent Turntable Mat beats the pants off the Ringmat, felt mats and other mats. Finally! We have a well designed mat that is reasonably priced.
Name: Robert Herman, Lyric HiFi
Review: I'm using them on my customized SP-10 MK II, which was using an Oracle hard mat and Goldmund clamp; and my STD 305D. Being in the high-end audio biz for 25 years I've seen lots of accessories come and go. This is easily the best mat I've used, much better than the Ringmat (which we sell), or the Oracle hard mat. It definitely sounds best without the clamp. Thanks much!
Name: Alex Gonzalez, AG Labs/ Odyssey Audio
Review: I received the order a few days ago—very fast shipping. I can only tell you after a few hours using your 'way excellent' mat, the sound coming out of the turntable has improved a few notches! Immediately clear to my ears is the sense of more space without the extra damping I was getting with the stock (rubber) mat. Overall better definition. So far I like it better without a clamp! Great product.
Name: Todd Reitz, TR Audio
Review: Well the reviews are right, your mat sounds more lively and punchy than the None Felt doughnut mat I was using. I ended up playing records a lot longer than I planned to this evening, and you KNOW that's a good sign. I noticed that the records seem to stay flatter than before, maybe because the mat is a little more compliant? Dunno, but it works.
Name: Sonic Perfectionists, Kirkland, Washington
Review: I purchased one of your 'Way excellent' mats from you a while ago. It has been a tremendous improvement when used on my classic Thorens TD-126 MK II turntable.
Name: Wayne Waananen, The BOLDER Cable Company
Review: I have one on my MMF-5. It is quite a bit better than the stock felt. No problem changing albums while the platter is still turning.
I brought one over to a buddie's place to compare to his Non-felt. The Herbie's had quite a bit tighter and extended bass. Surface noise was even reduced. Highly recommended.
Name: John Pharo, The Cable Company
Review: Just thought you might like to know what tables some VERY satisifed customers of mine are using your "WAY Excellent" Mat with in addition to the ones already mentioned on your website.
I personally have a Music Hall MMF9 table (Benz M2 cartridge) and your mat is a huge improvement over the ringmat (and every other mat/clamp that I've tried). Some of my very happy customers have:
Rega 25
ClearAudio Master Reference (with TQ1 arm and Dynavector arm)
Thorens TD 180
The only problem with the WAY excellent mat is the price—people who haven't tried it think it can't possibly be any good if it costs that little!
Name: John Zimmerman, The Audio Connection
Review: That mat is AWESOME!
Name: Stephæn Harrell, Reviewer, The Absolute Sound, 6Moons
Review: From 6moons.com:
"If you're like me and love to dig deep into the grooves late at night without disturbing your loved ones, just get the mat, spin the black licorice and get ready to hear more than you thought possible from a $50 upgrade."
Name: Terry Provence, Naples, FL
Review: Originally bought a Way Excellent II for my Music Hall MMF7.1. The differences were incredible. I sold that TT and opted to head down the "classic path" so bought a mint Denon PD47F. Looking forward to the arrival of the new mat for this TT. I just installed some soft Tenderfeet under it and that made a marked improvement already. Thanks for great products.
Name: Luis Santiago
Review: My set up is receiver onkyo TX-SR605,cd denon CDR-W1500,Phono Tube project TubeBox w Electro Harmonix 12AX7EHG,turntable Music Hall MMF-2.1LE ferrari red w Cartridge Ortofon 2M Red and Speakers Athena Technologies Micra-6- i used in 2ch my cables is monstercables navajo white w interconectors MIT - alas i put the herbie mat in my turntable i listen some Lp's Mofi i will hear the diference in all fequencies more body more information more tridimensionall more extended sound i watch the ortofon i encountered more stability and more trackability than before and i'm very impressed in this set up is changed the soundstage is more open i will recommended this tweek my friends for a cheap is the best tweak i ever tried thanks herbie
Name: Mathieu Marcil, Toronto, Canada
Review:
I had tried felt (2 kinds), rubber, and a cork spot mat on my mmf-5 and the Way Excellent mat easily outperformed them all. That mat now sits atop my new Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 Genie, and I bought a second mat for the Technics SL-B3 I keep in the study for transcribing vinyl to digital—the 285 mm version is a perfect fit for the platter with a raised edge, exactly as advertised.
Name: Rich/Long Island, New York
Review: I don't know what else I can say about This Way Excellent Mat that I received today that hasn't alreday been said....
It is one of the best tweeks of the century....Anyone owning a turntable should not be without one....It just makes you want to listen to your albums all over again and hear what you've been missing.......Thanks again....
Name: Doug Brasier, Sydney, Australia
Review: The Way Excellent II Mat and the Well Tempered Turntable vs AQ Sorbothane Mat
Steve,
Ok, so I'll be keeping the Way Excellent II-3mm Mat on my Well Tempered Classic!
Just a few comments in response to what you've said below (Which was mostly quite on-the-money).
My findings with respect to your predictions...
You said, "...Sorbothane has a tendency to sort of skewer sonic linearity. Sometimes, with Sorbothane in the system, bass response is uneven and some higher frequencies attenuated. As time goes on, sometimes the system itself is skewered to accomodate the Sorbothane influence, and then when the Sorbothane is removed, the whole system might seem over bright, 'off' in the bass, and other problems."
In comparison to the Audioquest Sorbothane mat, the Way Excellent-II definitely provides tighter, more extended bass and linearity. More hi-frequency extension and linearity. Mid range was much the same.
The only area where the Sorbothane mat was better was in its ability to dampen spurious record noise, i.e. small clicks and pops. Records seem "quieter" insofar as if they're "in better condition" with the sorbothane mat.
But the AQ mat emphasizes the mid range and mid range dynamics. Music seems "LOUDER" overall with the AQ mat - but not at the frequency extremes. I hadn't "tweaked" my system, I'd just ignored it. Or got used to it. Compared to digital for example, the TT high freq extension and energy is now MUCH more, and some would say "over-bright." But I'll do something about that in another way.
