Mm > mc > dc
I have just acquired a "dynamic coil" Garrott P77i courtesy of Vic from Trans-Fi Audio, with just 10 hours on the clock.
http://www.garrottbrothers.com/index.html
It's immediately obvious that I have found something really special after only a short listening session. My yardstick for evaluating this cart is my recently departed Nagaoka MP-50. Put simply, the P77 extracts more fine detail out of the grooves. You hear nuances in the music that you have never heard before. You find it portraying more emotion from the vinyl, getting you closer to the heart of the music. Your whole sensory experience is thus heightened.
The P77's midband is full of sparkle and clarity of expression, but manages to retain an appealing warmth at the same time. It's slightly more incisive, dynamic, and dare I say more involving than the MP-50, which is a little mellower overall. I must remember that the P77 has only done 10 hours, which means that the midband and top end will get even sweeter! Deep bass is slightly, but noticeably stronger than the MP-50.
I tried two test records that represent the diversity of the kind of music that I enjoy. Firstly, "Subdivisions" from "Signals" by Rush. There is a wonderful sense of spaciousness and dynamics in this superbly produced track. The keyboards are truly ethereal and I feel myself sinking deeper and deeper into the music. It's like you are getting to know an old friend even better than before, as you discover a new aspect to their personality.
Next up is the "Adagio" from Khachaturian's "Spartacus" - that's the music from BBC's "The Onedin Line" for the uninitiated ... This track never fails to stir my soul. It opens quietly with very delicate woodwind and strings, then launches into a full-scale assault on the heart-srings with one of the most poignant and miraculous massed string tones you have ever heard. The MP-50 presents these strings beautifully but in one big block; with the P77, you can hear more of the individual instruments that make up this massed tone. I'm really starting to feel this is a superbly crafted cart.
With my MP50 I found that my ideal listening position would be towards the front of my armchair. With the P77 this was even more critical if I wanted to be fully immersed in the soundstage and feel the full effect of the bass - just leaning back a little would dissipate the soundstage considerably.
The P77 is super quiet. No hum to be heard even at high levels, and is quite superb at surpressing noise from the grooves. It is clearly superior to the MP50 in this regard and on a par with the MC's I recently heard.
The Garrott P77i is the real deal, the complete and consummate performer, a cart that can caress the soul and rock out in equal measures. In terms of SPP the P77 is simply the very best investment I have made in my system. It is a complete and utter steal. I believe the sterling cost of the cart is around £330, with delivery from Australia to be factored in on top of that.
The Garrott Brothers met a tragic and untimely end (Google it to read the full and quite shocking story) but I believe that they have left quite a legacy to our world of audiophile hopes and dreams.
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