Stack Audio Serene Stabiliser & record mat
I have always been very sceptical of putting anything on a turntable platter which hadn’t been endorsed (ie supplied or approved) by the turntable manufacturer. After all, they, after what must be considerable research, had chosen the particular item based on their own listening tests, albeit with regard to cost considerations.
Linn favoured the thin felt for the LP12, SME had a relatively hard bonded surface on the Model 20 and 30, Technics tended towards rubber mats… the list of preferences goes on. You’d be forgiven for thinking that they must have found the best record support for their turntable to get the best sonics out of it.
Then, waaay back in the annals of history, the Ringmat came along. This was a thin almost parchment-like paper circle with two thin cork rings on it on which the record sat. The difference (that word is used very carefully…) the difference was startling. I’m sure (but can’t remember) other alternative platter mats must have been around, but that is the one that made an impression. What a difference it made.
Now, we have to be very careful about how we interpret changes made by what is essentially a passive component. Passive components (cables, supports, record weights, platter mats) can make a difference. The issue is whether or not that particular difference results in an improvement in our listening experience/resolution of the information stored in the groove. Some passive components will tame excessive treble in the output, others will reduce a booming bass. All are very much system and location dependent, however, most provide a consistent difference regardless of the installation.
In evaluating the Stack Audio Serene products I thought I’d put them through their paces in as wide a set of scenarios as I possibly could, and (much to my wife’s chagrin at seeing more than one turntable at play) have fun with some of my turntables. These included my SME Model 20, Thorens TD150, Collaro 4T200 (mono), Technics SL-150, a Connoisseur BD1 in a slate plinth.
Sound quality
I started with just the Stack Audio Serene Stabiliser. This is a lightweight weight with a rubber feel to the outside, and an internal structure which is pliable. It sits over the record spindle as would any standard weight, but being compliant on the inside, takes a second or two to settle onto the label. It’s designed to absorb unwanted micro-vibrations from multiple sources and reduce background hash by doing so. Its aluminium body fits over the spindle centre which then tensions the soft silicone under surface allowing the internal particles to move freely, absorbing vibration.
Serene Stabiliser
Initially used on the Collaro (where there could be some idler noise) I sat in the quiet of the night and trawled through a plethora of mono pressings. I have to say that my first impressions were rather ‘wow’. The thinking behind the Serene Stabiliser and its implementation certainly work, even with the simplicity of mono playback. The background became far less intrusive, groove roar was much reduced, and somehow the whole presentation felt more poised, with more of a holographic element to the presentation, and the depth of the soundstage (yes, you definitely get that with good mono) was seemingly increased.
Adding the Stabiliser to the Technics SL-150 had a similar effect, and despite some critics of rubber mats (I’ve never found this one to be troublesome) the sonic image was cleaned up quite considerably. Even on older and less-than-pristine vinyl the presentation, as with the Collaro, felt more assured, more poised and with less hash in the background.
A suspended deck, in the form of the Thorens TD150 was the next test bed, but this time the reduction in background hash was virtually absent. However, the increased quiet in the background was unmissable and the difference was chalk and cheese.
Arguably the SME Model 20 is the most capable of the turntables at my disposal. I wondered what the effect here would be. Remember that the SME comes supplied with a screw-down medium-weight puck which couples the record firmly to the (quite hard) platter surface. Also, the centre of the record label sits on a smooth washer some 1.5mm thick, and 30mm in diameter. This is part of SME’s conscious approach of coupling the record to the platter as rigidly but forgivingly as possible. As the Stack has neither the weight nor the screw-on capability of SME’s clamp I dispensed with the under-label washer.
To be totally even-handed I used the SME with neither weight nor washer to create a benchmark against which the subsequent use of the Stabiliser could be evaluated. Despite my gut-feeling that the Stabiliser might not make that much of a difference, I have to eat humble pie. While the SME is quiet, the stabiliser lowered the noise floor even further, and made the far reaches of recordings more accessible in a way that I had not expected. This was particularly true with recordings where there was plenty of detail about the venue and acoustic of the performance.
With choral/church music in particular this was readily apparent, and rather than simply hearing the choir or the organ (or ensemble) the whole venue seemed to open out to provide a rather more believable backdrop to the musical event taking place. Having said that, the same effect was present in orchestral music, as evidenced in Chasing the Dragon’s recording of Scheherazade, recorded in the Henry Wood Hall a couple of years ago.
As I was present at the recording I know the venue and soundscape very well, so it was a surprise to hear just how much more spatial information the Stabiliser allowed through compared with SME’s washer and clamp approach. In fact, its effect goes further than that. Playing some rather complex jazz or rock the spatial separation of the instruments (particularly on well-recorded acoustic rather than electronic albums) was much better defined, each player having their own space, their own voice – latching on to one particular player in an ensembles was also much easier.
Serene Mat
With the Serene record mat, all but the SME were relatively easy to accommodate, as the SME has its record support bonded to the platter the only option was to sit the Serene Mat on top of that surface. One thing to caution as well is that you can’t simply remove the original mat and substitute the Serene because any difference in thickness between the two will change the height of the vinyl and thus alter VTA (vertical tracking angle). The Serene mat is 3mm thick. I used a side-on before and after photo of the stylus on a record surface to check as closely as I could that the mat didn’t change VTA when making comparisons.
