Platter Upgrade for Garrard 301


I am toying with the idea of upgrading my analog system to the next level up from my VPI scout. I've heard alot of talk about great performance from a Garrard 301 coupled with a upgraded plinth that I could buy from various sources, such as Oswald Mill Audio or Shindo, among others. However, I rarely hear about other upgrades for the Garrard. Isn't the platter a key component that should be a contender for an upgrade? I know Shindo makes such a platter, but they seem to be ultra expensive. There must be a less expensive alternative? Also, what other upgrades should I consider to a Garrard? Thanks, Mark
mcmprov

Showing 6 responses by nandric

Mark.Your conjecture that the platter is 'important' I will
modify in 'the most important part' of an TT. My advice is
read first Pierre Lurne (Googel:Pierre Lurne;analog thoughts,e.a). It is also the most difficult part to design and manufacture. I personaly never 'mess'
with 'upgrades' (see my 'upgrades' by Linn-LP-12).
To me the TT as Garrard,Thorens 124.etc are outdated TT
and more the objects of 'nostalgia' than something else.
The 'paradox' of updates:there is no 'final one' I.e. one
is never satisfied.

Cheers
Mikelavigne;you stated your opinions very eloquently and,even more important, openminded.
But if one owns such an TT as an Rockport and is still
not fully satisfied then,I am afraid,I have no answer to
your surch-expedition. I have no problem at all with your
'lead' in time (a year in front)but I have some trouble
with your intention to go back (in time) to the Garrard.
BTW I was to onesided with my 'nostalgia' qualification
so I will add the 'handyman' who enjoys fixing things.

Cheers
Mike,Logene,e.a. I feel very uncomfortable with semantical
issues because my English is the worst of my languages.
Despite of this I will underline that 'worning' is not
the same as 'allowing' (I was desperate for an more adequate expression but alas).
So I refered to P.Lurne an phisicist who is longer then
30 years in TT development. The so-called 'context' was
the complexity of design and manufacturing of the platter
(the bearing of course included). I.e. not something one
does in hes garage in hes leisure time.
But it is,it seems to me,an totaly onother issue if my
'worning' (in technical sense) is interpreted as some kind
of 'not allowing' my forum-fellows the pleasure of chasing
whatever they like.I.e thy 'adventure'.
I see our forum also as a 'place' for exchange of information. So I am sorry to see that nobody refers to
Lurne (qua context) but I know of course that all in this
forum is 'voluntary'.

Cheers
Lewm,I am glad that at list somebody 'get it' regarding
Pierre Lurne (you spelled it correctly). But I have no
idea how you 'get' the conclusion. I was explicite with my
reference to the platter and the bearing design (aka the
complexity) and so far I know even an Gerrard 301 needs
one. I even stated that the platter is 'the most important part' of an TT.I deed not mention 'belt' or other drive types.
I am a big fan of Lurne but I discovered dat Kuzma is even
better so I sold the Meca J1 and bought an Kuzma Stabi Reference. What your experience with Lurnes turntables was Ican't comment on unless you experinced Audiomeca J1.
Cheers
Mikelavigne. There is doubtless great beauty in and joy
from the artistic descriptions that we call literature.
But as Frege clirified to us there is some difference with,say, science.So he wrote hes 'Sense and reference' so
that an writer my compose an beatuful story about,say,
Pegasus without worry about the 'bearer' of this name
(aka the reference).So look with me,if you care,to the
beaty of the sentences Mike composed:
"but 'not fully satisfied'with the Rockport is not the
answer the question.curiosity and wanting to be involved
with a fun direction is most of it..."
I was realy moved and longed to join the club.
But then came an sentence with 'entailment' in logical
sence:'after I have fully experinced what Technics and
Garrard have to offer the we will see...'.
The 'entailment' is,it seems to me,the expectation,hope or
even the 'pretention' to surpass the engineers from Rockport by the force of hoping,so to speak.
I tryd to help the 'adventure' by providing some 'theoretical grounding' and refered to Lurne,an
physicist who wrote about 'design philosophy' for TT AND
the PLATTER but nobody was interested.
So my mind made some kind of an leap to an French cardinal
and 'the lady'.
The lady:'Sire is it an sin that I admire my own beauty
all day long?'
Richelieu:'ceartanly not my lady,ceartanly not.An illusion
is not a sin'.

Cheers
Lewn. I admire the capability of Mike to compose or produce
beautiful sentences (I assume he is an writer).
But the issue between us was the opposition between Rockport and Garrard 301 'project'.I.e. not about my
worry about Mike.
So we have the so-called 'initial conditions' or the state
of affairs at present.
Jean made a kind of contribution about(present) 'knowledge
and compability' but sayd nothing about the 'capability'.
Weisselk used the metaphor of the 'Baby and the Bathwater'
to warn about the 'Baby' (aka 'save the Baby).
So the 'picture' one can see or can deduce about the state
of affairs is,at least, very confused.
I used,so to speak, the logical approach and analysed the
statements made. So for me there was the implication that
the 'club' intends,hopes,etc to surpass the engeenirs who
made the Rockport without ,say, the necessary qualifications to realize such an project. I.e. those are
'mechanical matters' that must 'obey' phisical Laws and
are as such not something 'subjective' in the sense of
our 'intending','hoping for'.etc.
So x can hope that y in some garage can produce an better
platter then the engeneers by Rockport but this is,at least, very problematic.
BTW the issue is not about persons but about the arguments.
Cheers