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NEWS 
27/05/2009
KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AUDIO &
VIDEO SHOW (KLIAV) FRIDAY 24TH-SUNDAY 26TH JULY 2009 at the JW Marriott
Hotel in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ringmat Developments will be represented at this show by our
distributor, Electrades Audio who will found in Room 7037 (Level 7).
Electrades Audio will be demonstrating the full range of Ringmat
products, to name a few, such as the Ringmat Vivacity AR Equipment
Platforms, Statfeet, Domes, Speaker Cables, Interconnects, Power Cables
and CD Statmat etc. Also Ringmat products will be on sale at special
show prices.
29/10/2008
Ringmat Vivacity AR
The first two reviews of the Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment
platforms have now been translated and extracts can be found
here.
01/09/2008
TOP AUDIO SHOW, MILAN, ITALY
18th-21st September 2008
The Show will be held at QUARK HOTEL via Lampedusa 12 and Ringmat
Developments will be represented there by their Italian distributor
HiFi4music. You will find HiFi4music in their demonstration suite at
number 134 on the first floor. They can also be found at their stand at
the visitor's entrance where the new Ringmat Vivacity AR Anti-Resonance
Equipment Platforms will be on display under the full Ayon/Origin
system. The rest of Ringmat range will be demonstrated in the audio
suite.
22/07/2008
Launch of the Ringmat Vivacity AR
Platforms in Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AUDIO & VIDEO SHOW
25TH-27TH JULY 2008 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ringmat Developments will be represented at this show by our
distributor, Electrades Audio who will found in Room 7038 (Level 7).
Electrades Audio will be demonstrating the Ringmat Vivacity AR Platforms
supporting SUGDEN equipment and the playback will be through SPENDOR
Loudspeakers.
It is hoped that the Malaysian Audio Magazine "Perfect Sound & Vision"
will be on sale at the show in which there will be a short mention of
the Ringmat Vivacity AR Platforms under "First Tests" where the reviewer
has mentioned it as "The Product of The Year - Best Buy".
The following issue will carry a full review of the product.
01/07/2008
Ringmat Vivacity AR
The Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment platforms are featuring well
around the world, so much so that we have not had time to post anything
recently on this News page, despite some great reviews with more in the
pipeline.
We are awaiting an English translation of the first review of the
Platforms in the Audiophile magazine, Hong Kong, but in the meantime
here is the latest magazine cover of Audiophile featuring the Ringmat
Vivacity AR Platforms.
For a large version of
the above image click here
27/03/2008
Ringmat Vivacity AR
The Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment platforms are available now and
the new Panels have already been supplied to customers. The latest Press
Release will be found
here.
New March 2008 Price List
New prices have been posted and will be found
here.
Prices at our On-Line Store are being updated and the new products
added. Whilst this is in hand, the new prices will apply and as payment
is effected off-line the new prices can easily be applied. Where the new
products have not yet been added, orders can be placed by telephone.
New Ringmat Products
In the new Price List a number of new products will be found in addition
to the new Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment platforms.
We have introduced a PLUS version of the Statmat CDi Blue. Early
releases of this new version have been very well received by customers
who have requested such a version and it should become an established
choice alongside the standard CDi Blue. More information will be posted
soon.
We have introduced a slimmed-down version of the Ringmat Feet without
the top disc layer. This new version, called ‘ECON’, has already been
supplied to customers on request and provides a useful alternative to
the standard Ringmat Feet for those users who feel their requirements
are met by these lower priced isolation supports. More information will
be posted soon but meanwhile a full explanation is set down in the Price
List.
We have also introduced a new vinyl product called a Ringmat Base
Platter Mat. As the wording suggests, it is a Spacer Mat without the
usual stud that is used with Ringmat Spacers. With the Ringmat Support
System, there is a much better and deeper bass, with clearer definition
than is possible with a Ringmat on its own. Much of this comes from the
Spacer Mat and some people have found this answers their need for better
bass response without the extra costs of the Ringmat Support System. The
Ringmat Base Platter Mat also addresses comments made on some forums
that the Ringmat on its own does not provide the degree of bass sought
by some users. As previously advised, it is simply not possible to deal
with all aspects of accurate sound reproduction from a turntable in a
single platter mat, hence the several products that make up the Ringmat
Support System. The Ringmat Base Platter Mat, designed for use under the
Ringmat, meets the needs of those seeking a fuller, deeper bass response
but who cannot immediately stretch to a Ringmat Support System. If
required, a stud could be added to a Ringmat Base Platter Mat at a later
date for conversion and use within a Ringmat Support System - a truly
modular record support system.
03/03/2008
Ringmat Vivacity AR
The long awaited Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment platforms will be
available in the second half of March 2008. A new brochure has been
prepared and will be found
here. Prices will be posted around mid-March
2008. For more information,
click here.
11/12/2007
Gold Spot Anniversary
Ringmat
The new Gold Spot
Anniversary has been well received by users who have upgraded from other
Ringmats. We have also received an evaluation of the Gold Spot by
Christopher
Breunig,
for many years Music Editor at Hi-Fi News. You will find this review
here.
Ringmat Vivacity AR
The long awaited
Vivacity AR anti-resonance platforms will be available in March 2008. A
new brochure is being prepared. For an update on our plans for this
exciting new product,
click here.
Ringmat Concept
Loudspeaker
We have recently
installed our first fully specified loudspeaker in our test bed system.
We have been designing loudspeakers for many years and various
prototypes have been used as evaluation steps towards the present
design. As with all our products, its design is unique and far ahead of
all others. For more information, click here.
07/09/2007
Anniversary Gold Spot Ringmat
We explain here
more about the significance and performance of the new Anniversary Gold
Spot Ringmat.
04/09/2007
The Story of Statmat
John Rogers reveals in a new article for this website how Statmat, and
the Statmat film, was conceived and developed. It can be found
here.
28/08/2007
New Anniversary Gold Spot Ringmat
The new Anniversary Gold Spot is now available in the UK. Supplies
overseas will become available over the coming weeks. We are delighted
to report that performance of the Gold Spot itself far exceeds even that
of the prototype.
