Any experience with these turntables?


Thinking about getting my feet wet again with turntables and analog audio. A new friend of mine in audio, who works on these audio kits has a variety of TT he wants to get rid of. Has anyone had any of these? Which vintage model might yield the best fidelity?
AR XB (needs mat and cartridge), Sansui SR-4050C (mint condition, but needs auto off switch fixed) Marantz 6100 (pretty clean) and lastly Garrard Zero (fair condition). All tables would need a new cartridge I would assume.
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Technology of Garrard Zero is intriguing, what kind of money you talking?

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/garrard/zero-100.shtml

review:

file:///C:/Users/ellio/Downloads/ve_garrard_zero_100_reviews.pdf

Note 15 degree VTA feature, thus a used Shure V15 body, with new Stylus from Jico would seem a good choice

from Vinyl Engine:

"The Garrard Zero 100 is a superb two-speed transcription turntable with such special features as:

An ingenious tonearm virtually without tracking error (patent applied for) with damped cueing action.

A magnetic tonearm anti-skating system (patent applied for).

A motor with the advantages of both induction and synchronous motors (patent applied for).

A record speed and pitch control system with built in stroboscopic checking.

A tilting device to set the cartridge at a 15 degree tracking angle.

In addition to manual operation the Zero 100 will automatically play single 7", 10" and 12" records, or a stack of up to seven 12" records - adaptors are available to play records with large centre holes and to play a stack of 7" records."


As for which table will be in need of the MOST TLC, that’s the Garrard Zero 100. That tonearm only works well if it’s in absolute first rate condition! Any stiction, any binding, any wear, any damage, and it will malfunction! If you are very mechanically inclined, you can make it a nice table. But if you aren’t, it’s a huge PITA! After the arm, the rest is average at best build quality.

Me? Hands down, I’d go with the AR. It’s a Legacy table that is valued and sought after. And for good reason. It’s well made in all the right ways. The Marantz? Meh. The Sansui? Meh. Both of the latter are nothing to write home about. Pretty much dime-a-dozen tables.
The AR is the best sounding TT here! Even with its clunky stock arm! I have one in my collection - nicely restored and modded by VinylNirvana. The stock arm tube was replaced with a Technics, removable headshell and new wiring. Dynamat damping applied under the platter and inside the plinth. Automotive red lacquer finish on the plinth.
Don’t  bother with the Garrard. It is a cheap plastic table with an even cheaper plastic arm.  I used to sell the Zero100C back in the 70’s. Brand new they were junk, the sliders on the arm jammed up constantly and we got at least half of them returned as defective.   We dumped the Garrard. line because of that.  I don’t usually agree with millercarbon but in this case, I do 100%.