Paul Duerden
pfm Member
The Bastin Plinth is not marble, it is made out of many pieces of plywood.
The Marble plinth is made by a firm called Slate Audio.
The Marble plinth is made by a firm called Slate Audio.
Garrard 301/401 - Which is best?
- Thread starter Stuart Frazer
- Start date
Konteebos
Surfing on the lake of fire
I bought what was probably the last "new" Garrard SP25 Mk5, from a shop in Elgin in the early 1980's. It was a diabolical piece of junk. It's only notable feature were the ability to pick up radio Moscow and to make loud farting noises occasionally. Even at only £45 it was much worse VFM than my LP12. Incidentally I bought it becuase it looked like an LP12, had belt drive and suspension and was British.
SCIDB
Triode Man
Hi
I have a Slate Audio Garrard 401 in my collection. It does offer good sound quality. It does seem that a good plinth is required to get good sound quality. Having seen a number of plinths used with Garrards, I'm not surprised they rumbled.
I don't know how it compares with the Bastin or the Lorricraft plinths. The Slate uses a marble plinth.
The Slate audio Garrard is not my main turntable but is great for playing 45 rpm singles & the odd 78rpm.
I also have a Technics SP10 which needs a plinth. I hope to get this up & running in the near future. This ones was out of a radio station & is still in good nick.
Dean
I have a Slate Audio Garrard 401 in my collection. It does offer good sound quality. It does seem that a good plinth is required to get good sound quality. Having seen a number of plinths used with Garrards, I'm not surprised they rumbled.
I don't know how it compares with the Bastin or the Lorricraft plinths. The Slate uses a marble plinth.
The Slate audio Garrard is not my main turntable but is great for playing 45 rpm singles & the odd 78rpm.
I also have a Technics SP10 which needs a plinth. I hope to get this up & running in the near future. This ones was out of a radio station & is still in good nick.
Dean
Paul Duerden
pfm Member
Well I had to ask Dean,
What is your regular deck, and why do you prefer it to the Garrard?
What is your regular deck, and why do you prefer it to the Garrard?
SCIDB
Triode Man
Hi Paul,
My regular deck is an Avid Acutus. I find it more enjoyable to listen to overall.
The Garrard is great for 7" singles as it has no clamp. It has been of use recently has I picked up a load of soul/funk singles & I had to give them a quick listen.
I do also own other decks.
Dean
My regular deck is an Avid Acutus. I find it more enjoyable to listen to overall.
The Garrard is great for 7" singles as it has no clamp. It has been of use recently has I picked up a load of soul/funk singles & I had to give them a quick listen.
I do also own other decks.
Dean
Paul Duerden
pfm Member
Sounds like a nice deck then,
I'm thinking of going for a Thorens TD124 as a bit of a project, and I aleady have a 12 inch SME to stick on one, A Mana Wall shelf fixed to 4 ft of stone should give it a good support too.
I'm thinking of going for a Thorens TD124 as a bit of a project, and I aleady have a 12 inch SME to stick on one, A Mana Wall shelf fixed to 4 ft of stone should give it a good support too.
Paul
Don't do anything before you have heard a 401 in a decent plinth.
Once I have the Aro fitted, and assuming it sounds ok, I will either invite you down for a listen, or I will send the sound up to you via the telephone.
You deserve better than the Thorens.
Regards
Mick.....just bought a mint Sarah Brightman LP on Ebay....that is what you will listen to.
Don't do anything before you have heard a 401 in a decent plinth.
Once I have the Aro fitted, and assuming it sounds ok, I will either invite you down for a listen, or I will send the sound up to you via the telephone.
You deserve better than the Thorens.
Regards
Mick.....just bought a mint Sarah Brightman LP on Ebay....that is what you will listen to.
Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
Did a search on ebay and "wiltshireman" is the only person to have EVER bought a Sarah Brightman LP.
So I guess that must be you Mick. Congrats on your purchase.
So I guess that must be you Mick. Congrats on your purchase.
Paul Duerden
pfm Member
Thanks Mick,
Considering a few of our recent encounters, I call that a decent even magnanimous offer.
Deck project on hold.
Considering a few of our recent encounters, I call that a decent even magnanimous offer.
Deck project on hold.
I have failed to buy one of these in the last few months for various reaons. Does anyone know if there are dealers who specialise in them or if any one has one for sale at a reasonable cost,I really wanted one to do as a project,but not one that bad as to cost a fortune to restore. Any ideas chaps Clive Smith
RichShortland
pfm Member
Clive,
one place worth trying for a 401 is a shop called The Emporium.
I found them advertising in HiFi World - they also have an ad in HiFi+ I think.
They sell both modern and vintage used hifi and have a website - www.emporium.dircon.co.uk/
I think the are based in Norwich from memory.
I bought my 401 from them for £65 two years ago - it was missing the plate which goes around the switches but otherwise was perfect.
However I would budget for someone like Loricraft to give it a service to release the full potential of this deck - mine cost about £125 but I bought a load of bits on top of this including a cork mat (really good) and some rubber damping o-rings which go around the platter and damp it. Both of which helped the sound no end. Terry and Nigel at Loricraft really know their stuff.
I was quite lucky with mine but if you go with someone reputable then you have some come-back - I can recommend the Emproium.
I would really be carefull about buying one somewhere like eBay - you could easily pay over the top for one which needs loads spending on it.
