{"title":"The Cartridge Man","description":"The Cartridge Man has been involved with all aspects of analogue reproduction for over 30 years - from record production to the manufacture of high quality phono cartridges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCentral to their operating philosophy is that of offering high performance - both measured and audible, but always with a view to giving value for money.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll Cartridge Man products are designed and manufactured by themselves, therefore having an in-depth knowledge of their products.","products":[{"product_id":"the-cartridge-man-digital-stylus-force-gauge","title":"The Cartridge Man Digital Stylus Force Gauge","description":"Users of vinyl are well aware of the importance of being able to accurately set their cartridge tracking down-force. Failure to do this can result in anything from degraded sonic performance, through to mis-tracking and even damage to the record and stylus.\u003cbr\u003eThe only readily available method of setting the down-force has been the Shure Force Balance - fine value for money, but suffering from only 0.1g resolution, somewhat fiddly set-up and a slightly non-optimum measurement height.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Cartridge Man has now introduced a highly accurate, enhanced measurement range, easy-to-use and competitively priced all-electronic Digital Force Gauge. The unit will prove itself indispensible when requiring an absolute and consistent tracking force reference.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"... The Cartridge Man's balance may seem expensive at £ 199, but it pales into insignificance against the Winds. ... I love the Winds, but what price its simplicity and cool looks ? Me, I'll settle for the Cartridge Man balance. It does exactly the same job, it just places a little more onus on the user.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Roy Gregory, Hi-Fi Plus, 2\/00\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSPECIFICATIONS\u003cbr\u003e-Measurement range:- 0.2g to 4.0g.\u003cbr\u003e-Accuracy:- better than 0.05g over full measurement range\u003cbr\u003e-Resolution:- 0.02g\u003cbr\u003e-Useable period:- 30 minutes per full charge\u003cbr\u003e-Display:- 3-digit LED\u003cbr\u003e-Status indication:- Display test, battery, nulling, overload\u003cbr\u003e-Recharge cycle:- ~ 14-24 hours\u003cbr\u003e-Useable temperature:- 5oC to 35oC\u003cbr\u003e-Weight:- 150g nominal\u003cbr\u003e-Dimension:- 45mm h x 87mm diameter\u003cbr\u003e-Construction:- Non-magnetic, anti-slip feet\u003cbr\u003e-Charge unit:- 9V D.C. @ 100mA output supplied\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57405990732108,"sku":"CMDIGBALANC","price":229.17,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/cartridgemandsfg.jpg?v=1777452194"},{"product_id":"the-cartridge-man-digital-levelling-gauge","title":"The Cartridge Man Digital Levelling Gauge","description":"It is a well known fact that for optimum performance, a turn-table should always be precisely levelled. Whilst bubble-levels have always been used for the levelling procedure, best accuracy is not always guaranteed and it can certainly be frustrating to centre the bubble. The Cartridge Man has now introduced a highly accurate, easy-to-use and all-electronic Digital Levelling Gauge. This unit presents a digital read-out of both planes simultaneously to a resolution and accuracy of 0.1g. Four quadrant LEDs give an unambiguous indication of which side(s) need lowering or raising.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe real revelation has been the rapidity with which this apparent luxury has become an indispensible part of my tool kit. ... as I said in the first piece I wrote, I think the Digital Level is the ideal tool for the dealer. Now I'd go further and say that for anyone who takes the job seriously, then it's essential equipment. This thing is a DIY-ers delight. Expensive ? Yes, but then the best normally is.\u003cbr\u003e-Roy Gregory, Hi-Fi Plus, 2\/00\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSPECIFICATIONS\u003cbr\u003e-Measurement range:- +35 to -35g\u003cbr\u003e-Accuracy:- better than 0.1g at level\u003cbr\u003e-Resolution:- 0.1g\u003cbr\u003e-Useable period:- \u0026gt; 10 hours continuous\u003cbr\u003e-Display:- 2 x 3-digit LED and 4 x 3mm LEDs\u003cbr\u003e-Status indication:- Display test, nulling\u003cbr\u003e-Cell type:- 2 x AAA\u003cbr\u003e-Useable temperature:- 5C to 35C\u003cbr\u003e-Weight:- 195g nominal\u003cbr\u003e-Dimension:- 62mm h x 69mm diameter\u003cbr\u003e-Construction:- Non-magnetic, anti-static treated","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57405990797644,"sku":"CMDIGLEVEL","price":229.17,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/CMdiglevel.jpg?v=1777452198"},{"product_id":"the-cartridge-man-musicmaker-mkiii","title":"The Cartridge Man MusicMaker MkIII","description":"The Cartridge Man's MusicMaker MK III Phono Cartridge is a high-performance variable reluctance device, employing a proprietory extended contact diamond stylus. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSPECIFICATION\u003cbr\u003eOutput voltage: 4mV\u003cbr\u003eFrequency response: 10Hz - 50KHz\u003cbr\u003eStereo separation:\u0026gt;25dB across 10Hz to 30KHz range\u003cbr\u003eLoading requirement: 47K Ohm (standard moving magnet)\u003cbr\u003eCartridge weight: 6.2g\u003cbr\u003eStylus type: proprietory extended contact area diamond\u003cbr\u003eTracking force: 1.58g +\/- 0.05g (critical)\u003cbr\u003eArm requirement: medium to low mass (13g or less)\u003cbr\u003eBias (anti-skate) requirements: minimal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The first thing you notice is the solidity and presence it has compared to almost all MC cartridges. There's a sense of unstoppable momentum to music...