M MAT - Carbon LP Matte - Millennium Audio Vision - Audio Reference

The turntable is the direct interface between the turntable and the record - and therefore one of the most critical points in the entire analog signal path. Resonances from motor vibrations, bearing noises and the room itself travel via the platter directly into the LP and from there into the scanning system. What the ear perceives as a slight blurring or a lack of foundation has its origin here. This is precisely where the Millennium M-Mat Carbon comes in: an elaborately manufactured, double-sided platter support made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and anti-resonant velvet, which has been considered one of the most effective tuning tools for turntables in the analog hi-fi scene for over eight years.

Behind the M-Mat is Millennium Audio Vision from Hamburg - a company that works according to the Hanseatic merchant tradition and manufactures its entire product range exclusively in Germany. The combination of precise workmanship, well thought-out choice of materials and exclusive specialist dealer distribution makes the M-Mat a product that is not to be found on the mass market - but where analog enthusiasts are really taken seriously. The scope of delivery also includes the M-LP puck: a support weight made of stainless steel with a carbon coating that completes the system in terms of sound and mechanics.

The M-Mat Carbon consists of a 0.3 mm thick CFRP carbon fiber layer with a 0.5 mm anti-resonant velvet coating on the opposite side. This extreme slenderness is intentional: the mat hardly changes the effective mass distribution on the platter, but intervenes precisely in the resonance chain - through the weight of the mat itself, through the close surface contact with the platter and the LP and through the material-specific damping properties of carbon fiber. The total thickness of both layers is less than one millimeter - a value that requires virtually no readjustment in terms of system height and contact force.

Carbon is electrically conductive by nature - a property that provides a decisive additional benefit in analog reproduction: Static charges, which inevitably build up when LPs are played and cause crackling and dust attraction, are actively dissipated by the mat. New charges are prevented. Anyone who regularly has to deal with the problem of statically charged records will quickly appreciate this aspect of the M-Mat.

Carbon side: The direct contact between the CFRP and the back of the record ensures maximum surface contact between the platter, mat and LP. In carbon side operation, the label of the record presses slightly into the flexible material - a clever effect that ensures that the LP is in full contact over the entire groove area and does not tilt in the label area. This is generally the recommended side of operation: the sound is sharper and more direct, the dynamics faster and more responsive.

Velvet side: This is where the revised detailed solution of the M-Mat comes into play. The velvet surface is recessed in the label area - the label is immersed in this recess so that the velvet coating only comes into contact with the groove area of the LP. The even contact pressure over the entire playing surface is therefore also guaranteed from this side. The velvet side sounds somewhat softer and more spacious - ideal for experimental listeners who want to fine-tune the tuning.

The enclosed M-LP puck made of stainless steel with carbon inlay is not an optional extra, but an integral part of the system. With a diameter of 40 mm, a height of 10.5 mm and a weight of 96 grams, it sits on the record spindle and provides additional contact pressure - which further improves the surface contact between the mat and LP and further dampens drive resonances.

A well thought-out design detail: the bore of the puck is deliberately slightly larger than the platter axle in order to avoid a direct rigid coupling to the bearing. In this way, the puck acts as a surface damper and not as an additional load on the bearing. Those who own a sub-chassis turntable - such as a Rega, Pro-Ject or Thorens - also benefit: the puck compensates for the difference in weight between standard pressings (approx. 120 g) and heavy 180 gram reissues, thus keeping the sub-chassis balance constant.

The sonic effect of the M-Mat Carbon is immediately apparent in practice: The background noise decreases noticeably, instruments are given sharper contours and the sound image opens up in depth. The fine dynamics in particular benefit - those small volume gradations within a phrase that determine musical liveliness emerge more clearly. The trade press and dealers unanimously confirm that the M-Mat represents a clearly perceptible step forward compared to classic felt or leather mats.

The M-Mat is particularly recommended on acrylic platters, where the combination of low mat thickness and carbon damping unfolds its full effect. In principle, however, it is suitable for all types of turntables - from entry-level devices to high-end references. The Millennium mats are deliberately only sold through selected specialist dealers, which also enables individual production on request.