Garrard 301 - Project
I have been contemplating for a while which turntable to pursue given so many choices. Every time I look around, I just can’t help drooling over a fully restored Garrard 301 or 401. Aside from being an idler-drive, I keep reading and hearing about their unique ability to reproduce music with its sense of drive and impact thus making them very desirable to own. And with available meticulous restoration services and gorgeous plinth options, what’s not to like, right!
Would you please share your experience, good and pitfalls (if any) with a restored Garrard 301 to avoid before I go down this path.
And what about the IEC inlet and power cord, would they be of any significance. My two choices would be Furutech FI-09 NCF or FI-06 (G) inlets.
I have already purchased a Reed 3P Cocobolo 10.5” with Finewire C37+Cryo tonearm/interconnect phono cable with KLEI RCA plugs option.
Still exploring Cart Options, so please feel free to share your choice of cart with Garrard 301 or 401.
And lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to @fsonicsmith, @noromance @mdalton for the inspiration.
Thank you for that kind comparison. Art Dudley’s writings on Shindo always resonated with me, and I can definitely see the parallel. My Garrard 301 conveys that same sense of tone and texture, deeply musical and satisfying. Absolutely! The Woodsong plinth has shown me just how much beautifully crafted wood contributes to tone density and musical flow. I must admit, this experience goes well beyond aesthetics. 🙂 |
Here you go …https://www.audiogon.com/systems/12283 |
Further to your suggestion on upgrades such as the external power supply, Bastion plate, and Idler wheel — I reached out to Matt at Audio Grail, and he mentioned there are some trade-offs with using an external power supply. The Garrard motor’s speed is frequency-derived, so while reducing voltage can make the motor quieter, it also reduces torque. Frequency-locked devices like the LDA units do improve speed stability, but they come with their own compromises as well. I hear no motor noise, it’s dead quiet. I suppose this is one of those tweaks you just have to try and then assess whether it actually brings any improvement. I’m in the queue for AF’s idler wheel, but the Bastion plate is already on the way! |
It always seemed to me that the idler wheel should have the lowest possible inertial mass, so as not to add load to the motor over and above that of the platter. Some of the aftermarket idler wheels that are available for Lenco have an obviously higher inertial mass than does the OEM one provided by Lenco, which is really lightweight and drilled out further to minimize inertial mass. So I thus far have taken a pass on an aftermarket idler wheel. Don't know if the same holds for the 301/401. In my experience with motor controllers, they can have an effect of clarifying complex musical passages that may or may not have anything to do with reducing noise. It may have to do with improving speed constancy by helping the motor overcome stylus drag or other phenomena that affect constancy. It was quite surprising the first time I heard the effect on a Nottingham Analog TT. So I would definitely try one on your 301, or even a few different ones, and listen for that effect. |