In comparison with no mat at all, both the AQ sorbothane mat and the Way Excellent II dampen bass in my system and clean up treble, but the Way Excellent II does a better job. The AQ mat dampens the highs TOO MUCH.
The one situation where the AQ mat could be used again at its best is where i have a "BRIGHT" RECORD that i...
Name: Robert Simpson, Ohio
Review: My first impression with the mat (Way Excellent II) is that it takes my humble vintage AR turntable to another level. It's like I upgraded to a $1500 table. Everything is much more focused and musical. I love it.
Name: Michael Dubrow, Sedona, Arizona
Review: My Linn LP12 is 23 years old, but is fully updated with Keel/Tampolin suspension, Ekos tonearm and Akiva Cartridge, etc. But man, I CAN'T BELIEVE how great it sounds with your new mat. You took perfection of sound to a new level. Thank you.
Name: Michael Lal, Bolton, Ontario
Review: Just recieved my Herbie's Way Excellent II (3mm) mat for my Thorens TD160 and let me just say one thing: "Wow!" I've noticed right away a more open wider soundstage, lower surface noise, better defined bass and cleaner midrange. The turntable just increased its value by a thousand bucks! Awesome product Steve, keep up the good work.
Name: Jacob Wildemore, Chalfont, Pennsylvania
Review: It sounds great on my MMF 7.1.
Name: Robert Kernechel, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Review: I bought the Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat for my Nottingham Horizon TT and it is fantastic. What an improvement in soundstage and depth! I also have tighter bass and more liquid highs. I was skeptical but this is the real deal.
Name: Claybourne White, St. Charles, Illinois
Review: Thanks for the quick service, and for a product which, so far, seems like one I'll be happy with for a long time. I'd replaced the felt mat on my Music Hall MMF-7 with a Ringmat. Sonically good combination, but after a record change or two, the mat loved to stay with the record. Your mat sounds as good with no static problem. Wish I'd found it sooner. Had no idea what you had to offer until I read several posts on the Steve Hoffman site.
Name: Grady Lewis, Virginia
Review: Bought your mat for my AR ES-1. Very pleased with it.
Name: Adam Edwards, Altamont, New York
Review: The mat was delivered in yesterday's mail, perfectly packaged. Thanks a lot. Last night, I tried it out. My latest "reference LP's" are Sonny Rollins "Way Out West" and Shelby Lynne "Just a Little Lovin".
I compared short three minute spins with each album first on my Rega felt and then on your mat. The music with your mat in place seemed cleaner and more realistic. Sonny's breath through the sax reed was more "in the room," and Shelby's voice seemed a bit less nasal and more "alive." I then sat back, and enjoyed a full side of Ella (Live in London), Graham Nash (Songs for Beginners), Cat Stevens (Tea for the Tillerman), and Dexter Gordon (Go !), and I was very impressed with how all the music seemed to sound better with the Herbie's mat. My initial reaction to your mat is a very good one, and I'm looking forward to more listening this weekend.
Name: Bill Faust, Whitehall, Montana
Review: Steve, Just received my "Herbie's Way Excellent II Turntable Mat." First, I would like to thank you for your quick response. I ordered late Monday evening, and yet you responded that night to let me know that the mat would ship the next morning. Great service! I installed the mat on my Music Hall MMF 5.1, replaceing the stock felt mat. I am a budding audiophile and have been upgrading my audio system over the past several months. Because I am new, I still have difficulties explaining the differences that I hear with the various upgrades, but let me state unequivocally that the mat made a significant difference for the better. I can say that the bass is much cleaner and has more "punch" without being overbearing.
Can't wait to hear more of my collection on the mat.
Name: Sean Heath, Golden Valley, Minnesota
Review: Got the mat today and am amazed at the improvement. I could go on and on but the best example is mistaking the barking dog on the Temptation record by Holly Cole for one of my German Shepherds even though I have heard that track many times before. Well worth the money, thanks also for the quick service." (Way Excellent II-3.7mm, 285mm diameter mat with Technics SL-1200MK2.)
Name: Joel Waterman, San Jose, California
Review: I had a RingMat 330 XLR on my Thorens (125 MkII). I did a number of A/B/A tests with the last track on Side 1 of Ben Webster/Joe Zawinul's "Soulmates." I found that the Ringmat displayed some brittleness around the treble which I did not experience with Herbie's mat. The midrange was less muddy than with the Ringmat. I found I could more clearly discern the piano lines. They, and the bass, had more foundation, the tone was "rounder" and it sounded like they were brought forward in the mix somewhat. There was an evenness to the sound of the band that I found more pleasant to listen to with Herbie's mat. The Ringmat accentuated the tenor and cornet to the slight detriment of the piano, bass and drums. Herbie's mat put it all nicely into place again.
The differences were not earth shattering in my system. But they became more clear upon repeated switching and listening. Overall I found the differences worthwhile and certainly worth the money.
Name: Randy Krelle, San Francisco, California
Review: "The Way Excellent II (2mm), as you recommended, is sounding very fine on my Lenco."
Name: Neale Ramakrishnan, Toronto, Canada
Review: Firstly, I'm glad I gave you a good measurement for the custom OD - and glad I let you cut it! No way I would have been that clean. Same for the ID, of course - great start.
Now, I wasn't a skeptic, but I didn't think I'd hear much difference. Difference, sure, but I wasn't expecting what I heard. Much improved clarity and detail. I didn't even bother A/Bing it with the stock mat. So much more stuff that I was hearing that I didn't EVER hear before. Definitely different, and there's no accounting for taste, but I like the difference. Like it a LOT.