TOP AUDIO SHOW, MILAN, ITALY 13th-16th September 2007
The Show will be held at QUARK HOTEL via Lampedusa 11 and Ringmat
Developments will be represented there by their Italian distributor
HiFi4music. You will find HiFi4music in their demonstration suite at
number 134 on the first floor, and purchases can be made at their
selling desk at the visitor's entrance.
17/07/2007
New Anniversary Ringmat
We are about to launch a New Anniversary Ringmat, with much improved
performance over the current model.
The new Anniversary will be called "Anniversary Gold Spot" and at about
2.9mm thick it will be some 100 microns thinner than the existing
Anniversary. It will look very much like the existing Anniversary, but
with the addition of a 'Gold Spot'. An even more advanced adhesive will
also be used. Performance over the existing Anniversary will be much
improved, at least as much again as the present Anniversary over the old
XLR.
UK retail price (incl. VAT) for the Anniversary Gold Spot will be
£80.00, as against £70.00 for the existing Anniversary. The Exchange
price to upgrade to the new Anniversary Gold Spot will be £60.00.
We shall release Anniversary Gold Spot next month and will also continue
with the existing Anniversary.
Ringmat 330 MkII XLR
For some weeks now we have uprated the adhesive we use for the XLR to
that which we presently use for the existing Anniversary Ringmat. This
has the effect of closing the performance gap between the XLR and the
Anniversary.
In view of the extra costs of the adhesive we now use for the XLR, the
UK retail price (incl. VAT) of the XLR has increased from £55.00 to
£60.00.
Ringmat Vivacity AR
Prototypes of the final versions are now installed in our own reference
system, with stunning results, far in advance of that which we were
obtaining 2 years ago. We are now engaged in completing the updated
brochure and the Installation Guide and the other things that will need
to be printed.
Information relating to price and availability will be released as soon
as possible.
24/01/2007
Hi-Fi+ Ringmat Cables Review
There has just been another great review of our cables in Hi-Fi+, Issue
49. This time for what is called a 'loom', comprising mains, speaker and
interconnect. Other manufacturers' cables have also been reviewed. This
is the first time our Pure Power Mains Cable has been covered by a
review, as is the case with our Speaker and Interconnects with WBT
connectors. Full review and more information
here.
06/12/2006
Statmat CDi Blue
Ultimate Guide to Home Cinema 2004
It has
recently been drawn to our attention that two year's ago we received a 5
Star Award from What Hi Fi? Sound and Vision for our Statmat CDi Blue in
their Ultimate Guide to Home Cinema 2004. This follows the excellent
review of the CDi Blue in What Hi Fi? the year before (see News
17.12.2003). It is especially satisfying to
receive an Award for the Statmat CDi Blue in a DVD and Home Cinema
context.
Details of the Award in the Ultimate Guide
can be found here.
01/12/2006
In 'Santa's Goody Bag ...', a round up of Hi-Fi
Accessories for Christmas in Issue 48 of Hi-Fi+, the Editor, Roy
Gregory, includes the Statmat CDi Blue.
He says it "remains a staple part of CD replay chez Gregory. Richer,
sweeter, more natural but above all more dynamic sound is the result,
increasing musical enjoyment and involvement while at the same time
reducing listener fatigue. This is arguably the single most cost
effective upgrade you can make to most CD players. ... It also serves as
an intriguing introduction to Ringmat's world of accessories and system
tuning devices."
Gathered in that Issue readers will find a host of accessories that the
magazine's reviewers have found particularly useful, impressive or in
some cases absolutely indispensable. It is also the Awards Issue.
www.hifiplus.com
08/09/2006
The Hi-Fi News Show 2006 will again be held at the
Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow from 22nd-24th September 2006. In addition
this year there will be the London Sound & Vision Show at the Park Inn
Hotel almost opposite during the same period.
We regret that we will not be able to attend the Shows this year as John
has just had a new knee replacement operation and will be unable to
stand for any length of time. However, a range of our products will
continue to be available at the Moth Group/Hi-Fi News Accessories stand
in the Renaissance Hotel. The stand will, as usual, be on the ground
floor just beyond the entrance door.
We wish you all an enjoyable time at the two Shows and look forward to
seeing you again another time.
21/08/2006
HONG KONG HI-FI SHOW IN SEPTEMBER
WELL EVER INVESTMENT LTD, distributors of Ringmat
products in Hong Kong, will be participating in
the Hong Kong Hi-Fi Hi Fi /
Hi Vi Show 2006 at Langham
Place Hotel, 555 Shanghai Street,
Mongkok,
Kowloon,
Hong Kong. A notice board at the entrance to
show will indicate the location of Well Ever Investment Ltd. The
show takes place on Friday 22nd September and Saturday 23rd
September 2006. A range of Ringmat products
will be available at the show and Well Ever staff will be
pleased to demonstrate them.
14/08/2006
MILAN HI-FI SHOW IN SEPTEMBER
HIFI4MUSIC, distributors
of Ringmat products in Italy, will be participating in the Milan Hi-Fi
Show known as "The Top Audio Show".
They will be on the 3rd floor in room number 317
at the Quark Hotel
during the show which runs from Thursday 14th to Sunday
17th September 2006. A range
of Ringmat products will be available at the show and HIFI4MUSIC staff
will be pleased to demonstrate them in room 317. HIFI4MUSIC will also
have a sales stall at the entrance to the show.
13/06/2006
Electrades Audio, distributors of Ringmat products in Singapore and
Malaysia, will be participating in the Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Hi-Fi
Show known as "KL International AV Show 2006". They
will be in Rooms 7016 and 7018 at JW Marriott
Hotel during the show which runs from Friday 21st July
to Sunday 23rd July 2006. A range of Ringmat products will be
available at the show and Electrades staff will be pleased to
demonstrate them.
23/01/2006
We have just launched a new '2nd Edition'
of the well regarded booklet "How
to Set Up and Fine Tune a Turntable" by John Rogers.
22/11/2005
The newly launched Vivacity product line now
has a brochure, for an advanced preview
click
here.
