View Full Version : Garrard 401 plinth and arm
I'm enjoying beautiful music with Tannoy Turnberry speakers. Now I want to built Garrard 401 turntable for best sound and effective cost - plinth and tonearm combination. What are your experiences with this turntable? Which combination of plinth and tonearm is best? My budget is limited bellow 1000 GBP. I can also do woodwork myself. I've already read article on TNT website from Mike Cox on Garrard 401, who has successfully used heavy multilayered plywood solid plint, Wand tonearm with carbon tube and Denon 103 cartridge. I ask you for your recommendations? Thanks.
nutteronthebus
05-11-2018, 09:42
look at this on the AOS site it has a lot of info https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?60247-Garrard-plinth-Shindo-vs-Artisan-Fidelity&highlight=garrard+401
Dave
look at this on the AOS site it has a lot of info https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?60247-Garrard-plinth-Shindo-vs-Artisan-Fidelity&highlight=garrard+401
Dave
Thamks for link. I'm still interested if anybody has experience with solid wood plinth vs. open frame plinth?
I have used a Garrard 401, since my early 20’s, I am now 68!
First have it serviced, mine serviced by Martin Bastn, then get a slare plinth for it see https://www.slateage.com/hifi/ great company to deal with. Next wall mount it, Target Audio made a bespoke TT1 shelf for mine. Use a Ringmat system to support the vinyl.
Arms, I have used Alphasons, I currently use a SME IV with a Denon DL 304. When all this has been done follow the service procedure as laid down in the manual.
Hope this helps?
Hi
My 401 is in a Loricraft plinth. It is open and uses squash balls for suspension. Loricraft don't recommend heavy plinths but YMMV. Sounds good to me but in fairness I haven't heard a heavy plinth since Loricraft serviced the 401 and put it in the new plinth just after I bought it. There is more information on their website.
The only thing with an open plinth is that it doesn't look as smart as a closed one. You can see all the gubbins with the one I have and I have thought about adding some side panels to smarten it up a little.
Be interested to see what you go with and how it ends up
Spectral Morn
08-11-2018, 09:45
I have used a Garrard 401, since my early 20’s, I am now 68!
First have it serviced, mine serviced by Martin Bastn, then get a slare plinth for it see https://www.slateage.com/hifi/ great company to deal with. Next wall mount it, Target Audio made a bespoke TT1 shelf for mine. Use a Ringmat system to support the vinyl.
Arms, I have used Alphasons, I currently use a SME IV with a Denon DL 304. When all this has been done follow the service procedure as laid down in the manual.
Hope this helps?
Interesting, but also frustrating no pricing present on the site linked to. Its nice to have some sort of guide regarding costs before contacting a company.
The installation instructructions in the 401 manual suggest a substatial steel plate. A dealer whom I know can get a 1” thick steel plate, flame cut for a 301/401.
Out of interest, roughly how thick is the Lorricraft motor board?
It is about 3 - 4 cm I reckon although at work so I can't measure it.
mjkelshaw
12-11-2018, 06:24
Hi,
I have just measured the thickness of the 'motor board' on my "Loricaft" built 401 and it's 26/27mm. F.W.I.W. it appears to be the same thickness as my "Loricraft" plinthed TD124-II. Both are 'box' type plinths.
Regards
Mike Kelshaw
Hi Mike
So about 1” on squash balls, ss long as your hapy with the sound, that’s all that matters. On a blind test, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
What is the plinth mounted on out of interest? If you want prices on Slateage products contact johnslateage@aol.com he is the boss, you can mention be by name; Mike Bickley, Birmingham.
mjkelshaw
14-11-2018, 09:51
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply. Yes the 'motor board' is approx 1" thk. in 'imperial' terms.