Name: JF, Simi Valley, California
Review: Just a word to say how much I like the mat. It's working better than the Funk (or felt)
Name: Robert Stuthridge, Straughn, Indiana
Review: The Way Excellent II 2 mm Turntable Mat arrived in perfect condition (and very quickly) today - thank you. I lost no time fitting it onto my Ariston RD11s (SME series III, Shure V15-RS) and am totally astonished at the improvement over the premium felt mat I was using previously. Reduced noise, improved tonal quality throughout the frequency spectrum, and the music sounding "effortless" and "unstrained" with your mat. I can't believe how much difference the mat makes. I had already modified the Ariston to get the best out of it - this is really more than the icing on the cake! Well done and thanks!
Name: Barry Grant, Missoula, Montana
Review: Just a note to say how much I like your stuff. The TT mat and stabilizer make the greatest difference (w/Clearaudio Champion). Replacing a marigo interface platter, LPs now are more detailed and more relaxed sounding, and so more engaging.
Name: Kenneth Goss, Fremont, California
Review: I rec'd the mat today, worth every penny if not more. Listening to Heart "Dreamboat Annie" Nautilus Super Disc, I am hearing better vocal timbre, more air around the acoustic guitar and a bit more bass extension." (Older LP12, Valhalla, Cirkus bearing, Shelter 5000 Cartridge, Van Den Hul tonearm cable.)
Name: Ian Threadgold, Warrington, United Kingdom
Review: The turntable mat (3.7mm version) works a treat on my Garrard, more neutral and natural sounding.
Name: Gary Sasso
Review: Just got my Way Excellent II (2mm) mat in the mail today. Put it on my Rega P3-24 and wasn't sure that I'd hear any difference. I was wrong. Everything tightened up; soundstage improved, bass was tight and right, treble shrillness went away. But, by far the most improvement was in midrange voicing; Shelby Lynne (Just a Little Lovin--great album) sounds stunning. Remastered 180g vinyl Pet Sounds is incredible. And, the Atlantic remaster of Cotrane's Giant Steps now really shows what a genius the guy was.
Thanks for a great product at a great price.
Name: Jeff Baird, Des Moines, Iowa
Review: hey I wanted to take a second and tell you thank you for taking time to answer my questions so quickly and to tell you WOW!
I normally do not email a manufacturer on a product after I have purchased it but this has made such a huge difference I had to. Being old school audiophile and not warming up to the idea that a lot of tweaks really work I have been very hesitant to try a lot of little things like this, but I have to say your mat has made a huge difference in my system! The lows are where I really hear the difference, they seem so much tighter than before, I would have never believed it until hearing it! But everything seems just a touch more real. After playing just one side of Billy Joel's MFSL I thought maybe your mat was magic?? When I closed my eyes I would have sworn his piano was in my room!
Thanks again, I will recommend this to everyone I talk to!!! (Way Excellent II-2mm mat w/Rega P25)
Name: Richard Benner, Highspire, Pennsylvania
Review: Almost all my audio equipment is 'vintage' and I honestly thought that the sound couldn't be improved until I received my Way Excellent Mat and SuperSonic record stabilizer. It's like having a new system.
Name: Ray McClain, Savannah, Georgia
Review: The Way Excellent II 2mm turntable mat arrived today. I want you to know how pleased I am with it. I put it on a stock AR XA, and noticed a clear improvement over my former '70's vintage Discwasher felt mat. With both mats, I tapped the platter and also tapped on a record with the stylus in the groove (motor off), and could easily hear a difference in resonance control, the Way Excellent II mat being my preferred choice.
The mat is destined to go on a highly modified AR XA with after-market sub-chassis, motor and Sumiko MMT tonearm. I will be ordering another mat to go on the stock table, which is going to be part of a second system.
I have wanted to try a new mat for many years. For whatever reason, I was not inclined to try sorbothane, lead or cork. I am glad that I found out about your products and gave your mat a try.
Name: Jaime Amador, Puerto Rico
Review: Hello! The Mat just arrive and it fits perfectly! It sound great right away! THANKS! (Gyrodec Mk3 w/Way Excellent II-3mm, 292mm diameter.)
Name: Russell Bucans, Manchester, New Hampshire
Review: Your mat made a very significant difference over the good old AQ Sorbothane mat I've been using. Detail, sweetness, focus (bass too!), dimensions, frequency extension (bass and treble), groove silence (!) All increased VERY NOTICEABLY. I really believe my cartridge is tracking much better (Denon DL-103) on your mat.
I'm using a classic Well Tempered turntable and arm.
Name: Paulo Mendes, Portugal
Review: I just received your way excellent II mat to install in my Micro-Seiki RX-1500 which did wonders but I wasn't expecting what came next. I tried it in my custom made turntable and my jaw fell into the floor, god what a difference, it seems I did a $1000 upgrade like my cartridges where upgraded (Van den Hul Grasshopper III SLA, Benz Micro LP and Dynavector D17 MKII). I love it so much that I going to buy another for the Micro-Seiki because this baby isn't leaving my main analog setup, so in a word THANKS for a great product.
Name: Don Walizer, Conway, Arkansas
Review: I'm really happy with my Way Excellent II Turntable Mat on my Thorens TD 126 tt. I've used various cork and felt mats in the past and have not been very satisfied.
Name: Jeffrey Matthews, Markham, Canada
Review: The other day I received my new Herbie turntable mat for my vintage (fully restored) Garrard Zero 100. As per my last email I told you I'd let you know if I hear any difference. Well to keep it brief...
"Holy Cow" - what an amazing product you have. I've always liked the sound of my turntable (along with the rest of my vintage analog audio gear), but this simple upgrade really made a big difference. I'm not hearing surface noise or motor noise anymore --- which was very minimally being transferred to my speakers (but still I could hear it).
What this did was almost like taking a veil off of the speakers. Now because only the music from the record is being transferred to my speakers without anything being added, I can hear details I did not hear before. It's so much clearer that you'd think I did a speaker upgrade, instead of just a turntable mat upgrade.
...I'm very pleased.
Name: Stephen Anderson, Canada
Review: I'm using your turntable mat with my Linn Sondek LP-12. It brings out the best in everything; it's really quite fantastic, and I'm very happy to have it.
