I have a Thorens TD125 with a Rega RB300 arm. I first listened to this model in 1970 at a friend's house. Kenwood integrated amp and Large Advents. We listened to It's A Beautiful Day, Procul Harum's A Salty Dog and Hendrix's Electric Ladyland. A modest system yet capable of listening enjoyment! The TD125 is capable of superb resolution to challenge the five-figure contenders.
Garrard 401 or Thorens 125
I know these are two different turntables, belt vs idler, but if both were the same price and the 401 was in great, serviced condition and the 125 was restored by someone like Vinyl Nirvana, which do you choose? I listen to mostly rock to heavy rock so leaning toward the punch of the idler but then again, i would need to remember maintenance (i know right? what a problem). Torn between the two.
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Steve Leung and his son Ray at VAS have several TD125’s, I helped them design and my woodworker made several nicer looking wood plinths, but even then they have zero appeal for me. I had, loved, still miss my Thorens TD124, (my wood floors are too flexible for it’s bearing) never had or knew anyone with a Garrard 301 or 401, but I have seen and heard them at audio shows, I get the appeal of them. @billstevenson is correct, flexible floor: go with spring suspended Thorens TD125; solid floor: Thorens TD124 or Garrard 301 or 401, their bearings are very sensitive to vertical motion. maybe on a wall shelf |
Bill, I would not say they are examples of Old World craftsmanship so much as they are examples of an industrial era when things were "built like a tank", which probably is a post WW2 meme, since tanks played such a huge role in fighting that war. A time when, in this country, Sears ruled the world. I still have and use a few of the tools that my dad left on his workbench when he passed away in the 70s. The difference between them in quality of construction and their modern counterparts that one encounters in a hardware story these days is notable. Let's not forget that a new Garrard 301 chassis sold for around $50 in its day. (On the other hand, accounting for inflation, that was probably big bucks.) |
On the hearth in our NH home there is an old wooden plane made by my wife Bonnie's great grandfather, a professional furniture maker. That is Old World craftsmanship in the true sense. Point taken, lewm. In my defense I did use small rather than capital letters. I also have some old tools such as you describe inheriting from your father, except in my case, at 77, I bought them when new. |
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