24/10/2005
SINGAPORE HI-FI SHOW - 4 - 6th November 2005
Electrades Audio,
our distributor for Singapore and Malaysia, will be participating at
The Singapore Hi-Fi Show, where our products will be in use. The Show
will be held at LeMeridien Hotel in Orchard Road from Friday 4th to
Sunday 6th November 2005, from 9am to 7pm daily. Electrades
Audio will be in Rooms 501 and 502 and look forward to welcoming
you.
16/09/2005
The new products we shall be launching at
the Hi-Fi & Home Entertainment Show at the Renaissance Hotel,
Heathrow, London next week have now been included on the
prices page. More details will be
posted after the Show and later in our Online Store.
14/09/2005
We can now release more information about
the exciting new anti-resonance solution for hi-fi and home cinema
systems that we announced last week, and which will be shown in
prototype at the Hi-Fi & Home Entertainment Show, Renaissance Hotel,
London Heathrow, 23-25 September 2005. We can reveal that we have
partnered with NXT to deploy its unique Distributed Mode Loudspeaker
technology with our new Vivacity AR controlled resonance panels. For
more information, please
click here.
07/09/2005
Visitors to the upcoming Hi-Fi Show at the
Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow (24th & 25th September) will have the
opportunity of a preview of Ringmats exciting new anti-resonance
system, called Vivacity AR. For more information, please
click here.
01/09/2005
We will be at the forthcoming London Hi-Fi
Show at The Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, and shall look forward to
seeing you there. You will find us on stand 3A on the ground floor to
the right as you pass though the main entrance, next to the Hi-Fi News
Accessories stand. We shall have a host of new products and
exciting ideas for the coming year to show you and talk about. Come and
find out about our new Mains Cables, our extended range of Ringmat Feet,
the new Spike Stoppers and Statmat Plus, amongst other things. The Show
is open to the public on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September from
10am - 6pm and again extends to The Park Inn (formerly Le Meridien)
opposite. There is a special 2 for 1 ticket offer online at
www.hifinews.co.uk.
31/05/2005
To read more about
Ringmat Spike Stoppers, and see some pictures, click
here.
28/02/2005
As a result of recent in-house research,
we have updated our advice on hi-fi and home cinema systems. Please
click here to view the page. As
mentioned in the article, further updates are planned later this year.
01/02/2005
We have a
new price list starting from 1st February, showing some of our new
products. Some of these are for release over the next few months and
further information will be posted on them nearer the time. Yet more
products are under development for release shortly thereafter.
The new Ringmat Feet include replacements
for the old LW and HD models, as well as catering for equipment up to
69kg. For pricing please click
here.
The Ringmat Spike Stoppers are designed to
be placed under spikes traditionally used for stands and loudspeakers.
Not only do they protect floors but also improve sound quality from
the equipment supported by the Spike Stoppers. Existing users of
Ringmat Domes will be familiar with the sort of performance obtainable
from the Spike Stoppers. For pricing please click
here.
More details about the new products will
be posted soon.
We would also like to draw your attention
to the fact that there is an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format downloadable
version of the new pricelist
here.
27/01/2005
Ringmat
Developments are pleased to announce details of their latest Ringmat
Feet, click
here
for more information.
24/01/2005
We will be at the forthcoming Manchester Hi-Fi
Show, Northern Sound & Vision 2005, at The Radisson SAS Hotel, Manchester
airport on Saturday 29th January and Sunday 30th January, and shall look
forward to seeing you there. You will find us opposite the lifts on
level 2.
We have a host of new products for release this year.
Many of the new concepts will be on display at the Show, including:
Ringmat Anti-Resonance Platforms; 5 new models of Ringmat Feet,
including those for equipment weighing up to 69 kilos; Ringmat Cabinet
Dampers; Spike Stoppers; Ringmat Pure Power Mains Cable; and the Ringmat
Pure Signal tonearm cable.
The Show is open to the public on Saturday
from 10.00am - 5.00pm and on Sunday from 10.00am - 4.00pm.
28/09/2004
At the London Hi-Fi Show at The
Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, last weekend we showed a number of new
products which we shall be releasing during the course of the coming
year.
11/09/2004
We will be at the forthcoming London Hi-Fi
Show at The Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, and shall look forward to
seeing you there. As usual, you will find us sharing the Hi-Fi News
Accessories Club/Moth Marketing stand on the ground floor to the right
as you pass though the main entrance. We shall have a host of new
products and ideas for the coming year to show and talk about.
The Show is open to the public on Saturday
25th and Sunday 26th September from 10am - 6pm and again extends to The
Park Inn (formerly Le Meridien) opposite.
There is a special 2 for 1 ticket offer
online at
www.avexpo.co.uk or by calling the Show hotline 020 8726 8318.
15/07/2004
Another great and very detailed
review of the full Ringmat Support System has been written by Paul
Szabady, Senior Editor, The Stereo Times, and posted on their
Website. For more information,
click here.
03/04/2004
From changes made to this site viewers
will be aware that we now have our
ONLINE RINGMAT STORE operational and we hope this will
make it much easier in future to buy Ringmat and Statmat products
direct. Prices displayed in the Store exclude UK Value Added Tax,
which will be added at the current rate to the final invoice cost for
UK and other EU customers. Overseas customers should note that, for
those countries where we have existing distributors or dealers, orders
received by us through the Online Ringmat Store will continue to be
directed to our overseas agents for completion at local prices and
conditions. Trade customers should continue to use the connections
listed in our CONTACT US
page.
06/01/2004
We get so many letters and 'phone calls from
customers about how pleased they are with our products that it would no
longer be appropriate to include them on our Website, though in the very
early days extracts from some of them were published. However, a
particularly interesting letter (click
here) has recently been received
from one of our customers concerning his experiences with our Statmat
CDi Blue product. This follows his delight earlier with our MkII CDi,
the single film version of the Statmat. One of the reasons we have
included this letter is that Mr. Wynne-Jones' experiences were similar
to those we have had during our development work and it is interesting
when these are described by someone else. We would mention that where
Mr. Wynne-Jones has made reference to shortcomings in listening to
certain recordings, we have already discovered many of the reasons for
these. The reasons do not relate to the performance of the Statmat, but
to conceptual errors within the industry as to how sounds should be
recorded and then reproduced. This very important matter, including how
to avoid or correct the problems that exist at the moment, will be the
subject of subsequent press releases and postings on this News page.