Name: Frank Smith, Lusby, Maryland
Review: I got the Way Excellent for my Music Hall MMF-7 Turntable. Hard to believe a mat could make this much difference. This is one of those tweaks that you don't have to pretend you hear. It's all right there.This mat replaced the Non Felt mat that had replaced the original felt mat. Compared to the Non Felt, the very dynamic bass in my copy of Pink Floyd -- The Final Cut went from sort of wooly and out of control with the Non Felt to smooth, tight and even more extended. Waters' voice comes right out at you.Listening to Hank Mobley's Self titled album BN 1568, the Herbie mat put Mobley's horn in the room, and Sonny Clark's Piano (I think it is Clark) had notes literally popping out like bubbles of sound. It was so cool. Noise levels for all records went down and the pops in records were not as invasive as they once were.It was a good purchase.
Name: Steve Weber, Madison, Wisconsin
Review: Been listening to my TT with the "way excellent" in place for the last few evenings and I have to say that the darn thing may actually improve the sonics of my vinyl rig (Rega P9 - Sumiko Blackbird). I bought it mainly to fix the static cling hassle with the stock felt mat and was not really expecting much in the way of better sound. In my line of work, I am paid to be skeptical, to debunk myths, to scoff at unsupported but widely believed illusions. I'm not going to gush out a lot of audiophile blather about sound staging, PRAT, and dynamics, etc. But female vocals and acoustic guitar do sound more realistic. Perhaps you could add another prefix to the product description: "Really is a way excellent TT mat"
Name: J. P., Chicago, Illinois
Review: The way excellent mat is great -- you had told me it is not so much anti-static as non-static, and this is 100% correct. A month deep in a dry chicago winter, the static problems I had with my felt mat (and even worse with the extreme none-felt) are totally gone. No static pops during play or when I lift the needle. The mat never sticks to the record! The sonic improvements are noticeable vs. the felt, and I'd say about the same as what I noticed with the none-felt. But I'd pay twice this amount for the static relief alone!
Name: Tony McCarty, Columbus, Ohio
Review: Just received the Herbie Mat, and I'm very pleased. It added both firm bass punch and more clarity on the high ends at the same time. My Pro-ject RM-4 was already a sweet sounding turntable, but the Herbie Mat really makes it sing. And, I don't really need the record clamp anymore. Oh, and it looks really cool, too. Thanks again.
Name: Patrick Poggia, Le Pecq, France
Review: The TT mat arrived earlier than announced and I thank you for that. It works beautifully. From an initial A/B comparison, I imediately found that the treble notes of a piano were richer and less aggressive. Then I tried to find the best adjustments. I suppose it is normal I had to change VTA as the Way Excellent mat is slightly slimmer than the original felt mat (no big deal). Then, with your mat, I was able to very precisely adjust cartridge bias and weight with no doubt on what was best. Also, I corrected very slightly one of my speaker angles and now, wow, the mat sure adds depth, width, air and harmonics. On some good recordings, the instruments are here in the room. Overall, my system (Linn LP-12, Ekos II, Akiva) is more musical than with the original felt mat. Thank you, I am rediscovering my records.
Name: Doug Olsen, U.S.A
Review: I have found Herbie's "Way Better Turntable Mat" to be far superior to the stock mat and another aftermarket mat I have tried (w/Thorens TD125 MKII).
Name: Cheryl K., Pahoa, Hawaii
Review: The TT matt really is WAY-Excellent. Wow, big difference! It cleaned up the mud.
Name: Richard Quaite, Leeds, U.K.
Review: Just a quick belated note to say thanks. That mat is incredible. It made a massive improvement the moment I put it on, and I've tried all sorts including the Funk Achromat, SDS Isoplatmat, Clearaudio Harmonicer, felt, cork, rubber etc and combinations of all of them, but the Way Excellent mat easily beats them all. One day I should take it off to see what it sounds like without it, but it's been on since the day it arrived and taking it off sounds like a frightening prospect!!!
Name: Mark Kirby, Baltimore, Maryland
Review: The turntable mat made a remarkable improvement: a far more coherent presentation, flowing and alive. I must say Rosemary Clooney sounded like she'd risen from the dead to sing those Harold Arlen songs.Before I installed the mat, I considered my SACD player (Sony NS500V) my best source. Now I figure the old AR turntable is. Right off, I had the feeling that I wanted to drag out stuff I hadn't listened to in a long time.
Name: Ken Adams
Review: The Way Excellent II-4.5 has been a wonderful upgrade for the Technics, much, much better than either the thick or thin Technics rubber mats. I also have the SuperSonic Record Stabilizer and find it to be useful on some records. Great products!
Name: Rob Mickus, Geneva, Illinois
Review: Hello Way Excellent Mat! So long LP12 felt! A huge upgrade. Kinda shocking. Thanks!
Name: Curt Springmeier, St. Louis, Missouri
Review: The turntable mat is as advertised. I have a Linn Sondek with Armageddon Power Supply, Naim ARO tonearm, and Dynavector cartridge. The sound falls between the stock felt mat and the Extreme Audio mat which is exactly what I wanted. Had to play with the VTA as the mat is thinner than the Extreme Audio, but I like thinner better. The Extreme Audio mat in my system drew too much of the dynamics out of the sound.
Name: Alan Olan, Sidney, Australia
Review: Just installed the turntable mat on my Kuzma Stabi. I just expected the sound to be different as I thought the sound was great as it was. Like the cd mat I noticed the difference straight away. The sound became clearer, the voices became more focused and there was more depth and ambiance. There was more clarity to the sound. Anyway I now prefer having the mat on my Kuzma Stabi. I think it's a cheap upgrade well worth it.
