Hello, and want vinyl back in my life!

[owlzen]

System currently is Arcam A85 amp, Arcam CD73 & Kef IQ5SE speakers (plus numerous bits of surround sound bits). Made a big mistake some years ago of selling a Linn LP12, thinking vinyl was no longer for me - how wrong I could be! I still have many pristine LP's in my back bedroom waiting for a 2nd chance. I could not justify another Linn but if anyone knows of a cheap Rega Planar or similar going for peanuts, please let me know.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hello Nigel,
Welcome to the The Art of Sound What sort of music do you like to listen to?
Every now & then a bargain turntable pops up in the AoS Classified ads - don't limit yourself to the Rega though, eh?!

Cheers

[owlzen]

Chris - Thanks. Music tastes are very varied but mainly prog rock, although add in the wife's tastes and anything goes!

Will keep an eye on the classifieds with an open mind! I have got a Garrard 401 sitting on my dining room floor. A friend of mine suggested I take a look at it as I was on the lookout for a turntable. It is currently sitting on the most monsterous hideous plinth with an SME series 2 arm. It definately needs a lot of work/restoration and a nice plinth, but I'm not sure how much she wants for it and then how much it is going to cost to restore after that. Could be a very expensive long term project!!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Oh yes, but it could also be very satisfying and rewarding!

[Marco]

Hi Nigel,

Welcome to AoS! Where is Calne? :)

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

Near Bath

Prog man eh Nigel :eyebrows:

[synsei]

If it were me I'd be tempted initially to grab the 401, but then be stung back to reality at the thought of just how much all that restoration work is going to cost. Still, potentially it is a good buy if you have the skills or deep enough pockets to do it justice :cool:

[julesd68]

Prog man eh Nigel :eyebrows:

yeah, you know, the decent modern prog ...:rfl:

Sorry Nigel, couldn't resist messin' with the resident progmeister ...

[Rare Bird]

yeah, you know, the decent modern prog ...:rfl:



:nocomment:

[Alex_UK]

Hi Nigel, welcome to AoS. Don't discount the 401 just yet - you'd be surprised how easy it is to give it a basic service yourself, and reasonable plinths are available for almost sensible money. The SME is a design classic as well as unrivalled engineering and suits the 401 (yes, I know I'm biased owning this very combination!) But, I also own a Planar 3/R200 and other decks and the Garrard is easily the best. Anyway, enjoy the forum and good luck!

[owlzen]

Thanks for all the feedback and ideas on the 401. Much will depend on how much I haver to pay for it. Should have a better idea tomorrow. Much of the mechanical work I could do myself and I hope I can find a good modern plinth to do it justice without breaking the bank. Will keep you posTed on events.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Nigel
Yeh you can spend heeps on a '401' with servicing & oversized plinths :lol:

If your capable it's far cheaper. :eyebrows:

[Andrei]

'Ello Nigel

I too am a born-again black frisbee player. Unlike you I did not have the good sense to keep my vinyl when the shiny silver discs came along.

Keep an eye out for ProJect. My research when I re-entered vinyl had me pushing in that direction, and I would have bought one when a 2nd hand Marantz* came up.

Cheers, Andrei

* A TT15; Actually it is a re-badged Clearaudio Emotion turntable.