John Rogers, 1941-2025
Friday, 4th July 2025
John Rogers, founder of Ringmat Developments and creator of the Ringmat turntable mat and CD Statmat, sadly passed away recently.
Born in 1941 in Chingford, Essex, John David Michael Rogers was interested in sound reproduction from an early age.When he was 8 years old, his family acquired a radiogram. John wanted the music to be heard around the house, and so, bypassing their parents, an elder brother purchased two further sets of speakers.
As John was the smallest member of the family, it was his job to crawl under the floor boards passing up the cable through the floor for his brother to connect to the speakers.
Thus began a lifelong interest in music and Hi-Fi.
After school he qualified as a chartered accountant and had a very successful career. However, at the age of 40 he retired from the city and decided to pursue his love of listening to music.
Initially, John opened Brentwood Music Centre in Essex, and in the early 1980s this was one of the first retailers to sell CDs.
Almost immediately, a range of high-end Hi- Fi was added, including DNM products and Denis Morecroft became a good friend, both men constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of sound reproduction.
Denis was designing his Rota turntable and, for this to be an advance on what was already on the market, it had to deal with those adverse influences that usually inhibited the reproduction of a clear signal.
He had an idea for a completely new turntable mat which would address these problems and, as John had already done a lot of research, they joined forces and RINGMAT was born – the first LP record support specifically designed to generate an accurate, low distortion signal creating a new standard in LP sound quality.
It was available in three thicknesses and was updated regularly, the latest being the Anniversary Gold Spot.
Denis also acted as a consultant in the design of the first CD Statmat and the Vivacity AR Anti Resonance Platforms, his expertise being much valued.
Other Ringmat products included the Ringmat Support System and a booklet ‘How to Set Up and Fine Tune a Turntable’, Ringmat Feet and Domes together with Ringmat Audiophile Cables.
All products were well reviewed, including by those who admitted
to initial scepticism. In the years that followed there was much exchange of ideas, information and co-operation between John and Russ Andrews, and as his health deteriorated, John was delighted that Russ Andrews took over the production and sales of Ringmat products.
At all times, John’s attention to detail was driven by the ambition to achieve the greatest possible musicality, so that the listener can enjoy the experience of ‘a concert at home’.
This is a tribute from one of his many followers:
"John’s genius for getting the best out of hi-fi equipment has given me, and no doubt many others, lots and lots of pleasure over the years and will continue to do so, hopefully, for many more to come.
I think that John’s achievements in the world of Hi- Fi have been quite extraordinary – he was such an original thinker and then had the practical skills to make his ideas become real."
I think that John’s achievements in the world of Hi- Fi have been quite extraordinary – he was such an original thinker and then had the practical skills to make his ideas become real."
John is survived by his wife, Angela, their son and daughter, three grandchildren and one infant great-granddaughter.
Written By Angela Rogers
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