Name: David Hall, Alpharetta, Georgia
Review: Well, the new Way Excellent turntable mat sounds terrific! Better than the Extreme Donut mat that it replaced. The music is really very, very close to sounding like the real event. I think in my case it's the synergy between good components -- making the whole picture complete. I have a pretty good setup -- VPI Mk IV with JMW arm, SAMA standalone moter, Decware phono stage (using HAL-O's on the tubes).I've gone nuts trying different cables, phono stages -- and yes -- turntable mats. Thanks for the HAL-O's, Way Excellent turntable mat and Isolation feet -- they are essential ingredients to my current setup. It's nice to be able to sit back and just enjoy the music for a change without the need to upgrade anything else. The mat also stays in place when changing albums.
Name: Mark Gilbert, Lynnwood, Washington
Review: That turntable mat is some kind of (expletive) incredible. On my Thorens, it blows away the Ringmat.
Name: Samuel Fagaly, Charleston, Illinois
Review: The first one I ordered made an incredible improvement on my AR XA and my LP 12. I'm tired of moving it back and forth so I need a second mat. Thanks for a great product at a reasonable price!
Name: Glen McKenzie, Toronto, Canada
Review: I am very pleased.
Name: Erik Huddleston, Farmers Branch, Texas
Review: Long story short, your mat slayed my original LP12 mat. No contest.
Name: Denny Spangler, Jackson, Michigan
Review: I can't begin to say how much of a difference the Way Excellent Mat has made in my system! So much more detail! The soundstage has expanded! Vocals sound so real! Bass has more impact and detail! Some LPs sound like a master tape. Even rechanneled stereo sounds a lot better. Thanks for making such an awesome product and at a good price too!
Name: Robert Clemens, Chicago, Illinois
Review: I bought a second-hand Boston Audio Mat 1 and was pleased with it. When I heard about Herbie's mat, I thought I'd try it too. Well, guess what? I'm using the Herbie's Way Excellent Mat now. With the Mat 1, ensemble, jazz, and acoustic music sounded a bit "heavy" or "dark" in comparison, sort of like chamber music playing in a minor key. Maybe I just prefer a more light and breezy sound, but with Herbie's mat everything seems more realistic.
Name: John Madsen, Fredrikstad, Norway
Review: Received my Way Excellent Turntable Mat a few days ago in good condition. Very sturdily packed, I must say! Spun up the old Spacedeck still with the PlatterMatter on and listened through a few reference recordings (Belafonte in Albert Hall, Mahler's 2nd, Jethro Tull Aqualung and others). Swapped the mats, same records back on the deck and voila! Most definitely an improvement in dynamics and "life" and "sparkle" (for want of better words). A little bit less "wool" around the edges and slightly sharper transients. Not huge differences, as mine was already a great-sounding rig, but certainly noticeable and very well worth the less-than-substantial investment. Overall I'll give it a 12 out of 10 for price/performance! Rest assured that I'll, if not perhaps shout your praise from the rooftops, then at least spread the word and recommend it whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Name: Marty Thomas, Modesto, California
Review: This is much better than any other turntable mat I've ever used. It's more full-bodied than the cork Ringmat and doesn't dull the low end like the Non-Felt does. I've tried other mats too, over the years, and this one is definitely the best.Added more than two years later:Well, I sold the Linn and have purchased a Platine Verdier Turntable. This is a massive unsprung turntable with a 40 pound steel platter that makes a dramatic improvement over the Linn. And after listening for a period of time, I decided to try your mat on this table. The result was about the same improvement as it made on the Linn. I'm getting lots of mileage from this mat.
Name: Scott Klein, North Carolina
Review: Hate the name, love the mat. The NonFelts, expecially the donut shaped mat, are excellent, but the Herbie's does everything a degree better. Unequivocally recommended.
Name: Sean Ogarrio, California
Review: Your turntable mat has done very nicely for my P25 Rega table.
Name: Tom Mulgrew, Brentwood, Tennessee
Review: Very effective.
Name: Chris Howell, St. Helena, California
Review: The mat works great on my MMF-5 -- certainly much better than black felt. The sound is brilliant!
Name: Richard Fanning, Lower Templestowe, Australia
Review: The TT Mat is much better than the standard felt mat on my Rega P25. Most noticable difference is clarity and focus with more ambience in recordings evident. Overall, a lot more involving sound!
Name: Mark Dunn, McKinney, Texas
Review: About a year ago I decided to try a Herbie's Way Excellent Mat, since it was reasonably inexpensive and had some fairly solid reviews from people whose opinions I take seriously. The effect of the Herbie's mat was to reveal a little more detail and extend both frequency extremes somewhat and it did this without changing the fundamental character of the LP12. Not changing the "Linniness" of the LP12 is important to me.A short while ago I ordered the new Way Excellent II Donut. For those not familiar with the Herbie's mat, it comes in two layers. The bottom layer is a sort of dense foam (for want of a better description) and the top layer, the donut, is some kind of rubber-like polymer. The Way Excellent II "donut" is just the top layer. The donut is the only part that changed with the Mat II.I have since received and fitted the new type donut and can say that it is *much* better than the original. Again the character of the LP12 remains intact and again there is a little further extension of frequency extremes. However, the amount of extra detail/resolution across all frequencies is greatly improved and I can now hear musical strands that were absent before, -- even in complex and frenetic music like The Rezillos. The other obvious difference is that tracking security is very much enhanced. The XV-1 is a good tracker to start with, but it now sounds so much more "planted" in the groove. Hard to describe without experiencing it.Overall, I would say that the new donut alone has made a rather bigger improvement than the complete original mat. Whether the Herbie's mat will work as well with other decks I have no idea, but on my LP12 it does live up to its name, -- Way Excellent.
Name: Fernando Escarcega, San Antonio, Texas
Review: Makes the music sound tighter, cleaner (Nottingham Horizon turntable).
Name: Luis Melendez
Review: I have been using your TT mat, which is on loan from a friend, and can honestly say that I like it much more than the AudioQuest Sorbothane, RingMat, and Extreme phono non felt. I'll be ordering one of your mats soon.
Name: Steve Miller, Newton Center, Massachusetts
Review: The turntable mat was a considerable improvement over the felt mat on my modest LP12 setup. Then, since I had the isolation feet (Tenderfeet), I tried them under the turntable frame base, and yet more improvement.