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor anyone using a valve pre-amp like a Conrad-Johnson or early ARC, this cartridge is manna from heaven.\u003cbr\u003eBeing used to hearing vastly expensive MCs in a system tailored to their balance, the MusicMaker never left me feeling short-changed. ... never was a product so aptly named; never was an alternative so welcome.\"\u003cbr\u003eRoy Gregory, Hi-Fi+, 5\/00, P52-53\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\" Good price, high output and a winning musicality make this moving iron cartridge the one to beat.\"\u003cbr\u003eHi-Fi World buying guide","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57407276253516,"sku":"CMMusicmaker","price":645.83,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/musicmaker.jpg?v=1777456129"},{"product_id":"musicmaster-phono-cartridge","title":"MusicMaster Phono Cartridge","description":"The MusicMaster Phono Cartridge\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n \nThe MusicMaster cartridge is the product of a steady programme of refinement, it has taken approximately fifteen years of development to create the Mk III version.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThey have now moved on and made a rather dramatic change; enter the MusicMaster which took them another step closer to the original performance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nInstead of the high purity copper coils used in the Mk III they have substituted very pure silver (99.99%) coils and incorporated other changes; the result is a major step forward in analogue viny replay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nSpecifications:-\u003cbr\u003e\nVariable-reluctance stereo phono cartridge with line-contact stylus and silver coils.\u003cbr\u003e\nOutput: 4.0 mV output\u003cbr\u003e\nLoading: 47K ohms (not capacitance sensitive.)\u003cbr\u003e\nTracking Force: 1.6 grams.\u003cbr\u003e\nVTA\/SRA Alignment: Front face of cartridge perpendicular to record surface (viewed from the side).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nExtract from Reviews:- \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe new Master uses the Variable Reluctance principle of signal generation (also known in common parlance as Moving Iron and Induced Magnet.)  Its 0.4 mV output, 47K ohm load, and lack of sensitivity to capacitance values makes it a very simple and easy match for high-quality MM phono stages.  Probably its most salient feature, compared to the III and the Classic, is the use of a pure sapphire cantilever on which is mounted the exotic, line-contact type stylus.  It is designed to track exactly at 1.6 grams, uses minimum anti-skate values, and uses a front cartridge-face at right angles to the record reference for VTA\/SRA alignment.  Its mounting lugs are not threaded (thus requiring screws and nuts) and it includes a removable stylus guard.  The new Master replaces the Classic in The Cartridge Man line, and includes Gregory’s Isolator at no charge.  Circa 25 hours of play are recommended to let the cartridge settle in.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAlthough its price is low enough, compared to the more stratospherically-priced MC’s on the market, to be considered rather a bargain, the Master demands the finest ancillary components to fully reveal its considerable potential.  I used the Origin Live Zephyr, Conqueror MKII, and OL’s top arm – the Enterprise- to audition the Master.  I found that each improvement in the arms used raised the MusicMaster’s performance to correspondingly higher and higher plateaus, culminating in the rarified and truly transcendent world of its performance with the Enterprise.  Here it reached sonic and musical levels unmatched in my 50 year history of analogue LP listening.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe results were similar with phono stages.  I finally chose the Graham Slee Accession and the all-tube pure sound P10 phono stages as worthy companions.  Turntables included the Origin Live Aurora MKII, Aurora Gold MKI, and the current-spec Resolution 4.  Yes, the Resolution 4 sounded the best.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nI generally rely on tube components for Classical music listening, as their mid-range naturalness, faithful reproduction of acoustic instrument timbre, and superb depiction of hall ambience help create a more convincing illusion of music playing.  I used the PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium line stage, 1960 vintage EICO HF89, and PrimaLuna Prologue 5 power amps.  Loudspeakers were the Sound Lab Dynastat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe MusicMaster was developed using the Cartridge Man’s Isolator and his Music Mat replacement platter mat.  The Isolator can make an enormous difference in tonearm performance by isolating the cartridge from the tonearm by its damping ‘sandwich.’  Much of the energy that can excite a given tonearm’s fundamental bending modes and resonances never reaches the arm it as it is simply absorbed by the Isolator.  Depending on a given tonearm’s inherent ultimate qualities, the effect can be absolutely stunning, the equivalent of doubling the arm’s quality.  I’ve found that it has little effect on Origin Live’s superb dual-pivot line of arms, while working wonders on their older or more conventional gimbaled-bearing tonearms and Rega arm modifications.