Munich 2013

Music Hall Introduces New MMF 11.1 Turntable And "Moo-sical" Platter Mat

Michael Fremer  |  May 19, 2013

Music Hall's new top of the line MMF 11.1 turntable incorporates some familiar design features. It is built for the company by Pro-Ject so the double motor/flywheel module and microprocessor controlled electronic motor drive system and one piece carbon fiber tonearm (Pro-Ject's 9cc Evolution, the company's finest) will look familiar to Pro-Ject aficionados.

The design features a quadruple layer plinth that isolates the motor layer, the lower layer containing the opposing magnet feet and the arm board layer, all in an effort to reduce noise and motor induced vibrations.

The thick platter is of acrylic and here it is topped by a mat made of cowhide and cow hair, hence the black and whilte "palomino" look. Hall told this skeptical journalist that the stray cow hairs quickly stop shedding and that thereafter records stay perfectly clean, while the mat produces an attractively well-damped sound. Price is $4495.

Readers ask why Pro-Ject builds a turntable for another manufacturer and the answer is that Music Hall's Roy Hall had established over the years a different distribution channel that gets the 'tables designed per his specifications into an alternative universe in which Roy Hall has lived for many years.

COMMENTS
Gbenn8's picture
Submitted by Gbenn8 on Wed, 2013-05-22 13:36

The Mooo Mat is sold seperately for $74.95 from any Music Hall dealer both instore and online.  Music Direct and Needle Doctor, as well as other online retailers, are carrying them now.

martinjohnbutler's picture
Submitted by martinjohnbutler on Wed, 2013-05-22 15:15

Now I'm curious, does the Mooo Mat work? At least it'll annoy any self righteous vegans you know.

torturegarden's picture
Submitted by torturegarden on Thu, 2013-05-23 06:50

I'm curious to see how well this mat sounds. I've got a Music Hall MMF5SE with Funk Firm Achromat which was a huge improvement from the supplied felt mat and my old Adudioquest Sorbogel mat.

virtualbryan's picture
Submitted by virtualbryan on Fri, 2013-06-07 14:15

I just picked up the Moo Mat.  It looks really cool but unfortunately on my table it did not "instantly improve the sound of all my records" like it said on the package so I returned it.  

It did sound better than the stock  felt mat that came with my MMF-2.2 but was a step down from the sound using my Music Hall  cork mat.  The sound with the cork mat is cleaner, more defined, and a little louder.  The moo mat sounded a little vailed compared to the cork but I'd take it over the felt. 

One issue with mine, I don't know how prevelent it is, was that it was not a uniform thickness. I don't know if it was the hide or hair but it made all of my records look a little warped.

Too bad because it did look cool.  

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