Name: Earl Thomas, Capon Bridge, West Virginia
Review: My phono rig is a TD 125/Rabco SL8E arm/Grado Master/YSA Audio Concerto phono pre tweaked w/smooth plates and a few other things. Its 54db gain with a high output Grado makes it equal the output of the Trivista within a couple of db. Great for comparing. So, heres what I think.The bass improvement was immediately noticable. It's a nice looking mat as well. I've tried cork and felt and other things. I like this better although I wish it addressed the image more. I am an image/soundstage freak. Of course I wish it made my system sound like it was worth millions but hey I am realistic. So it's a keeper.
Name: Randy Wells, Bellevue, Washington
Review: The Way Excellent II-3mm mat is an improvement over the original stock felt (and your original Way Excellent mat). It provides a perfect VTA on my Rega P9/RB 1000 with Koetsu and the sound is the best I've heard from this combo.
Name: Marc Andes, Howard Beach, New York
Review: The mat is amazing. I thought my turntable's poor bass response and dynamic range were because it's a relatively inexpensive $600 belt drive. Turns out it was that cheap-ass felt mat. The bass response has improved 100% and the midrange is much more lifelike and "analog" sounding. An absolute must for budget turntables and probably all others as well.
Name: Robert McKie, Belmont, Massachusetts
Review: The 3.7mm mat arrived quickly and in fine shape. I dropped my tonearm a bit to match the somewhat reduced thickness of your mat over the original and sat down to listen. I have been listening ever since! I have a large collection of jazz LPs, many mono, from the 50's and 60's that belonged to my dad, and I have been working my way through them. Your mat is certainly an improvement over the stock setup, and the Denon 3000/Sumiko MMT/Shelter 501-II have removed whatever compulsion I felt to do an upgrade.
Name: Bradley Ellis, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Review: I received your "Way Excellent Turntable Mat" today. I must say that it lives up to its name. It is way excellent. Thank you for this upgrade to my entire record collection. I'll be up late tonight listening for sure." (used with lead-plated George Merrill acrylic platter)
Name: Hiroshi Ishii, Fremont, California
Review: The effect is sound get tighter!
Name: Aaron Kovics, Oakland Gardens, New York
Review: I feel compelled to say that your mat not only solved the problems that I had that are inherent with the OEM felt mat, but I was shocked to see no loss of sound quality that I experienced with some other rubber-type mats. I am once again pleased with my purchase of another one of your products.
Name: Terry Phipps, Lemon Grove, California
Review: The mat is GREAT! Like many, I stuck with the felt mat because other mats make you give up some of the lovely sound or liveliness we buy Linns for, to get a measure of clarity (this is also true of many very expensive upgrades). Your mat has no downside I can hear. Basically, it allows better control across the spectrum – clearly, evenly and beautifully. My Linn sounds like a better Linn, that's all!
Name: Pascal Cheng, Burlington, Vermont
Review: I am very pleased with your turntable mat. It is the best sounding mat that I have had on my Rega Planar 3.
Name: Doug Lang, Peoria, Arizona
Review: Just installed the new Way Excellent II 4.5mm Mat on my modified Vintage Pioneer PL-630 TT. All I can say is -- UNBELIEVEABLE -- I never thought a mat could make so much difference. Besides being so much more musical, the focus, detail, soundstage is fantastic. Kudos to you for one heck of a product. I was going to look into getting another turntable in the 2k bracket but after hearing the Way Excellent II mat, there is no need to. Best upgrade to a TT for the money. Thanx for you help and professionalism.
Name: Peter Seravalle, Canada
Review: Your tt mat was a night and day difference in sound and in static control compared to the original felt mat, by the way the masking tape worked like a charm removing the built up dust. (Musical Life Jazz Turntable.)
Name: Gerald Greenamyer, California
Review: Just wanted to let you know that the mat and headshell dampener work very well with my turntable. Very happy. Thanks,Gerald.
Name: Peter K., Netherlands
Review: I recieved the mat in good order, perfectly packed. My 1st impressions are very positive. More detail, better channel seperation and more space/depth.Thanks for this relatively cheap ugrade!
Name: Mike Arden, Slough, United Kingdom
Review: The mat is an item that makes you go back through your record collection playing tracks just to hear the sound difference on them (Linn LP12). I thought I'd certainly get some sort of an improvement but was genuinely stunned by how much. As a value for money upgrade in respect of sound quality it is unbeatable and should really be offered as an option on new turntables (as well as not so new ones!) Impressed? Oh, only a Lot!!!
Name: Ed Hackett, Reno, Nevada
Review: The mat is a definite improvement over the stock felt mat on my Rega P25. As others have reported, the sound is more clear and focused. The sound stage is also deeper and wider. I'm very pleased with the mat.
Name: Zvonimir Komar, Zagreb, Croatia
Review: I wanted to tell you that i'm really impressed with the way excellent TT mat. i'm using it on a rega p3-24 (which has glass platter as you probably know). it sounds great and the sound has gained in focus particulary.
Name: John King, Paris, Kentucky
Review: Many thanks for the mat. I really do like it a lot. My music sounds much more fluid and transparent than with the old stock heavy rubber mat. Also, on the Pioneer 112D there was no change in platter speed (this was a slight concern). Thanks again.
Name: Clifford Johnson, South Bend, Indiana
Review: I have to admit that this mat focuses images in the sound stage in ways I have not experienced with other mats (Music Hall MMF-7 turntable). Records seem quieter than before as well.
Name: Stephen Varga, Staten Island, New York
Review: I received the Way Excellent II Turntable mat today. I have noticed a newfound richness in the sound. Much appreciated, I'll not think twice about recommending this product
Name: Greg Weiland, Ohio
Review: The sound improvement was immediate and dramatic.
Name: Scott Dalzell, Vienna, Virginia
Review: I love my Herbie's turntable platter mat!
