Those turntables are ancient history.
Sell Me Your Women, Your Children, Your Vintage Turntable...
Ok I’m trying to understand the appeal of buying something like an old Garrard 301 or an elderly Technics all trussed up in a shiny new plinth, versus something manufactured in the 21st century by people not wearing clogs.
Surely modern gear has to perform better, dollar for dollar? It isn’t like these restored Garrards are exactly cheap, i was looking at one for almost $11k yesterday on Reverb. The internals looked like something out of a Meccano set.
I ought to be more in tune with the past, I’m almost 60 and wear bell bottoms, but the style of the older TTs just doesn’t do it for me. Now then, my Dr. Feickert Volare had a look that was hardly futuristic, but that’s about as retro as I’d prefer to go.
All that said... I will buy one of these old buggers if it genuinely elevates performance.
With $10k available for table and arm, on the new or used market, how would you splash the cash?
Rooze
Surely modern gear has to perform better, dollar for dollar? It isn’t like these restored Garrards are exactly cheap, i was looking at one for almost $11k yesterday on Reverb. The internals looked like something out of a Meccano set.
I ought to be more in tune with the past, I’m almost 60 and wear bell bottoms, but the style of the older TTs just doesn’t do it for me. Now then, my Dr. Feickert Volare had a look that was hardly futuristic, but that’s about as retro as I’d prefer to go.
All that said... I will buy one of these old buggers if it genuinely elevates performance.
With $10k available for table and arm, on the new or used market, how would you splash the cash?
Rooze
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- 95 posts total
I haven’t heard the Dr. Feickert Volare, but I have heard the Woodpecker and Firebird, both of which sounded very good. The AMG Giro, while not as good as the Viella, is very good and in your approximate price range. The Garrard 301, when updated and placed in an excellent plinth is a great turntable. I have one and prefer it to many other turntables. I have my system posted with pictures of the Garrard 301. If you have a $10K limit, you should consider a Garrard 401 as the performance is similar, but the price is less. I have mine installed in a Woodsong plinth (they can also restore a Garrard or Thorens), which I can highly recommend, then spend what is left of the $10K on a tonearm. You should probably hear a Garrard 301 or Thorens 124, if you are considering it. Good luck with your search. Jim Perry |
Different strokes for different folks, some people have no taste in my opinion. Dr.Feickert’s design is OK, unlike most of the modern turntables. But Garrard 301 Hammertone is one of the most beautiful turntables, simplicity and minimalism in design is not for everyone. This is state of the art classics! In a modern plinth like this (many different veneer available) it’s still great, very expensive, but it’s beautiful. Another example of retro and new is Torqueo Audio turntables like this. *Most of the new high-end turntables can quickly win my prize for the ugliest design ever, look at the most expensive modern high-end turntables like this :)) |
Check out my system in my profile. Just my very humble, but if you read Art Dudley's two part piece on the venerable TD124 you will perhaps get the appeal. The TD124 and Garrard 301 were purpose-built meaning that each and every piece that makes up the whole was new and not carried over from some previous design. They have a unique sound, quite similar and yet different, due to being idlers. Idlers sound different than direct drive and belt drive (just as the latter two sound different from each other). The motor on a TD124 is huge and hugely powerful compared to an AC synchronous and the Garrard 301 has an even larger more powerful motor. What is sacrificed in motor noise is gained in drive, force, attack, propulsive-ness when properly implemented. Different better engineered spindle bearings and platters can optimize the sound. And then there are so many choices for great tonearms, Reeds being my preferred match. Once restored from scratch, both the TD124 and 301/401 will last a lifetime, probably two, with almost no maintenance. They were designed and built as transcription tables meaning they were meant to run 24/7 for years at a time. As with cooking, sometimes simple things are best. So that pretty much encapsulates the appeal imho. |
- 95 posts total