Starting with the Collaro again, using the Serene mat only (no Stabiliser), the solidity of the presentation and the apparent weight and clarity at the bottom end were both improved. Despite this being an idler-drive turntable I have never heard any untoward artefacts, and this was still the case. However, the lower registers of organ music were clearer, weightier and as they do in a cathedral, the bass now had much more of that ‘rolls along the floor’ quality, which a real organ with a 64 foot ‘stop’ can achieve.
A little Bill Haley on original mono followed, and again the double-bass, which drives along a lot of his music, was clearly evident, with a nice warm but punchy delivery and considerable (lovely woody) weight. The whole sound acquired far more body than previously.
Moving on to the SL150, similar results were achieved. Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms felt far more solid, exhibited a similarly improved bass weight but without becoming lugubrious, and despite this did not lose any dexterity or definition. Quite the contrary; the whole presentation seemed more deft, articulate and poised. The common myth of bass being slow was totally blown out of the water. A surprising benefit was the seeming additional clarity around the percussion, with the drums acquiring more incisiveness, the impact just that bit sharper and the decay rather more defined.
The Thorens was slightly more troublesome as the Serene weighs a little more than my original mat, so some tweaking of the suspension was needed to keep everything on the level. Its thickness is virtually the same as the original rubber, so no VTA adjustment was needed.
This was something of a revelation. While the SRM was marginally heavier than the original rubber mat, the way in which the presentation improved was quite marked. There was an openness and spaciousness to the way in which you could access the performance. It was almost as if I’d been transported right into the middle of the ensemble – but without actually moving. This added enormously to the feeling of connection with the music and emotionally the content became far more meaningful whether it was folk, rock, classical or whatever.
A bit of London Grammar revealed the TD-150’s ability to provide a rock-solid bottom end, this time completely opened up by the Serene mat, and not at all constrained, as I have sometimes felt it to be. The other interesting facet here was that the Serene mat also opened up the acoustic behind and around the performers. With good acoustically recorded material there was an increased air and spaciousness, and with more intimate (solo vocal) material the feeling of intimacy was considerably enhanced. Joni Mitchell’s Hissing of Summer Lawns remains one of my enduring favourites (I think I prefer it to Blue) and the Serene mat’s ability to support Mitchell’s vocal range was really breathtaking; it made the listening all the more enjoyable and engaging.
Now to the SME, where considerable arm-pillar adjustment was needed to get the VTA right. I had always regarded SME’s approach as well researched, well founded, and Alistair Robertson-Aikman did the very best job possible (to his ears, and those of his team). Imagine my surprise, then, when the SME’s already low noise floor disappeared, the depth of the already good ultra-bass extended downwards even further, and that poise and assuredness the SME is so renowned for was increased by some margin. OK – so we had the benefit of two platter mats, but even so I was shocked at how much of a difference the Serene mat made. Is there, I wonder, a case for arguing that SME’s approach of coupling the record to the platter to the chassis to the arm is a little too rigid?
Also Sprach Zarathustra hit the turntable chain, and yes, there was clearly more definition in the opening organ chords and timpani. Focus 3 had the whole band in my listening room, almost up front and personal. Die Rohre – The Tube (Tacet L-74) is an all-analogue tube recording album of the most wonderful baroque classical masterpieces from Sammartini, Boccherini, Corelli etc. The recording quality is superb, and listening here on the SME I heard a level of clarity, engagement and seamless top-to-bottom presentation that really made believe I was at the recording event itself.
Serene plus Stabiliser
The acid test now is whether combining both the Serene mat with the Stabiliser improves the situation or whether in combination they fail to live up to two expectations. All I can say is that rather than two expectations you really should be prepared for great expectations (sorry!). In combination the Stabiliser and the Serene mat are a game changer, a step-change in presentation, transparency, openness and dynamics, bottom-end weight, clarity and dexterity and top-end openness and midrange clarity.
Having played the either/or game there really is no reason not to splash out on both. Either on their own will go some way towards improving your listening enjoyment but the combined effect of both takes things to the next level. Although the differences in performance on each turntable were obvious but different, their benefits are consistent, just in varying degrees. The acid test of removing the Serene mat and Stabiliser is a retrograde step, and not one I, on the basis of the experiences I’ve outlined above, would recommend.
Conclusion
This review has taken a long time to write. It involved many hours of listening, and a great deal of careful setting-up to make sure I was being as even-handed as possible about the evaluation. Yes, the Ringmat was a revelation, and improved a number of turntables around at the time. Better turntables are now available, but the Serene mat and Stabiliser consistently add to the listening enjoyment and offer a more open window on the music which I doubt you’d want to close.
Just as a final parting shot, I also have a Russco broadcast turntable with idler drive, undergoing restoration. The chassis still needs repainting, and other stuff’ needs doing. However, I plonked an arm on it, set it up with a pretty good cartridge, fired it up, and played quite a lot of material both with and without the Serene mat and Stabiliser. The difference, even on this behemoth of a machine, was entirely obvious, and in a good way.
I don’t know how the people at Stack Audio alighted upon the formulae for what they have achieved, but if you can afford their products, you really should. I can see absolutely no reason not to invest in the Serene mat and Stabiliser, they will provide years of enhanced listening pleasure and enjoyment.