Name: Jeff Foster, Round Rock, Texas
Review: There are not big but there are subtle improvements in sound with the Way Excellent mat on my Nottingham Space Deck with the heavy kit (larger platter). I also like the friction of the mat, keeps the records from slipping on the bare platter which is very slick by itself. (I haven't had a chance yet to see about adjusting the vertical tracking angle after the addition of the mat to see if that improves anything.)
Name: Phil Morris, Oregon
Review: I'm currently using your Way Excellent mat on my Well Tempered turntable with excellent results.
Name: Mark McCracken, Houston, Texas
Review: I've been listening to everything from Bill Evans to PIL to Bach to DJ Shadow to Rachmaninoff to Nada Surf to Genesis – Everything is sounding darn good." (Way Excellent II-3.7mm on top of original rubber mat, SL-1210 M5G)
Name: Jeff, United States
Review: I use it on my acrylic platter mmf-7. It was the first mat I found that I liked better than the stock felt mat. (Looks better, too.) I also prefer it with light pressure from a clamp.
Name: Murray Rubinstein
Review: I just put my WEII on my Project III today and have spent the afternoon listening to a variety of lps. There really is a difference -- better soundstage -- more precise sound of instruments within space, etc. It really works even after a few hours of solid and careful listening.
Name: Jeff Zaret, Lancaster, California
Review: My expectations were definitely realized and surpassed with the WAY Excellent Turntable Mat. I had recently had a "tune-up" on my turntable and had also purchased a new cartridge and needle. I was impressed with the improvement it brought but literally had my "jaw drop" after I installed the new WAY Excellent Turntable Mat. I started listening to albums to see if I could hear some noticeable difference. Well, there was a big difference. There was more depth, clarity and texture to the sounds I was used to hearing over the last 30-plus years! Even some instruments that I had taken for granted, which I figured were just "there" and it was the age of the recording and the recording equipment used. WRONG! I heard more clarity and textured instruments than before while hearing some well defined mid-range and clean and clear bass that I was not hearing before. Now I know that some of this is attributed to the new cartridge and needle but I had been listening for 2 to 3 weeks so when I added the TT mat it just made that more apparent and enhanced everything even more than before. It was like I had just moved up another level in excellence.
Name: Patrick Poggia, Le Pecq, France
Review: I adjusted VTA and increased tracking force to 1.9g, which I believe became possible because LP gets a better hold by your mat. Antiskating was easier to adjust than with the original felt mat. Of course, it changed the sound stage and I had to adapt somehow (same felt mat sound for 23 years!). The change was for the best and I could tell right from the beginning. I can confirm it is not just a 'hifi fool', short-time effect. However there are instances when some favourite records sounded disapointing at first. The reason is, whith more details, you get obviously more information about microphone positioning and valve, transistor, mixing console etc. 'signatures', in short you are distracted from music by the recording/pressing engineering. Fortunately, it did not last long. It soon became clear to me that the mat is in fact very neutral and also allows the cartridge to extract much more relevent (i.e. musical) information than the felt mat.I listened last night to one of my long lasting favourites, Bach's cello sonatas by Janos Starker. Mercury recordings have undoubtfuly a strong signature of their own and the mat shows it with great accuracy. My record is only a cheap but well done Philips pressing and it sounds quite well. I listened to a complete sonata as if this music was new to me. At concert hall level, it was so beautiful I did not want to stop listening.This is why I recommended your website to several friends, mainly LP12 owners.
Name: John in NC
Review: The Herbies Way Excellent Turntable Mat and Sonic Stabilizer have taken my Linn Axis turntable to another level.
Name: Frank Smith, Lusby, Maryland
Review: I got the mat today. Wow, it's hard to believe a mat could make such a huge difference!
Name: Mohammad Ridzwan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Review: Took about 8 days to deliver from USA to Malaysia plus custom and mail company clearance. I was listening to my TT on that day (Janis Ian breaking sileance album). The different was spot on! The bass is more defined, micro details retrieval is great and the vocal is beautiful with more body. I am totally satisfied with it, no regret!
Name: Chris Sideris, Chester Hill, Australia
Review: Noise levels dropped significantly. It was like the noise levels had halved. Also the tone of the noise changed but not the musical information. I noticed more rounded bass, less mechanical sounding, less distortion and a warmer and refined sound. You could here more detail and sounds you haven't heard before. Probably because it was quieter. This mat really works!
Name: Alex Padilla, Florida
Review: The Excellent Turntable mat works like a champ on my MMF-5.
Name: Brian Kelsey, Hillsboro, Oregon
Review: The turntable mat is great, thank you very much.
Name: Randy Buchanan, Virginia
Review: Your mat was received and installed on my wife's Music Hall MMF-5, and it works great. Many thanks."
Name: Mike Grove, Euless, Texas
Review: Have tried everything from felt to shelf-liner on the platter of my LP12 and your mat is without doubt THE best yet.
Name: Mark L, Winnipeg, Canada
Review: Yeah I am really impressed by your TT mat. I was very surprised how bright sounding my new lead platter was when I first dared to lift the 100lbs onto my teres bearing. I didnt like it until getting your mat which ended up soaking up the brittleness of the sound but yet allow access to the new found detail not found on the PVC platter. Well done.