17/12/2003
Another excellent reference to the Statmat
CDi Blue, this time in a round up of bargain "System Boosters" in the
UK's largest circulation Hi-Fi magazine, What Hi*Fi. For more
information, click here.
05/12/2003
An excellent short review has been given to
the Anniversary Ringmat in the December 2003 Issue of
Gramophone in
a 2 page section on System Accessories. For more information,
click here.
At the London Hi Fi Show at The
Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, in September we launched a number of new
additions to our range of cables. For details of our new Digital
Interconnects, click
here, and for our new Power Line Speaker
Cables, click here.
Our speaker cables can now be also be terminated with insulated WBT
connectors.
We continue with our
research into new products and improved methods of sound reproduction
and news on these will be posted when available.
15/09/2003
We will be at the forthcoming London Hi Fi
Show at The Renaisssance Hotel, Heathrow, and will be pleased to see you
there. As usual, you will find us sharing the The HiFi News Accessories
Club/Moth Marketing stand near the main entrance . The show is open to
the public on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September.
12/05/2003
Hi-Fi
News, the British hi-fi magazine, has a new Website
http://www.hifinews.co.uk.
At the time of writing, it details the contents of the May 2003 Issue
and previews the June Issue.
Of
particular interest to Ringmat/Statmat followers is a 2-part feature –
“The Lynx Effect” - by Consultant Technical Editor, Keith Howard. In
his article he describes his ‘lab’ technique for shedding some
scientific light and technical measurement of what some people refer to
as ‘black magic’ hi-fi accessories. Do they make any measurable
difference to the signal, and therefore the sound, or is it all in the
mind? The May Issue and the first part of the June Issue (just
published) deals with the creation of the ‘lab’, using a Lynx L22 sound
card. The June issue continues with tests on system tweaks like mains
cables, CD mats and equipment supports. Of the set-up accessories
tested, only the Statmat (believed to be a MkII) showed any “detectable
change in the (Meridian) 508’s output.” Keith then goes on to add, “the
results appear to indicate that the Statmat has a semi-permanent effect
on the disc and/or player which persists after it’s removed.
Interestingly, in one of the Statmat’s early subjective reviews Jimmy
Hughes commented on precisely this ‘conditioning’ effect and how it
complicates assessment of this product.”
This excellent report
is very much in line with what we, at Ringmat Developments, would have
expected and is a pretty accurate appraisal. Keith was at great pains
to warn that these findings were not his final conclusions and that he
regards this as a first step and very much ‘work in progress’. Current
versions of Statmat products have been sent to Keith to assist him in
his work and we await any further results with interest. If you want to
know more, buy the magazine
06/05/2003
We have posted 2 new
pages to the Website.
One
is an update to a short article John wrote for a magazine on the
question: “After getting a Ringmat for my turntable, what should I get
next to improve its performance still further?” To read the answer,
CLICK HERE.
The
other page is based on a new product insert we shall be introducing
shortly to accommodate instances where customers notice an unwanted
change in sound quality when incorporating our products into their sound
reproduction systems. Although there can be obvious reasons for this,
such as failure to read the instructions, we have found two causes in
particular that are often overlooked but can be easily remedied.
This guidance is relevant not only to our own products, but also in
respect of those of other manufacturers. To find out more,
CLICK HERE.
14/02/2003
Although we shall not be
exhibiting at the Bristol Show on 21st – 23rd
February, some
of our products will be available there at the Hi-Fi For
Sale stand.
We
are also providing standard MkII CDi Statmats to Hi-Fi World for their
magazine subscription promotion at the Show. This will also include an
offer to those who take up a subscription to Hi-Fi World to upgrade from
the standard Statmat they will receive a to CDi Blue at a special price.
Last Autumn we
introduced a MkII version of the Ringcap. The new Ringcap uses the same
advanced adhesive for its single ring as is used for the Anniversary
Ringmat, with comparable improvements to sound reproduction in
proportion to its smaller size. There is no change in price.
Although our resources
are constantly engaged with production to meet record order levels,
ground-breaking results are coming from our continued research into
pre-recorded sound
reproduction. We look forward to the time when we are in a
position to release some
information on our work, hopefully later this year or early next year.
This research is related not only to the improved accuracy of the signal
due to our Ringmat isolation products and cables and to our Statmat film
products, but also to our progress on the design of new products, the
results so far exceeding expectations. However, it is difficult at this
time to predict any release dates.
07/11/2002
We will be at the Manchester Hi-Fi & Home
Cinema Show to be held at the Hilton Manchester Airport Hotel on
Saturday and Sunday, 16th - 17th November. We are very much looking
forward to seeing you all there.
20/9/2002
We had another excellent "Show" at London
Heathrow earlier this month, organised by Hi-Fi News, with lots of
interest in all our products, especially in the new
Ringmat Pure Signal Interconnects and
Ringmat Pure Power Speaker Cables.
Shortly before the Show, we were informed of
two more great reviews for the CDi Blue
Statmat for CD, DVD and SACD players and transports.
The first will be found on the internet
hi-fi magazine POSITIVE FEEDBACK ONLINE - ISSUE 2.
Click on
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue2/carymods.htm. Here we have
three modifications to the Cary 306/200. Firstly, a large number of
Marigo Dots were applied, followed by four Shakti On-Lines, then the
CDi Blue. I asked Dave Clark, who wrote the
review, for confirmation that the CDi Blue was used with the others
still in place, to which he replied in the affirmative, adding "I felt
the mat was the cherry on top!" Dave is now looking forward to the
opportunity to try out some more Ringmat products.
The other was not so much a review as a news
item. It was in the UK's highest circulation "hi-fi" magazine, WHAT
HI-FI? SOUND AND VISION. Lovely full colour picture but barely any
text, but what it said was all that was necessary: "We were sceptical,
but this tiny plastic mat can make a real difference to your CD/DVD
sound, by dispersing low-voltage static as you spin your discs." Short
and sweet!
