Revamp Garrard 301, keep Oracle V or move along?

since my Garrard is 50hz/220v i have only heard it with my Loricraft UPS 301 AR.....although i understand it makes a considerable difference in the performance. i certainly like how it sounds but have no context of not using it.

obviously it plugs into my 60hz/110v power grid already.

Jweiss; will my Loricraft power supply be upgradable to the new version?

thanks.

When I visited with Loricraft in England in December, I asked what the differences were between the two power supply units (PSU 301/Archivist and PSU401), given their vastly different price. The answer is too long to recount here (if anyone is really interested, feel free to give me a call or email) but the result was an offer by Loricraft to create for OMA a single new supply that has the performance of the more expensive unit, but at a much more reasonable price. Most people don't need the speed control that someone archiving 78rpm shellacs would want. This new unit will be useable by not only Garrard 301 and 401 owners, but Lenco and TD124 owners as well. That is the way it has been presented to me by Garrard's engineer who created the PSU line.

The new supply will be configured 110V or 220V in or out, but the settings are done at the factory, and not changeable by the user. This does mean, though, that you can buy a UK or Euro 301, keep it 220V and 50hz, but still use it in the US. And according to Garrard/Loricraft, that is the optimal configuration for performance.

Mike, as to your question whether your present unit could be changed, I do believe this is a possibility, as the beta tester for this new design was an earlier PSU which went back to Loricraft for conversion.

This is a fully new design. It is not an "upgrade" with some changes in boutique caps and such. Considering that the price goes down by several thousand dollars, but the performance is supposedly equivalent to the most expensive unit made by Loricraft, I would say this is a good thing.

I hope to have this online in the next couple of months. If I don't hear a big improvement in sound from the new supply, I won't carry it.

Jonathan; thanks for the response, i appreciate it.

if i am reading your post correctly it seems that what your 'new' version will offer is a simplified and less expensive version of what i have (with the current UPS 301 AR) with equal performance. what will be lacking is the adjustability for certain unique speeds.

then at the end you add that you are anticipating a big improvement in the sound. is that expected improvement over not using the Loricraft at all or is that anticipated improvement over the current UPS 301 AR that i have.

sorry; maybe i'm just slow and thanks for putting up with my questions. i do think it's great that the 301 gets all this attention to make it better. we all gain from that.

best,

Mike

Hello Mike,

If you have the PSU301AR you have the top of the line supply and controller, with all the bells and whistles. I do not anticipate the new Loricraft OMA controller to exceed the performance of your unit. The new supply does not use the same technology as your unit, but should offer similar performance at a much lower price, and without all the adjustments of the AR model which are so expensive to produce.

With the new supply, the technology for creating a whole new PSU design had existed, but no impetus was seen by them for doing it until OMA became a distributor for their products in the US.

My comments about the anticipated improvement in sound refer to using the new supply against using nothing but the mains to power one's deck. If the new supply does not provide marked improvement than I won't carry it, as I think you better get something substantial for that kind of investment.

Hope that explains things better.

thanks Jonathan for the clarification.