Hey man! Been awhile since I’ve seen your handle on a new thread, and I trust you’re still doing well.
I’ve got some experience with the AR, Marantz and Garrard tables. Of those, the AR could be the best way to go, especially if you like to tinker. It’s a classic design that has remained desirable for decades. They are dirt-simple to work on and solidly built. If I recall correctly, the AR platter is the heaviest of the bunch, which is generally preferable. Mats are a standard tweak so not a worry.
Basically, the table itself just needs to spin silently. The main bearing assembly in these tables is easily disassembled, cleaned and oiled. So long as the bearing and "race" (it isn’t really, more like a sleeve in most cases but I digress) aren’t pitted or corroded, you’re fine. The motor has to hold it’s speed and be noise-free (both electrically and mechanically). Noisy motors are a problem. They can usually be replaced, but then you’re investing money you could have put toward a newer, and possibly better, rig. No matter what, clean the platter, pulley and replace the belt. 91% isopropyl is usually sufficient for cleaning mechanical surfaces. There are number of YouTube tune-up videos out there and you’ll want to check them out.
The tonearm is a key concern with all tables of this age. It is the component that determines whether the stylus can properly trace the record groove. That means the mechanical action of the arm dictates how the table ultimately performs. The AR XA/XB arm is very basic and if there is a weak link, that’s it. No anti-skate, azimuth is how you screw the head shell in and VTF adjustment is coarse. A good protractor will be a must to set alignment. Arms can all be rewired, but with oxidization of the lube in the bearings and other accumulations of entropy, a full rebuild or replacement should be on your horizon if you decide you want to get further into analog and you pick the AR.
The Marantz has the best arm of the 4 and is also very robustly constructed. It’s a solid alternative. If I remember aright, it was actually a private labeled Japanese table. Most of the JVC, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sansui and Technics (Panasonic) have very similar designs.
MC is correct about the Sansui’s auto-off function, but finding repair parts if you’re so inclined could entail a long search. The arm has a mechanical return function so the fault may not be a switch - lots of bits and pieces can cause the function to fail. I can’t speak to the tracking capability but would suspect it’s similar to the Marantz. Note that both the Marantz and Sansui feature auto-off. That means you’ll lose that function permanently if you choose to upgrade the arm on either.
My experiences with most Garrard products were not generally favorable. They employed questionable engineering and executed to a lower quality than most of their competitors. I always had trouble getting them to perform consistently as a result. Folks rave about their high-end rim drive units, but those are very different animals from the Zero 100 (the Zero 92 was a record changer BTW).
The key consideration is how much tinkering you really want to do. Compare that with the $$$ you want to invest. Keep in mind that an entry-level cartridge will be ~$100, a mat is ~$30 and protractor ranges from free (downloaded and printed) to hundreds. And you’re putting that into a 45 year-old device. A Pro-Ject Debut Carbon with cartridge sells for $500 brand-new.
Hope this helps & have fun with the project. Happy listening!