09/9/2002
We have now posted the first review of the
Ringmat Audiophile Cables. At the end of the review there are some
comments by John Rogers to assist the reader in putting it all in
perspective. Did we say the review was "fabulous"? See for yourself
click here to read it.
02/9/2002
We have a NEW
Product and Retail Price List. It
includes the prices of our NEW PRODUCTS, including the new
Pure Signal Interconnect Cables. You
will also notice that some prices have been reduced, though we have had
to make a small increase in the prices of the Ringmat LP Record Support
Systems to cover the increased costs of the Yellow Ringmat Spacers.
We have just had a fabulous review of our
Ringmat Audiophile Cables by Roy
Gregory in the recent Sept - Oct Issue of
Hi-Fi+ magazine. More about
this soon.
28/8/2002
Now for something completely different. Cue
and Review provide a recordings review service for the blind and
partially sighted which has recently covered the benefits of using the
Statmat CDi Blue when listening to CDs. Called "Sound Explosion",
we have now taken excerpts from their review and included them in a
Windows Media Audio (WMA) format for you to listen to for yourself.
Click here to hear the
review. For more information about the service, go to
www.cueandreview.org.uk or e-mail
information@cueandreview.org.uk or telephone ++44 (0) 141 563 0306
/ 0307.
27/8/2002
There has been another gap of a few months since we last posted some
news. Part of the reason for this has been that we continue to be too
busy with the success of our products to find the time to write about
all that has been happening. But mainly it has been because we have
been waiting to announce the arrival of our own
Ringmat Pure Signal
and Ringmat Pure Power Cables. We
will be introducing the Ringmat Pure Signal
interconnects and the Ringmat Pure Power
speaker cables at the
London Heathrow Hi-Fi Show in
September ( Saturday and
Sunday, 14th and 15th) and are absolutely
delighted with their performance. You can read all about them
here.
Also being introduced at the September Show
will be MkII versions of our
Ringmat Feet and some
Mini Domes to augment our
Ringmat Dome range. Since their
introduction in 1999, Ringmat Feet have
been steadily improved in performance as changes have been made in the
materials used. Now, following some further changes in the adhesives
used (which had such a big impact on the performance of the new
Anniversary Ringmat) it is time we
packaged them as the new MkII versions.
The Mini Domes were designed to be used
with the Ringmat Anti-Resonance Platforms, which we hope to introduce
before long, but are also useful where the existing
Small Ringmat Domes provide a profile
which is too high. The Mini Domes have
a height of just over 9mm, whereas the Small
Domes are some 19mm high. Remember, the
Domes are superior in performance to any spikes, cones or other
hard isolation support devices, and when used in conjunction with
Ringmat Feet, provide the best possible
support and performance for all your hi-fi and audio visual components.
See what we say about our ‘Soft Feet’ approach in our previous news
posting.
If
you are able to be at the Show, we look
forward to seeing you there. As usual, there will be some
special offers on our
products, and introductory
prices on our Pure
Signal interconnects and
Pure Power speaker cables.
Prices for our new products will be posted shortly.
Demand continues to be slightly ahead of our capacity to produce, though
delays in fulfilling orders are now fairly short.
Meantime, we continue to have marvellous reviews of our products. In the
May/June Issue of Hi-Fi+ there were two articles under the general
heading of ‘Ringmat Revisited’. The first was by the editor, Roy
Gregory, who started his article as follows: “ Collectively, JMH, DA and
myself have written an awful lot about the various Ringmat products, so
the recent arrival of a new, Anniversary Ringmat, and a virgin system in
need of treatment from scratch, offered a valuable opportunity for a
reality check. Armed with the full suite of Anniversary Ringmat, LP
Blue Statmat, Statmat CDi Blue and Statfeet, I descended on the poor
defenceless set-up and proceeded to Ring or Stat everything in sight.”
Roy then proceeds to describe how every Ringmat
and Statmat product produced real
improvements to the system and concluded: “These results go a long way
to confirm that as unlikely as it may seem, Ringmat’s bits of card and
clear plastic film are capable of producing real and musically valuable
improvements in the sound of hi-fi systems at all price levels. ... The
Ringmat products remain one of the most cost-effective upgrade paths
open to hi-fi users. And they don’t become redundant as you upgrade
the rest of the system. Our recommendation stands enthusiastically
reinforced.”
The
other article was by Jimmy Hughes, though a misprint in the magazine
attributed it to David Ayers. This concentrated first on the new
Anniversary Ringmat, LP Blue Statmat and
Statcap and then moved to the new
Statmat CDi Blue. “And the latest versions? Sonically, they’re
just like the earlier examples. Only better. Same sort of difference
only more of it.” He then continued by explaining how he especially
liked the products. The following section was really intriguing: “It’s
interesting that the Statmat CDi Blue made a difference even though I
was using Chord’s DAC-64. The reason being, the DAC-64 used with full
buffer does so much processing of the digital signal, it virtually
reconstitutes it. That being the case, the quality of the CD transport
used is far less significant than it normally is. Despite this, using
the Statmat CDi Blue improved refinement and openness, leading to a
purer more natural sound.”
The
following Issue of Hi-Fi+ showed the new
Ringmat Anniversary featuring in an article on upgrade options
for second-hand Linn LP12s. The next Issue, September/October 2002,
will include the first review of the new
Ringmat Pure Signal interconnects and the
Pure Power speaker cable.
