Garrard SP 25 MK IV

[dantheman91]

Just got one of these SP25's free needs a stylus and ADC cartridge body so brought a QLM 32 repo stylus to get it going but in fairly nice condition as was sat in a loft for 20+ years should sound pretty good when up an running not worth an awful lot but they just do not make it like they used too has the lid a bit of a clean up and will go in the collection for a vintage system i have in mind..

Bring on the haters..:eek:

[Beobloke]

No hating here - a fine budget vintage deck. I preferred the Mk3 on purely aesthetic grounds and the MkV and MkVI are the best sounding, IMHO, but its a bona-fide classic.

[Barry]

Certainly is a classic. I started my hi-fi journey with an SP25 Mk.II. :)

[Jimbo]

Dan, I love this deck. Ok it is not the best Garrard built but I use one every week as it part of my girlfriends 1976 Sony Music centre. I use a special AT 95e cartridge with it and it sounds very sweet indeed. The Sony speakers are beautiful and the Garrard sounds very good indeed as long as you dont expect too much. Yes there is wow and flutter and some rumble but not too intrusive. We listen too it with all music genres and it has become a very satisfying deck to listen too.

So a big fan here!:cool:

[dantheman91]

No hating here - a fine budget vintage deck. I preferred the Mk3 on purely aesthetic grounds and the MkV and MkVI are the best sounding, IMHO, but its a bona-fide classic.

Cheers Adam..

[dantheman91]

Dan, I love this deck. Ok it is not the best Garrard built but I use one every week as it part of my girlfriends 1976 Sony Music centre. I use a special AT 95e cartridge with it and it sounds very sweet indeed. The Sony speakers are beautiful and the Garrard sounds very good indeed as long as you dont expect too much. Yes there is wow and flutter and some rumble but not too intrusive. We listen too it with all music genres and it has become a very satisfying deck to listen too.

So a big fan here!:cool:

Hi James

Interesting seems to have a better rep then i thought the stylus should be here by Thursday i'll let you know what i think no not expecting to much as long as it works has a rumble on 78 but whisper silent on 33/45 so all should be well.

[Beobloke]

Interesting you mention wow and flutter. The last time I serviced one of these, it was at the same time as a friend’s more modern and much more expensive belt drive deck, which he asked me to service.

The belt drive deck took a hell of a lot of cleaning, adjustment, belt substitutions and speed control tweaking before it would run at the correct speed. Even then, it would drift after an hour or so.

The Garrard was bang on 33rpm when I started it up after servicing it. I left it running and checked it again two hours later after I’d been faffing with the other thing. Result? Still absolutely dead on 33rpm!

[dantheman91]

Interesting you mention wow and flutter. The last time I serviced one of these, it was at the same time as a friend’s more modern and much more expensive belt drive deck, which he asked me to service.

The belt drive deck took a hell of a lot of cleaning, adjustment, belt substitutions and speed control tweaking before it would run at the correct speed. Even then, it would drift after an hour or so.

The Garrard was bang on 33rpm when I started it up after servicing it. I left it running and checked it again two hours later after I’d been faffing with the other thing. Result? Still absolutely dead on 33rpm!


Helpful Info i will admit it took a few moments to get it running but been running it since this morning and all seems well to me but what do i know i'll leave it as is for the moment altering between 33/45 sure runs up fine that will be it for today and will will it again tomorrow.

[gninnam]

I had 2 of these and fully serviced one and added new wiring and an AT91 cartridge and gave to a friend who is delighted with it so good on ya.
The other one is still in my garage and I will probably service it and change the cart (can't even remember what is on it) and give it to my brother in-law as his current TT is one of the nasty cheap plastic £30 ones that are all over the place..... I know this will beat that easily!

[Cas]

Certainly is a classic. I started my hi-fi journey with an SP25 Mk.II. :)

Yup me to, nice turntable, although mine ended up having having an SME arm fitted to it with a Shure M44 E.

[Barry]

Yup me to, nice turntable, although mine ended up having having an SME arm fitted to it with a Shure M44 E.

Really? Are you serious?

I just replaced mine after a couple of years with a Collaro 2010 idler drive (a poor man's Garrard 301) to which I fitted an SME and M55E.

[Cas]

Really? Are you serious?

I just replaced mine after a couple of years with a Collaro 2010 idler drive (a poor man's Garrard 301) to which I fitted an SME and M55E.

Yup, I had to mess with what I had and money was tight, sounded pretty good from what I recall.

[spendorman]

Certainly is a classic. I started my hi-fi journey with an SP25 Mk.II. :)

My first deck was the Garrard AT6, similar to the SP25 but auto.

Also had a Deccadeck (not sure of spelling), this was basically an SP25 with arm that would only take the Decca Deram cartridge.24936

[Barry]

Yup, I had to mess with what I had and money was tight, sounded pretty good from what I recall.

I can understand that - at the time I had to build my own amplifiers and speakers, but I admire your enterprise and endeavour, not to mention your engineering skills. :)