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Help me buy a Garrard

Friends,
I was almost about to pull the trigger on a EMT 948/950 from Mr.Dusch (EMT engineer). However I have never heard them so I was taking some time. In the mean time I heard a couple of other vintage turntables and among them the Garrard 301 sounded terrific to me. The Garrard I heard was installed in decent wooden plinth (probably ply), nothing exotic though. Now that I am thinking of getting one there seems to be various options to get a Garrard TT:

1. Buy a good 301 off ebay and get a decent birch ply plinth built and ready to go!

2. Same as option 1 but also do the kokomo bearing upgrade and the Loricraft PSU upgrade.

3. Get one of the current Garrard flag bearers (Loricraft, Audio grail, OMA etc) to build you a 301 based TT with the same mods as mentioned in option 2.

4. Finally get an exotic fully built, modded 301 from Steve Dobbins or Artisan Fidelity or may be Albert Porter. I see that they change even the platter and mods to the Garrard. Here I am concerned that it may ultimately alter the overall sound more towards the modern side. I am not really after that. Some improvements to the overall noise floor and soundstaging is fine but taking it too far may ultimately get me only half the Garrard sound and other half the modder's sound.

My question is, what is the right way of doing a Garrard for a first timer and non-diyer like me considering that I want my Garrard to sound like a very good Garrard in the first place ?

If I just do good birch ply plinth and get a clean 301 to go with it, how far am I done ? Will a Dobbins plinth be a much higher grade of an upgrade ?

I currently use an Immedia RPM2 turntable which is already very good so with the Garrard I want to start at a certain acceptable level.
pani
pani OP
1,219 posts
 
Thanks every one for your free flowing comments.

Now the million dollar question, which version is safe buy for a first timer garrard user like me, grease bearing or oil bearing ?
I have heard couple of garrards but do not know which versions were they. My question is purely from the sonic point of view and not from the collectors view. Which version is easier to buy blind and be happy considering that I am not exactly coming from a vintage system ?

My current system is based on a pair of Tannoy turnberry SE speakers and Wavac amplification. It is revealing yet with a certain natural warmth.

Please suggest.
pani OP
1,219 posts
 
Whatever I get I will buy a properly refurbished one. So maintenance is not the issue. My question purely from the sonics pov.
audiofun
799 posts
 
Pani: Concerning which bearing to go with, grease Sched 1 or schedule 2 oil? Whichever is in better condition :) If you are going with a newer bearing it wont matter anyways and if you ever saw the original bearing of a Garrard flat spindle (contact area) against the sintered bronze (flat surface) or the later conical sintered bronze thrust plate you would DEFINITELY want a newer modern engineered solution.

I had Artisan Fidelity build my Technics SP10 MK3 NG and could not be happier. I was so happy in fact that I bought a Garrard 401 and delivered it to Artisan Fidelity for a complete restoration. The cool thing is I can do it in steps and various levels. For example I can start out with a simple restoration/plinth/Kokomo bearing... Later I could go to the Statement plinth and/or statement platter/bearing. The cool thing is you can build it up as you desire all at once or in stages or over time.

I obvious had a great experience having Artisan Fidelity build my SP10 MK 3 which is why I have them doing the work on my 401. I know they still do an upgraded standard bearing so you don't have to necessarily go with the inverted bearing.

Having said all that, I am sure that the Dobbins, Audio Grail...etc all sound EXCELLENT!!! I just happen to have only heard my stock 401 and then a Artisan Fidelity Statement 301 and it sounded sublime. The 401/301 will sound basically the same but the 301 is the one most desire. I personally like the 401. Hope this was of some help to you :)

Happy Listening...

BTW, I am having an Ikeada IT-407 arm with a Miyajima Madake cartridge installed on my 401 :)
pani OP
1,219 posts
 
Thanks Audiofun.

The difference between grease and oil bearing models is not just the bearing but also the motor. The grease motor has a higher torque motor compared to oil bearing version. That gives it the bulk of the difference.
audiofun
799 posts
 
Pani;

My pleasure. Have fun on your journey :)
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