Name: Todd Murakami, Mililani, Hawaii
Review: I just recieved my excellent mat yesterday and just after playing maybe 10 records or so I have concluded that this way excellent mat is truly an awesome investment.I have been using a ringmat previously and before that a homemade donut mat. In the past I have used Audioquest Sorbothane mat with clamp and Sumiko's interface material that came with the tonearm tweek kit. I haven't even began to adjust my tonearm for the changes and may not want to because the silences between grooves are the best I ever heard. The dynamics come through cleaner and overall tone is tighter; nothing sounds loose or overdamped. Midrange is so clear and at higher volumes sounds more controlled and natural. I am very familiar with 2 tracks on 2 different lps. On the first one (Damn Yankees - High Enough) the vocals build up toward the end and hearing blades and shaws wailing can crackle and break up horribly on my previous mats, but with the excellent mat the vocals are always controlled. I am even hearing textured wailing instead of fuzziness. The second album is George Michaels - Predjudice from the lp "Listen Without Predjudice" (his finest work in my experience). The strength and agnst on michaels voice are engaging, strong, and can also break up during the more complex passages -- but again with my new excellent mat the track soars through so natural and full of energy and with more blackness than before. Bass is the best I've heard -- deeper -- tighter -- feels stronger through my NHT sub. Mids and highs definitely cleaner with more defined placement in space. I dunno if there is more air but I'm only through 10 records thus far. Pops and clicks seem to push a little farther back and are not as intrusive. I applaud your work at Herbie's and hope to possibly invest more into future products with you.
Name: Graham Livingston, London, United Kingdom
Review: The turntable mat arrived today, thanks. I put it on the LP12 straight away, and I'm very pleased with what I'm hearing.
Name: John Lanier
Review: It's great with my MMF-7.
Name: Eric Haller, Shirley, New York
Review: After playing just a few LPs I noticed a tighter bass, much tighter, and quieter background. Very happy with the mat. thank you.
Name: Dolores P., Wrexham, United Kingdom
Review: The difference in sound quality, quite frankly, is night and day! The importance of the interface between record and platter is often underestimated; the Herbie's mat provides a clevery executed and very effective solution to this issue. I'm very pleased -- thanks for a great product!
Name: Peter Gough, Canada
Review: I just wanted to thank you for this wonderful mat. I had been finding my system a tad bright, and the mat has settled the high end down immensely. I listen almost exclusively to jazz recorded between 1950 and 1980 and find piano and vibraphone no longer stings my ears. I no longer suffer listening fatigue.
Name: Buyung Soeharmadji, Jakarta, Indonesia
Review: Your way excellent mat give my analitical clearaudio more soul or maybe people usually use the term Prat.
Name: David Harbaugh, Jackson, Michigan
Review: I ordered a TT mat earlier this week. It arrived quickly and am very happy with the quality and performance of your product. It is being used as a replacement on a restored idler table and looks quite nice as well. Thanks for your quick service and solid upgrade to my analog set-up.
I just have to tell you the mat is amazing! You just don't expect that much from a mat. Sure enough, it brings out better detail, and with my VPI Aries it does even better with a clamp -- the clamp gives it more dynamics and punch.
Joe Mendez, Samammish, Washington
I've had a few days to try the turntable mat on my LP12 and I'm very pleased with the result. Always difficult to describe sound, but I'd say "relaxed precision" would about cover it. I put the felt mat back on and was surprised how muddy it sounded. Certainly good value.
Barry Smith, The Entrance, Australia
The first thing I noticed on my Pro-Ject 1.2 turntable was a better overall balance with extension of bass and treble with an additional clarity in the mids. I am surprised that changing from the stock felt mat to Herbie's mat can make such a difference. The most noticeable performance gains were in low bass and treble extension. Also, your mat does not stick to my LPs unlike my stock felt mat whether the turntable is running or not. It is a great inexpensive upgrade, worth every penny.
Benjamin Yee, Fremont, California
Got the mat today and am amazed at the improvement. I could go on and on but the best example is mistaking the barking dog on the Temptation record by Holly Cole for one of my German Shepherds even though I have heard that track many times before. Well worth the money, thanks also for the quick service. (Way Excellent II-3.7mm, 285mm diameter with Technics SL1200 MK II)
Sean Heath, Golden Valley, Minnesota
As you know I've been using the "way excellent" turntable mat for a few weeks now. I was going to change out the Technics SL1210 M5G to a belt drive but now with your mat in place the table sounds so much better. The mat has dropped the noise floor and given the table a much smoother sound. Have a good one.
John OBrien, Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Got the mat yesterday. Thanks. I'm astonished. The difference isn't remotely subtle. Better everything, to the point where I'm putting aside my search for a new phono pre-amp. (Linn LP-12 w/full-size Way Excellent II-2mm)
Paul Harsha, Cambridge, Massachusetts
I have recently added a Herbie's 5mm Turntable Mat and Supersonic Stabilizer to my Amadeus GTA, and the differences are astounding. A much quieter background and deep well-defined bass are the results, with no perceived negatives. The reviewer for the Absolute Sound was right when he said that isolation would help this table. I believe I've taken the sonics up a notch again with these simple isolation tools.
Ghunter (posted at Audiogon)
Looks and works great; way better than that miserable felt rag that came with my P3.
Russ Riffell, Richmond, British Columbia
Some time ago I purchased a Herbie's Way Excellent Mat for my Pro-Ject Xpression II, and I've been thrilled with the performance and improvement it's made to my setup!
Bill Riel, Canada
Hello. I just enjoyed your mat. It is great. I guess I do not need new/better turntable for now.
Jarek Guzy, Shelton, Connecticut
WOW! I ordered the Way Excellent II turntable mat to replace the cheap felt mat that came with my Pro-ject Debut III turntable. What an amazing difference!! The sound is so much more balanced, the bass is clearer, and it even somehow makes the pops/crackles quieter!! Sometimes it even eliminates them!! Best $59 I ever spent. You guys ROCK!!!!
Brian Worthing, Shelton, Connecticut
Name: Bhupendra Jain, Qatar
Review: I recently ordered a Way Excellent II, 3mm mat for my Clearaudio Concept turntable. The TT sounds excellent even without the mat, so I was initially sceptical about trying the mat. However, the sonic quality improved astonishingly with the new mat. Huge improvement in instrument separation as well reduction in static from old vinyls too. In fact, the sound is now warmer and has eliminated any minor ear fatigue. Robert's advice was great....he asked me to try the 3mm mat instead of 2mm and was spot on. I had to increase the Tonearm height of course, which was relatively simple. Another inexpensive yet astoundingly good product from Herbie's Audio Lab!