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe only trade-off in using it, shared with the Music Mat, is that they both require raising the tonearm height and may tax a given front-end’s limits of adjustability when used in tandem.  This proved to be the case with my set-ups, as I could not use both at the same time.  Thus the majority of my auditioning was done sans Mat and Isolator, as the Resolution\/Enterprise combination showed little change with their use.  I used my reference RingMat LP Support System instead.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe top Origin Live arms are intensely revealing of VTA\/SRA changes, and the Ringmat’s system of thin record-sized shims made small changes in arm height relatively painless.  Getting arm height correct proved absolutely necessary with the Master (as is true with all cartridges using line-contact styli): slightly too high and the treble became accentuated and began to smear, record noise became more noticeable, and bass dynamics constricted.  Too low and the top-end receded, the sound stage became amorphous, and bass lost its control.  But get it just right – that Goldilocks Ideal- and the results were astoundingly realistic.  In visual terms, it was like a deep depth-of-field precision camera lens snapping into exact focus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe recreation of an accurate soundstage, the ambiance and ambience of the recording venue, and the positioning of players within it presupposes high accuracy in retrieving low-level detail, and wide bandwidth.  The psychoacoustic ‘feel’ of the size of an interior space depends to a large degree on bass response, coupled to an equally crucial depiction of high frequencies – “air”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nNow, accurate and transparent sound stage depiction per se is not ultimately very important in live performance, which varies according to one’s seat in a concert hall.  It is very important, however, when listening to recorded music on audio systems largely because it limits perceptual disorientation, and thus, listening fatigue.  The brain doesn’t like confusion and disorientation.  We must never forget that we are listening to an illusion of music.  The more literal and better the illusion, the less mental energy is expended in trying to form that illusion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Cartridge Man Music Master proved to be the least fatiguing phono cartridge I’ve ever heard.  Not because it was ‘forgiving’, or because it smoothed over rough patches by soft-focus smearing, but because it created so little ambiguity in portraying where the instruments were, what the instruments were, how the instruments were played, and what the musical meaning of it all was.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAn immediate and persistent perception of the Master’s performance is exceptional speed and clarity.  By this I mean transient speed and control.  The psychoacoustic demands of sound perception rely heavily on transient performance: not only to identify where the sound is coming from, but also to identify what is making the sound.  For acoustic instruments particularly, there is also an intense demand for the ability to reproduce multiple levels of volume simultaneously, as a given fundamental tone relies on a particular set of overtones of varying and specific volumes to identify the instrument making that tone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nTo test this I ran through Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, the Seraphim Guide to Instruments of the Orchestra (Boult – Seraphim S60234 Stereo) and The Glory of Cremona, (Ruggiero Ricci Decca Gold Label XSE 7179) wherein Ricci plays 12 different violins from that mecca of violin-making excellence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Cartridge Man MusicMaker III and Classic had long set the standard for accurately portraying the timbre of orchestral instruments and I was surprised at how much better the Master was in this acid test.  Instrument identification was instantaneous, and completely unambiguous.  Particularly notable was the Master’s ability to differentiate the various Amatis, Stradivariuses, and other violins on the Ricci LP.  It nailed their sonic signatures with an ease that was almost upsettingly enlightening: I’ve never heard it done better.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nCompared to its predecessor, the Classic, the newMusic Master revealed much improved clarity, detail, and transparency in all aspects of performance.  It is clear that it passes much more, and much more precise, information from the record grooves.  I surmise that this gain in information is at least partly due to its stiff and rigid sapphire cantilever which greatly reduces ‘cantilever haze.’  The Master extracts an enormous amount of information from the record grooves.  What makes it a truly great cartridge is how well it organizes that information into musical meaning.  For example, the Master’s high frequency reproduction allows complete depiction of cymbal work, but it also clarifies the rhythm of those cymbal strikes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Master is also truly great at differentiating varying and subtle volume changes in a given instrumental line.  This ability translates into an exceptionally clear depiction of the line’s expressive qualities.  Equally exceptional is its depiction of timing and rhythm, coupled to superb punctuation.  “Punctuation” is perhaps an inadequate description as it implies written prose.  The Master’s punctuation is truly more akin to artistically recited poetry.  Think Dylan Thomas or Richard Burton.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nMoreover it is able to maintain this superb ability to follow individual music lines regardless of how many instruments are playing and what their individual volume levels are..  The lines are all in focus, allowing equal perception of the forest and the trees.  Mated to its unequalled reproduction of instrument timbre and its unambiguous recreation of the recording venue, it is clear that the MusicMaster is a truly great cartridge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nI’ve focused on the Master’s performance with Western Art music because it is more demanding of the highest fidelity and because there is a live performance reference to compare to.  It is important to emphasize that all music relies on basic techniques and principles that are indeed universal.  I routinely use over 40 different recordings when reviewing, chosen for their content to test for certain playback qualities and difficulties.  These recordings cover a wide gamut of musical styles and types including Classical, Jazz, Rock, Folk, and World music.  I usually refrain from detailed descriptions of individual records because I consider it a flaw of far too many casual reviews.  Who cares if the maracas on Mr. Rogers Sings Bo Diddley are too bright with Component X?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe MusicMaster excelled with every genre of music, as one would expect given its ultra performance with unamplified acoustic instruments.  It revealed the sonic signatures of Stratocasters, Les Pauls, and Country Gentleman electric guitars as easily as the violins of Cremona.  The Master will not limit one’s range of listening.  This universality is crucial for me as listening sessions could follow my particular mood and whim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAfter critical listening and testing is over, I just play records at will.  I noticed that the Master clearly reveals differences in recording techniques, LP pressing quality, and record wear.  It does this without being hyper-analytical and sterile.  One somewhat misguided audiophile once boasted to me that his super-‘accurate’ system was so high resolution that NO records sounded good on it.  The Master is not for him.  Though perhaps it is: then he could boast how GREAT his records sound.\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe prime purpose of a hi-fi system for me is to serve as access to Art.  The MusicMaster is the most transparent opening into this world that I have encountered.  It easily revealed the Art of the most difficult of compositions and the rigors of the most profound virtuoso playing.  The Master never got confused.  In fact the more difficult and profound the Art, the better the Master performed.  Stymied by Beethoven’s Last Quartets and some of Coltrane’s Impulse! label recordings?  Confused by Olatunji’s polyrhythms or The Meters’ second-line\/funk timing?  Love Miles Davis but cringe at the way most cartridges reproduce the trumpet?  The Master can truly serve a soteriological function.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nIn my review of The Cartridge Man MusicMaker Classic a dozen years ago, I concluded that it was a masterpiece of phono cartridge design.  Considering the improvement the new MusicMaster delivers over the classic Classic, perhaps Gregory should be more correctly called a Grand Master.  Certainly his cartridges reveal the hand of an artist over that of a craftsman\/technician.  Since all The Cartridge Man phono cartridges are hand-built, older MusicMakers can be re-built and brought up to MusicMaster spec.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Cartridge Man MusicMaster is a true “ultra” cartridge in every sense of the word.  As a tool for unleashing the art in all great music I find it unequalled.  I would like to publicly thank Leonard Gregory for his service to all music lovers.  I can only give it the ultimate recommendation.\n\n\n","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57408577208652,"sku":"MUSICMASTERPHONO","price":1541.67,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/MusicMaster-Phono-Cartridge.jpg?v=1777468595"},{"product_id":"the-cartridge-man-isolator","title":"The Cartridge Man Isolator","description":"The isolator is, in effect, a two way filter. Its purpose is to break the mechanical feedback loop that is made as soon as the stylus touches the record.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \nIn tests, the isolator has been shown to reduce the noise floor level by 3dB (a cut of 50%). This reduction allows far more low level information into the audio picture, improving sound stage, imaging and resolution, not to mention the overall timbre of instruments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe isolator has attracted praise in the Hi Fi press, in spite of the generally accepted philosophy about cartridge mounting being the complete opposite of that which its use advocates.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Isolator will make a good arm a great arm, but it will not make a poor arm a good one.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nReview Extracts:\u003cbr\u003e\n\"A significant improvement - without question\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\"...scoring 10\/10 on the weirdness meter, and slaughtering a whole herd of 'sacred cows', the Isolator joins the select band of tweaks that work\".