However, I've just removed the Dunlop squash balls on both plinths (Competition Yellow Spot) as they have deformed yet again - 2 sets in approx 3 years, and replaced them with sorbothene spheres from Peak HiFi. The new 'spheres' appear to be firmer, and hopefully will deform less over time, and hopefully by equal amounts - the squash balls deformed unequally which made keeping the turntable level more difficult.
As both turnables + plinths are quite heavy, I opted for "Decent Audio" ODW wall shelves, which are the heavy duty option, they consist of a metal frame which in turn supports double perspex shelves. The lower shelf sits on 4 adjustable spikes and the upper one has the option of being supported either on 8 small squares of cork or alternatively on a supplied set of spikes, but I settled for the cork squares.
Each frame has 6 mounting holes, and as the total weight of each wall frame/shelf plus the assembled plinth and turntable is substantial, and in addtion, my house is 'dry-lined', I opted to use M6 "Rigifix" wall anchors. In additon, as I needed longer bolts, I replaced the supplied M6 'cross headed' ones with longer M6 S/S 'socket headed' bolts.
Regards Mike Kelshaw
24664
Here is a pic of my 401. https://bwmpdq.am.files.1drv.com/y4moWxFFvLvTmjh5hy_YruhgLpemaTIUMgJF46KZHBtSa8feSR Bh_JG5jc9_sg3_3U4Ctj8Badc5UBgs49oHQXY-_8-iEzQJAUhnma9g0I7W-z9VXsXFN1t-gQ8B1smnjBBUqAWQhXfu2KBHjOoyZnIxUhP81Rabi-QLUtT5jhLcuRq4AktJnuF7N02CelRtkL5/DSCF0124.JPG?download&psid=1
Mike
https://theartofsound.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=24664&d=1542188961
Wow - a Goldring G99. Garrard 401 and a Thorens 124/II! Very nice.
And nice to see the Quad electronics too. :)
No. Why so many turtables?
Mike.
mjkelshaw
15-11-2018, 16:00
Hi Barry,
The GL99 was purchsed in 2013, the Loricraft 401 in '92, and the TD124 II I found sitting in the window of a 'HiFi' shop in Stockport near the market in the mid '70's.
As for Quad, I've been enamoured with Quad kit since I bought my first 'system', which consisted of a new 33/303 combination and a pair of B & W DM70's, in fact the TD124 II was purchased specifically to accompany those items at that time.
Since that image was taken, I've purchased a 306 which now 'drives' the Celestion SL6s speakers in my 'man cupboard' or as my wife calls it, 'Junk Room'. The 405-2 and the 303 were re-built/serviced by Rob at Amplabs, along with the FM3, FM4 and the Leak Stereofetic which is also peeping out of the 'rack', but now has a period wooden sleeve.
Not surprisingly, all the 'tables sound different, given that each is fitted with a different arm/cartridge combination. However at present I'm favouring the G99/Nima/Graham Slee Elevator/Goldring Elite, but that may change as I've just started swapping arms & cartridges around, and I expect to change the G99's slate plinth for a 'solid' MDF version, once I manage to cut out the required 'template' for the plinth builder.
Regards
Mike Kelshaw
mjkelshaw
15-11-2018, 16:41
Mike,
Why so many? Pure indulgence!
As I mentioned to Barry, I purchased the TD124 II in the mid 70's, and at that time I wasn't sure what to buy. I was considering a TD150 or a TD125. However I found the 124 sitting in a shop window when visiting Stockport one Saturday morning in '75, in fact, I had to 'borrow' £60 off my first wife to buy it.
The G99 and 401 were 'tables that I would have liked to buy when they were available new, but at that time I couldn't afford any of them.
Amongst my many 'regrets' is that I sold a Roksan Xerxes with Artemiz arm, which I had purchased at the time ('91) in preference to an LP12. Later, instead of 'upgrading' the Roksan with a 'Shiraz' cartridge, I mistakenly purchased a 2nd/hand LP12, which after some very expensive 'upgrades' is still used occasionally in a 'Linn' system downstairs.
Regards
Mike Kelshaw
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