Ringmat products have featured in two articles in Hi-Fi World on the
subject of upgrading your hi-fi system. In the June 2002 Issue, David
Price and the editor, Simon Pope, listened to see what benefit could be
found in using the Statfeet on their
own. Their conclusion? “Now, perhaps this all sounds like hocus
pocus. And you’d be right in thinking as much, except for one thing:
The fact that they actually work!” Of course, they work even better
when used with other Ringmat and Statmat products, but the point of our
submitting them to be used on their own was to subject them to a test to
demonstrate that they do actually work, even on their own. The second
article appeared in the September 2002 Issue and focused on the
Ringmat Support System, including the
new Anniversary Ringmat and the new
LP Blue Statmat. The editor, Simon
Pope, is new to our products and displays quite a lot of caution, of
which the following is revealing: “I’ve played around with a few Ringmat
products previously and found them to work well (and being a bit of a
cynic, I’ve had to swallow humble pie).” Then later: “I then used the
system as a whole with and without the Ringcap. On both occasions there
was further evidence of improved detail and clarity and once again had
humble pie for tea.” And the World Verdict? 3½ stars out of
4!
With the comments: “Ultimately the system makes subtle yet defining
changes to your vinyl collection” and “Dare I say it, it’s even a bit
of fun – which is no harm in the somewhat po-faced world of hi-fi!” Not
bad.
We
were then given a full page review of the new
Anniversary Ringmat, LP Blue Statmat
and Statcap in the September 2002 Issue
of Hi-Fi News. Whilst initially being sceptical that a few holes cut in
the paper and a different adhesive might make the Anniversary outperform
the XLR, Christopher Breunig (CJB) had to admit that: “... there really
were changes to the imaging and dynamics, etc. As Rogers suggests,,
wider soundstages were created and definite increases in tonal
definition perceived – notably with a mono Westminster LP of Scarlatti
keyboard sonatas.” When the XLR and standard LP Statmat were replaced
by the Anniversary , LP Blue and Statcap, and using the products on his
Linn LP12 with the other modules of the Ringmat Support System, CJB
observed: “... the opening side-drum taps were sharper, the
double-basses more focused, the bassoons’ phrasing more pointed, then
the paired oboes more easily analysed, ... (there was) increased
tunefulness and vocal nuance, and cleaner separation, with a dryer, more
focused plucked bass.” CJB concluded: “Whilst these items stack up in
cost – as well as physically! – they don’t amount to much relative to
the turntable, arm and cartridge outlay, and in my view the sonic
changes more than justify investment. And it’s nice to feel once more
that the extra effort involved with the software, in getting things to
sound just right, brings a reward of its own.” Amen to that.
Finally, we have
to report that the decline in the quality of the transports used in some
computer systems (perhaps inevitable in the face of fierce competition)
means that not all computers can benefit from using the CDi Blue.
Accordingly, some users may need to use the single film Statmat MkII CDi
for their computer, and perhaps for certain DVD machines, whilst using
the CDi Blue for their hi-fi system and for most audio visual set-ups.
15/4/2002
There
has been a gap of a few months since we last posted some
news. The reason for this is that we have been too busy
with the success of our products to find the time to write
about all that has been happening.
For
most of our products, demand continues to outstrip our
capacity to produce, though we have constantly kept our
nose grinding on the production bench. We nevertheless
feel we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and
that before long production and stock levels will be on
more of an even keel.
Production
of our new cables with
our own name and colours should take place shortly, so
provided all has gone well we hope to be able to bring
them onto the market during the Summer months
We
have almost finished the anti-resonance
platforms in their new prototype form. We have had
prototypes in use for some years, which outperformed
anything on the market we had previously tried, but they
were too expensive to make commercially and there were
aspects of their design which we felt we could improve
upon. The new prototypes outperform the original ones, so
we now have to move towards putting them into a final
marketable state.
Meantime,
we have had some wonderful reviews of our new products.
Our new Statmat, the CDi
Blue, has had 3 reviews, in Hi-Fi+,
Audio
Video South Africa (AVSA), and High
Fidelity (Denmark) magazines. The review in High
Fidelity also featured our new Anniversary
Ringmat, our new LP Blue
Statmat and Statcap
and other modules of the Ringmat
Support System, click here
to read the review.
Particularly
interesting were the reports in AVSA and High Fidelity
magazines as to how the new CDi
Blue Statmat improved the picture quality as well
as the sound in audio/visual systems. This has been known
for some time, as many customers have been regularly
reporting it to us, saying how amazed and pleased they
were. Further improvements in picture quality, as well as
sound, can be obtained by using Statfeet
under televisions and video recorders.
We
have also had the first review of our "soft
feet" approach to loudspeaker support. Traditionally,
the advice has been to support speakers with
"spikes" or hard "cones". The Danish
hi-fi company Holfi drew our attention to the work done by
the Swedish company Sonic Design in finding a better means
of support for speakers, using their SD Damping Feet. For
a technical appraisal of the “soft feet” approach and
links to the Sonic Design Website and reviews, click here
to review the technical appraisal.
However,
Holfi discovered even better results using our Ringmat
Feet under the SD Damping Feet, but we, in turn,
found yet an even bigger improvement using our Ringmat
Domes in place of the SD Damping Feet. Our existing
Ringmat Feet and Domes provide excellent "soft
feet" support for loudspeakers and other components,
as you will read in the Hi-Fi+ reviews.
As reported, we are working to develop extra large,
extra heavy duty Ringmat Feet to use under those speakers
and other equipment that weigh more than 21k. Watch this
space.
24/11/2001
The
new LP BLUE STATMAT and STATCAP
for LP sound reproduction were launched at the Manchester
Hi-Fi Show on 17th/18th November 2001.
Feedback from users has already been pretty ecstatic, much
the same as with the introduction of the CDi BLUE
for CD reproduction in September.
We have also had another
excellent review for the Ringmat
Feet and a first review of the Ringmat
Domes by Dave Ayers in the British magazine Hi-Fi+.
The Feet are like mini plastic Ringmats and are designed
to be used under a component's own feet on a shelf or
platform (or on the floor underneath Domes in the case of
speakers). The Domes (which look like conventional
cones without a 'point' and are made of compressed cork)
were conceived as a means of support where a
component has no feet of its own to enable the component
to rest upon Ringmat Feet. This is especially so
in the case of speakers. However, use of the Domes
on Ringmat Feet in place of a component's own feet can
bring even greater rewards in improved sound quality, as
is explained in the aforementioned review. The only
caveat for the use of Domes in place of a component's own
feet is where the base plate of the component is not
suitable to sustain support other than where its own feet
are positioned.
