Oyaide MJ-12 record mat

I can't say I've ever been very impressed with any of the multitude of aftermarket recordplayer mats... they always seem to take away more than they give. So when I was loaned an Oyaide MJ-12 to try ...a £230 mat... albeit a beautifully machined piece of alloy, I just wasn't expecting anything special. The mat itself is drilled with a spiral pattern, in spite of this it rings like a bell which is a bit offputting.
Once fitted though and the turntable tweaked to accommodate the extra platter height, straight away the improvement in sound was breathtaking. This isn't a 'is it or isn't it' difference, it's apparent from the first few bars of music, greater clarity increased dynamics and an effortlessness that usually comes with a £1000 cartridge upgrade. Using the heavy weight Oyaide platter clamp also made a difference, but needed the suspension to be adjusted.

http://www.cheshireaudio.co.uk/acatalog/Turntable_accessories.html

Rothwell Rialto Phonostage

Rothwell Audio have come back into the Phonostage market with the new Rialto ... an extremely impressive design. It relies on clever well though out circuitry rather than just expensive components. The result is high end performance from a 'lower than average' price unit.

http://www.cheshireaudio.co.uk/acatalog/Rothwell_Audio.html