\u003cbr\u003e\nGeoff Husband, TNT Audio, 9\/05","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57408577241420,"sku":"CartridgeMan_Isolator","price":83.33,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/isolator.jpg?v=1777468599"},{"product_id":"the-cartridgeman-conductor-air-bearing-tonearm","title":"The Cartridgeman Conductor air-bearing Tonearm","description":"The Conductor Air Bearing Tonearm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe playback of a record should imitate the cutting of the lacquer as closely as possible. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nDuring the cutting process the cutter diamond makes an angle of 90 degrees at all instances from the beginning of the groove to its end. Obviously, the best way to read a record groove is by using an arm which follows the groove in a similar fashion as in the cutting process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nA parallel tracking tonearm has the least distortion because the tracking error is minimized to practically zero. The cartridge stylus reads the two groove walls at the same time without any delay. Furthermore, a parallel tracking tonearm does not need bias compensation (anti-skate settings), as there is no centripetal force, unlike in pivoted arms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nPivoted arms, on the other hand, are the most commonly used tonearms. These can be further subdivided into unipivots and non-unipivots, as well as pseudo-unipivots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nWith common pivoted arms (also called radial arms), there is zero tracking error only in two instances. At other points, there is tracking error. This is minimized by giving the pivoted arm the familiar offset angle. The skating force  is not eliminated, however, but instead increases. This can be corrected, of course.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nUnfortunately, the skating force depends on the friction between the record groove and the stylus tip, as well as the cut of the stylus. It also depends on what is recorded on the record, even the quality of the vinyl. As one can see, correcting anti-skate is always not perfect, technically. All this ceases to be an issue with a tangential tonearm, as there is no skating force.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nBasically, setting up pivoted arms properly with the various tools around is essential to minimize these tracking errors, as well as controlling the skating force.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nDesigning and manufacturing a parallel tracking tonearm is not as simple as it may seem and only thorough engineering can result in a good functioning device. Precise and accurate geometrical proportions are essential to get it right. As a result, prices of the high-end parallel tracking arms are in most cases far beyond the budget of most audiophiles and music lovers. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAnd this is where The Conductor comes in. Simplified, but without sacrificing the benefits of tangential tonearms, sonically high-end, and most importantly offered at a saner price than the other high-end competition. ","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57415387218252,"sku":"CMANCONDUCTAIRBEARINGTONEARM","price":2708.33,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/Cartridgeman-Conductor-airbearing-arm.jpg?v=1777556231"},{"product_id":"the-cartridge-man-musicmat","title":"The Cartridge Man MusicMat","description":"The Music Mat \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nTo gain the maximum amount of information from a gramophone record and to present that information as realistically as possible must be the main aim of anyone involved in the design of analogue front end equipment such as turntables, arms and cartridges...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n ...This statement may be self-evident, but it doesn’t mean to say that such a goal is always achieved; most times, sadly, there is a big gap between what could be achieved and what actually is achieved. It is true to say, therefore, that most of the front ends out there can be improved, and this is what the Music Mat is designed to do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n The Music Mat is made from a polymer which has a very low surface tension. The underside feels sticky to the touch, so that when placed directly on to a clean turntable the mat “welds” itself to the platter surface, creating a bond of great integrity and rendering the platter inert. The top side of the mat is sealed to prevent adherence to the record, while leaving a support which is both compliant and inert. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n The benefits of this system are obvious. Rather like the Isolator, the mat acts as a filter, adding another layer of isolation from the mechanics of the turntable, whilst providing the record with a stable and neutral environment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n The result is more information, more music.\n","brand":"The Cartridge Man","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57415387316556,"sku":"TheCartridgeManMusicMat","price":100.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/files\/Cartridgeman-MusicMat.jpg?v=1777556236"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/6891\/2204\/collections\/thecartridgeman.gif?v=1777392501","url":"https:\/\/www.stoneaudio.co.uk\/collections\/the-cartridge-man.oembed","provider":"Stone Audio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}