Remember, whenever a change is
made in a highly tuned sound reproduction system,
there is usually an effect on the 'loading' of the system
and/or in the phase of the signal. Changes in the
phase of a signal alter the timing of sound waves from the
speakers throughout the frequency range. Any changes
in 'loading' and the phase of the signal often require to
be compensated by minute adjustments to the position of
speakers in relation to a rear and any other reflecting
walls and in the degree to which speakers are 'toed-in'.
Such changes in speaker positioning may amount to less
than 5mm (maybe only 2 to 3mm), but unless such
corrections are made, the full benefit of improvements to
a sound reproduction system may be only partially
realised.
28/09/2001
At
the Hi-Fi Show in London earlier this month, we introduced
a number of new products and upgrades. A summary of
Ringmat and Statmat products for the 2001/02 Season can be
found in the product
section.
There
is also a new price
list.
14/06/2001
There
is an unsolicited review of Statmat in the current (July 2001) edition of
Gramophone magazine, the first review of one of our products in that
august publication. Patrick Fraser, in his appraisal of a number of ‘aftermarket’
products aimed at improving sound quality, identifies Statmat as "the first
stop" for anyone looking to enhance CD
performance. His review gives several examples of the improvements
obtained by using Statmat, the strange thing being that he was reviewing
the Mk II version, which was superseded by the CDi nearly 2 years ago. It
is an excellent article, nevertheless. He is quite right that in an age of
ever increasing reliance upon electronics in metal boxes, we still have to
combat the tiny vibrations generated by the components within the
equipment, the vibrations generated in the air and through the floor, as
well as unwanted electromagnetic currents. All these are issues for which
our products already provide many solutions, and new products in the
pipeline will bring even further benefits. We are working at a feverish
pace on a range of new ides. Watch this news page!
23/03/2001
There
are two new reviews of the Statmat now posted. One by Bjarne
Jensen (Hi Fidelity) and another by Deon
Schoeman (Audio
Video South Africa). You can read those here.
When Bjarne Jensen reviewed the
Ringmat Feet at a later date, he referred to the MkII CDi,
commenting that this new version was now available. He
added that it was at least as good as the earlier
version but was easier to use.
21/03/2001
RINGMAT/RINGMAT
SUPPORT SYSTEM received a “Hi-Fi+ Product of the Year
2000” award at the recent Bristol Hi-Fi Show – see page
26 of Issue 10 (March/April 2001).
The magazine’s commendation states:
“Ringmat
Developments’ range of eclectic and effective accessories
are perhaps best typified by their Record Support System.
A genuinely clean sheet approach, the basic Ringmat
optimises disc support, while the complete Support System
allows precise adjustment of VTA/SRA (a vitally important
aspect of vinyl replay which has been shamefully neglected
by UK tonearm manufacturers for years).
Add the thoughtful approach to turntable set-up
outlined in the accompanying booklet and you’ve got a
package that will breath new life into virtually any
deck.”
The
Ringmat Support System was reviewed in Issue 9 of
Hi-Fi+
by Dave Ayers. See our review
section for more...
Ringmat has always had
many adherents in Germany since it was first launched, but
we have only recently had a review of the current XLR
version of the Ringmat 330 MkII. An English
translation of the review, which appeared in the Summer of
2000, is now available, click
here to read that review.
Still on the subject of
Ringmat, Jimmy Hughes has again been singing its praises. In a
round up of ways in which sound reproduction can be improved
("Gilding the Lily" - Hi-Fi
Choice Best Buys 2000 Edition), Jimmy now says
that the Ringmat is "quite possibly the finest
turntable mat ever produced". He also
believes the benefits go beyond improved sound reproduction, by
extending cartridge life and reducing record and stylus wear. This
can be gauged by the difference in the quality of stylus needletalk,
where this is reduced when using Ringmat. He reiterates the
point made by Dave Ayers in his review
of the Ringmat and the Ringmat Support System, that the improvement also
holds good for turntables designed for use without a mat - including
those where the manufacturer provides for the record to be clamped
straight onto the platter.
Jimmy also mentions the
improvement brought about by the CD Statmat, it raises an interesting point regarding
static which we have been researching and which will form
part of a new range of products due out later this year.
We don't know how many readers
have the British magazine "CLASSIC fM",
but in the February 2001 issue, under the interesting
headline "skip the jumping",
the contributor reports that in "a trial of three
known suspects" in his collection, the Statmat
produced "perfect results".
Is this the outcome manufacturers had in mind when CD was
originally launched, with the claim to "the perfect
sound"? Perhaps not, but it was good to
have this brief mention and to bring to the attention of
others the improvements in sound which can be achieved by
using this product. Moreover, from our latest
research, we believe there is still quite a long way
to go before we run out of ideas to improve CD sound
reproduction. Watch this space!
Readers of our news pages will
be aware of our co-operation with the high-end Danish
manufacturer Holfi. See our news on
08.03.2000. In recent weeks, Holfi have been
installing their hi-fi systems in the homes of certain
prominent, internationally famous musicians. You can
read about this on their news
site. The significance of this for us is that the
performance of these systems is securely based on the use
and combination of our products, especially the Ringmat
Feet, with the Holfi equipment. Of
course, our products can be used with all and any makes of
equipment, and other manufacturers also recommend Ringmat
products, but Holfi have recognised the importance of our
products in delivering a level of performance which they
can confidently take to world renowned musicians,
knowing that the sound reproduced will be just what was
heard at recorded performances by these musicians.
Thomas Dausgaard, starting a new series of recordings of
Beethoven symphonies with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra,
on Simax, using the brand new Barenreiter/Del Mar
editions, to rave reviews, has written: "To Holfi: You
make it sound as we intended".
n turn, we have recently
acquired the Holfi top-of-the-range CD player (the Xara
NFB Rex) for our listening room, having been so impressed
by its performance during a visit to Denmark last year.
We have not been disappointed. It provides just the
level of performance for which we have been looking in
order for us to fully and accurately evaluate the research
work we are doing for the development of new
products. The battery powered output, using a
non-feedback, Class A, single-ended analogue amplifier, produces
a gorgeous sound.
