Look what the cat dragged in (two Garrards)

[nat8808]

Good explaination.

Also, a pre-amp of the same era as the transformers will have be expecting lower level signals from all it's inputs. Todays line-levels are much higher thanks to CD players and digital so perhaps the step-up capability for the transformers is less than you would use these days as back in the day you wouldn't need so much total gain.

Use an old pre-amp with todays sources and you have to do the opposite, turn the volume down, only controlling volume in the first few degrees of turn of the knob.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Good explaination.

Also, a pre-amp of the same era as the transformers will have be expecting lower level signals from all it's inputs. Todays line-levels are much higher thanks to CD players and digital so perhaps the step-up capability for the transformers is less than you would use these days as back in the day you wouldn't need so much total gain.

Use an old pre-amp with todays sources and you have to do the opposite, turn the volume down, only controlling volume in the first few degrees of turn of the knob.

No... Not the MM phono input! (which is of course the only one the MC step up transformer is designed to work with). "back in the day" MM cartridges had a fairly similar output to a modern MM... often a bit higher if anything.
In the case of "radio", "aux", "tape" etc then yes you are right.

 

[nat8808]

Oh of course, the transformers only replicating the output of an MM rather than being part of the phono stage in total.

I was thinking that because the total gain of the phono stage was less back in the day, then the amplification shared between both the transformers and MM stage would be much less, each, than that shared between modern transformers and modern MM stage. If you see what I mean.

 

[pqpq]

I have no idea about technicalities, but while I was waiting for a vintage head amplifier (a sort of partial phono stage which amplifies MC to MM level) to turn up from Japan, I used a borrowed step-up transformer to do the same thing. I was surprised how little difference swapping them made. The head amplifier was specifically made to match my cartridge - the step-up transformer was just a stop gap so I was expecting a huge improvement.

On that basis I wouldn't worry too much which you end up using.

 

[nat8808]

I think it becomes one of those audiophile hang-ups...

Some swear by one type, others will slag it off but play them both music by either in the dark and they won't know what they're listening to. Probably say that can tell it's a CD ...

 

[ian r]

I am just back from an old friends house who has some of my old kit and plugging in vinyl and a NAD 3020. What a lot of thump it likes to show - quite peculiar to my ear. However using the MM Ortofon into the MC input of the NAD was much tastier and utterly different from the MM slot. Amazing they had both at that price . well done nad ANyway hes a guitarist and particularily liked the guitar sound on MC so its staying for now

The volume control is only up 3/5 degrees compared to 10/11 normally. Its the first time I have done that. The build quality on the thing was almost better than the Naim and as good as in a lumpy practical way

 

[sonddek]

I've more or less finished design/construction of the first plinth now, so here are some pictures before it gets glued and painted:

 

[sonddek]

I see that someone called jclovesmusic on ebay sells a phosphor-bronze bearing thrust-pad and says that it won't damage the spindle. Is that the best one to get?

 

[sonddek]

Here's the subliminal inspiration for the plinth:

 

[zener]

Ekos on a Garrard , bet that will sound very good. I am well impressed with my Ekos on my Hyperspace.

 

[Tony L]

I see that someone called jclovesmusic on ebay sells a phosphor-bronze bearing thrust-pad and says that it won't damage the spindle. Is that the best one to get?

I'd not be in any hurry to swap out the stock one assuming it's not damaged - I tried the Kokomo bearing in mine briefly and didn't like it, it just lost some of the stuff I like so much about Garrards, e.g. that lovely powerful warm sound.

 

[sonddek]

Ekos on a Garrard , bet that will sound very good. I am well impressed with my Ekos on my Hyperspace.

It always does the job for me. I managed to dig a hole in the plinth such that it can take both Linn and SME arms.

 

[pickwickpapers]

I see that someone called jclovesmusic on ebay sells a phosphor-bronze bearing thrust-pad and says that it won't damage the spindle. Is that the best one to get?

I haven't used that particular item of his (ironicly I did try the kokomo in a garrard although the dealer fitted it, and made a botch of it...)

I've found JC's items very reasonably priced ('relatively speaking') and nicely made and finished.
He seems willing to discuss the minutiae of the parts and their use (through ebay messaging at least - not sure if you can 'phone him).

 

[sonddek]

I'm now turning to the mechanics of the 301. Am I right in saying that the following are the areas for attention?
- platter bearing, checking wear, oiling/cleaning, upgrading thrust-pad
- idler wheel and bearing, oiling/cleaning
- motor bearing oiling/cleaning
- springs cleaning/checking

Does anybody know where I can find good online guides with pictures to each of these tasks?

 

[Tony L]

Assessing, cleaning, oiling. I'd not look at "upgrading" anything until you've heard it working correctly.

 

[sonddek]

Assessing, cleaning, oiling. I'd not look at "upgrading" anything until you've heard it working correctly.

OK - I'm just worried that it might be worn. I've had it open once, but couldn't really understand what I was looking at. It didn't look like a sensible bearing design to me, but that may be wear. The spindle looked fabulous though. I'll take some pictures shortly.

 

[Tony L]

OK - I'm just worried that it might be worn. I've had it open once, but couldn't really understand what I was looking at. It didn't look like a sensible bearing design to me, but that may be wear. The spindle looked fabulous though. I'll take some pictures shortly.

It's not a sensible design at all, but it works! just strip it, clean it, re-lube it and stick it back in the deck. Job done. One really good tip is to use a light smear of grease on both sides of the gasket, it just seals the bearing and stops the oil falling out of the bottom (this tip works with TD-124s too, and Lencos, though the latter doesn't have a gasket as such).

 

[sonddek]

It's not a sensible design at all, but it works! just strip it, clean it, re-lube it and stick it back in the deck. Job done. One really good tip is to use a light smear of grease on both sides of the gasket, it just seals the bearing and stops the oil falling out of the bottom (this tip works with TD-124s too, and Lencos, though the latter doesn't have a gasket as such).

I've already done all that, bar the grease, but I have seen no dripping so I guess that's not yet necessary. I only used 3-in-1 though. I had better move on to the motor. Presumably 3-in-1 won't be good for the motor bearings. I would really like to see pictures of what I'm about to undertake though.

 

[johnfromnorwich]

I've already done all that, bar the grease, but I have seen no dripping so I guess that's not yet necessary. I only used 3-in-1 though. I had better move on to the motor. Presumably 3-in-1 won't be good for the motor bearings. I would really like to see pictures of what I'm about to undertake though.

Sonndek - If you do the motor and fancy describing the process, I'm sure a few people would be grateful. I'm sure mine would benefit from a lube but I'm not happy about drilling out the rivets until I'm sure of what I'm doing and unlike some I only have the one TT down here and no space to leave things disassembled. I'm guessing it's not complicated, but I'm afraid of bodging it.

 

[sonddek]

Sonndek - If you do the motor and fancy describing the process, I'm sure a few people would be grateful. I'm sure mine would benefit from a lube but I'm not happy about drilling out the rivets until I'm sure of what I'm doing and unlike some I only have the one TT down here and no space to leave things disassembled. I'm guessing it's not complicated, but I'm afraid of bodging it.

I certainly intend to document all of this more exhaustively as it goes on, partly because I've been very lucky to receive these lovely decks in the first place. I am going to photograph each layer of my plinth before I finally glue it so you can all see how I cut out for SME and Linn arms, and how I attach squash ball adjustible feet using simple parts from the monger. Watch this space.