Hope this helps - BTW if you want to mail me privately try [email protected]
Richard
one place worth trying for a 401 is a shop called The Emporium.
I found them advertising in HiFi World - they also have an ad in HiFi+ I think.
They sell both modern and vintage used hifi and have a website - www.emporium.dircon.co.uk/
I think the are based in Norwich from memory.
I bought my 401 from them for £65 two years ago - it was missing the plate which goes around the switches but otherwise was perfect.
However I would budget for someone like Loricraft to give it a service to release the full potential of this deck - mine cost about £125 but I bought a load of bits on top of this including a cork mat (really good) and some rubber damping o-rings which go around the platter and damp it. Both of which helped the sound no end. Terry and Nigel at Loricraft really know their stuff.
I was quite lucky with mine but if you go with someone reputable then you have some come-back - I can recommend the Emproium.
I would really be carefull about buying one somewhere like eBay - you could easily pay over the top for one which needs loads spending on it.
Hope this helps - BTW if you want to mail me privately try [email protected]
Richard
Rico
Bloody Colonials
Err Mick - could it be they are all ex employees of a failed company? Surely by your own market economics education, if the product was any good the company would have been churning them out all this time, and there would still be strong demand?
Gentlemen, I present to you, for arguments sake, the LP12.
Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
Yeh Rico, but on that basis VHS would never have got off the ground against Betamax.
There are many examples of great products and failed companies; which only goes to show that it takes more than a great product to make a company successful.
There are many examples of great products and failed companies; which only goes to show that it takes more than a great product to make a company successful.
markzb
pfm Member
Hi Guys
When it comes to turntables...you brits are extremely biased and very sensitive...especially when the numbers 12 or 401 come up!
Whilst I have never heard a comparison between the 401 and the 124, I dont think that the 401 looks are so amazingly great.
Its a decent looking and finished turntable...nothing special asthetically or operationally.
The Thorens TD 124 is a beautifully made, looking and finished turntable. This extends to the use and feel of operation via the controls.
Each to their own......but if any of you hanker after something really really special....dont discount the TD 124 like some here are saying.....
Now....Thorens have made lots of crap in my opinion.......but the TD 124 was a very unique turntable.
If you have the means...buy both and enjoy both! But dont be psychoed here into thinking that the 401 is superior...it is not.
By the way....15 years ago...when all the brit mags were raving how good the speed stability of the LP 12 was.....my TD 124 was showing me how crappy and shaky the sound really was. Once you lived with a TD 124.....you notice painfully how the LP 12 slows down when the going gets going!
But that was then....I have no idea what the current LP 12s with all these new power supply options do.....cant say I care either.
Put a smile on your face...go get a TD 124!
To answer the question the original thread poses.....
NEITHER!!!!
Cheers
Mark
When it comes to turntables...you brits are extremely biased and very sensitive...especially when the numbers 12 or 401 come up!
Whilst I have never heard a comparison between the 401 and the 124, I dont think that the 401 looks are so amazingly great.
Its a decent looking and finished turntable...nothing special asthetically or operationally.
The Thorens TD 124 is a beautifully made, looking and finished turntable. This extends to the use and feel of operation via the controls.
Each to their own......but if any of you hanker after something really really special....dont discount the TD 124 like some here are saying.....
Now....Thorens have made lots of crap in my opinion.......but the TD 124 was a very unique turntable.
If you have the means...buy both and enjoy both! But dont be psychoed here into thinking that the 401 is superior...it is not.
By the way....15 years ago...when all the brit mags were raving how good the speed stability of the LP 12 was.....my TD 124 was showing me how crappy and shaky the sound really was. Once you lived with a TD 124.....you notice painfully how the LP 12 slows down when the going gets going!
But that was then....I have no idea what the current LP 12s with all these new power supply options do.....cant say I care either.
Put a smile on your face...go get a TD 124!
To answer the question the original thread poses.....
NEITHER!!!!
Cheers
Mark
Stuart Frazer
pfm Member
Mark
Whilst I have never heard a comparison between the 401 and the 124 ..dont be psychoed here into thinking that the 401 is superior...it is not. Sorry, but If you have not heard a comparison, on what basis can you form that conclusion? looks?
To answer the question the original thread poses..... NEITHER!!!! Same again, on what basis can you form that conclusion? looks again?
Patrick
You are correct, not every well-engineered product succeeds, the marketing game plays a part too and in some cases a very big part. Sunny Delight anyone?
Ive nothing against the LP12, but my main concern is the fact it has to be tuned by a dealer every few years. Finding a good dealer to do it may be a problem too. I would be constantly wondering if its still in tune and am I hearing the LP12s full potential of the vinyl playback?
Stuart
Whilst I have never heard a comparison between the 401 and the 124 ..dont be psychoed here into thinking that the 401 is superior...it is not. Sorry, but If you have not heard a comparison, on what basis can you form that conclusion? looks?
To answer the question the original thread poses..... NEITHER!!!! Same again, on what basis can you form that conclusion? looks again?
Patrick
You are correct, not every well-engineered product succeeds, the marketing game plays a part too and in some cases a very big part. Sunny Delight anyone?
Ive nothing against the LP12, but my main concern is the fact it has to be tuned by a dealer every few years. Finding a good dealer to do it may be a problem too. I would be constantly wondering if its still in tune and am I hearing the LP12s full potential of the vinyl playback?
Stuart