13/08/2000
More extensive extracts from
recent reviews have now been posted under:
Ringmat
Support System . Statmat
. Ringmat
Feet
We have also tried the
suggestion made in the High
Fidelity magazine article by Bjarne Jensen that an
improvement in sound can be gained by ‘earthing’
Loudspeakers. (See
news item 20/05/2000). We loosened just one bolt per
drive unit (where the drive unit is affixed to the front
baffle) in the first speaker and hooked a bared end of a
length of insulated wire over it and retightened the bolt.
The lengths of wire were taken down the front of the speaker
(behind the front cover) and underneath to the back of the
speaker. Here they were fed into a simple wire connector,
and from the other end of the connector a fresh length of
wire was connected to the earth pin of a convenient wall
socket. The wire and the connector were taped to the
loudspeaker so that it looked tidier. We then did some
comparative listening tests in mono. It was immediately
obvious that with the speaker ‘earthed’ the sound was a
lot cleaner, more transparent, with more space around the
sound and greater depth. The sound sources seemed to be more
clearly layered, according to the position of the artists.
The foregoing was repeated with the other speaker, with the
same results. With both speakers and in stereo the
improvement to the sound was significant and well worth the
time taken to do such a simple upgrade. Those of a DIY mind
who are confident they know what they are doing may prefer
to carry out the connections inside the speaker and provide
an extra terminal on the back plate of the speaker.
We
are pleased to report that we have now officially received
our Certificate of Grant of Patent for Statmat as an
invention for 'Compact disc playing arrangements'.
20/5/2000
Another
wonderful review of the Ringmat Feet has appeared in the
Danish and Swedish Editions of High
Fidelity magazine (4/2000).
You will find an English translation in our Review
section.
We
shall be trying the loudspeaker earthing tweak ourselves in
due course (see the above mentioned review).
Incidentally, we have now removed all fuses from the
mains electricity supply to our test system, relying just on
the fuses in the equipment.
Combined with the introduction of our own prototype
mains cables, the improvement in sound reproduction is
staggering. More
on this later.
Lots
of references to Ringmat products in the latest edition of hi►fi+
magazine.
In
a series of reviews of high-end record players, it was found
that use of the Ringmat made a significant improvement to
the sound. In
his review of the Avid Acutus Turntable, Jimmy Hughes
comments: “However,
it’s possible to circumvent the clamp by using a QR
Developments Ringmat. Subjectively,
I felt this worked very well with the Acutus, and, were I
lucky enough to own this amazing turntable, that’s how
I’d use it ...”.
Reviewing the Garrard 501 Turntable, which came with
a fairly thin cork mat, Jimmy again comments:
“I also used the QR Developments Ringmat with very
good results, and this would be my choice... “.
The DNM/Reson Rota 1 Turntable comes with a Ringmat
anyway, as it was for this turntable that the Ringmat was
originally designed. As
regards performance, Roy Gregory says:
“In use the Rota 1 is amazingly crisp and dynamic.
Stable and focused, the music absolutely bounces with
life and energy. In
fact the whole sound is surprisingly big for a turntable of
such slight dimensions and minimal weight.
Much of this is down to its transparency and
resolution, qualities in which it excels, and which combined
with the dynamics make for a vivid (and highly enjoyable)
listening experience.”
These are all qualities that are usually found
whenever a Ringmat is in use, almost irrespective of
turntable.
Elsewhere
in the issue, in a section called ‘Audio Smorgasbord’
(yes, in a UK magazine!), Dave Ayers investigates the effect
of static on CD reproduction.
In part, this was prompted by his experiences using
Statmat, as reported in the previous issue of the magazine.
For those who had short memories, or who had not read
that issue, he gave a brief “recap” of the ‘plot’:
“I liked the effect of the Statmat so much I now
use it all the time. Or
in more detail: using the Statmat wrought improvements in
all areas of CD sourced music; particularly in rhythmic
integrity and emphasis, in reducing perceived distortion, in
opening up the sound stage and improving detail
resolution.” Dave
then continued to recount his experiences using various ways
in which to reduce the effect of static on CD reproduction,
including washing and then drying CDs, using the Zerostat
pistol, the Nordost ECO 3 spray and Statmat.
Whilst some of the products produced a cumulative
effect when used together, the clear winner was Statmat.
Also
in ‘Audio Smorgasbord’ is a review of the Incognito Rega
VTA Fixer, surely of interest to all those users of Rega/Moth
tonearms, and of the Digital Levelling Gauge from the
Cartridge Man.
In
South Africa’s only Hi-Fi magazine, Audio Video (March
2000), there is a review of the Ringmat Support System by
Deon Schoeman. The
verdict: “Rather
oddball but extremely effective turntable tweak.
Requires careful set-up and unhurried
experimentation. Bigger
soundstage, improved tonal range and greater clarity the
reward.” Fuller extracts
will be found in the reviews
section.
25/03/2000
RINGMAT
FEET REVIEW
The
first UK review of Ringmat Feet has just appeared in the
April 2000 issue of Hi-Fi
Choice.
"At
best, Ringmat Feet produce an improvement comparable to the
Townshend Loudspeaker Seismic Sinks I raved about last
month. Taking a set of Feet to a friend's house and using
them under his DNM pre-amp, the effect on the music was
magical."
Jimmy
Hughes
08/03/2000
STATMAT
REVIEW
The
first full review of the third generation STATMAT
has just appeared in Hi-Fi+.
This latest version of the STATMAT (Mk II CDi) was launched
at the London Hi-Fi Show in September 1999.
Another
review of the latest STATMAT is due in the Danish 'High
Fidelity' magazine expected in the May 2000 issue. This
will also include a review of Ringmat
Feet. We also hope that a review will also appear in the
Swedish edition of this magazine.
DANISH
MANUFACTURER USES STATMAT AND RINGMAT FEET
The
highly respected Danish Hi-Fi manufacturer Holfi
now regularly use STATMAT and RINGMAT FEET when
demonstrating their products.
BUY NOW at the ONLINE RINGMAT STORE
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