Garrard 301 restoration project

The Garrard 301 Restoration Project PT LXXXII - Dirty little secret :eek:

OK it's nothing sordid, we are talking about a Garrard 301. I've been using a Pheonix Engineering Roadrunner/Eagle PSU/Tachometer combination for quite some time now and it worked very well indeed. The 301 has been using the 15W version of this hardware and to be honest has functioned very well indeed but the 301's motor will consume 16W. So, my 15W version of the Eagle/Roadrunner PSU combbo has been working like a high revving 3 cyclinder 1200cc motor, everything worked and I had years of amazing sonics but now things have changed! So, that's my secret. :o

https://i.ibb.co/93qfvhGm/34l16-PG-54118.jpg
Sorry the image isn't mine (c) is TMRAUDIO.

I now own the 25W version of the Eagle/Roadrunner PSU combo and things have improved, I now own the equivalent of a low revving V8 but with sheds of power if needed. It's hard to say how things have improved but the soundstage just appears that little but more detailed and slightly more muscular in presentation. I would even say that the soundstage has a little more "confidance" !!!???!!! Yeah, i'm not quite sure what I'm trying to say. And then I came across this statement from Eagle, "The turntable remains on speed independent of the belt tension, bearing oil viscosity, drag from the needle orany other variables that cause the table to drift over time". I wonder if the 15W might have struggled a little and the 25W version has a little more oomph in getting the platter to spin? All I can say is that the soundstage has changed and now sounds even better still.

Stay tuned.

This company used to build these speed controllers for VPI turntables but not sure they are available any more?

Jim, my understanding is that the SOTA turntable company bought them. I think the PSU is still available but in the less powerful version and only for specific decks. My next goto PSU for the 301 after the Pheonix would be a LDA PSU.

The Garrard 301 Restoration Project PT LXXXIII - Brace yourself!

Just a quick word really on a couple of new developments. I notice that AudioGrail and the poster SPH over on Lenco Heaven are offering top plate stiffeners for the 301. You might want to see my adventures in post #464. Both of these look to be quite good products and probably beneficial, it's a well known modification for those in the know. I can heartily recommend having a go, but, I will say that it's probably best to install one when your mounting your 301 into a new plinth. It can be a really big PITA dismantling your 301 to install one only then to remount everything in your plinth. I'm not sure of the prices for these new products. It's rather interesting as one is made from steel and the other carbon fibre. I'm quite happy with my own brace from the USA and won't be buying anything new. Good luck to those who try.

Stay Tuned!

The Garrard 301 Restoration Project PT LXXXIV- MONOLOG - A sub blog! Pt X - Waiting game.


Just a few words on the progression of the 301. I'm always looking into improving the MONO playback side of the 301. I'm also looking at improving the Croft stand alone phonostage that I presently use. Currently it contains stock cabling and a dodgy piece of COAX, yes, COAX! Now, I'm not sure if the COAX cabling is Croft standard but I intend to replace with some lovely silver and teflon at some point in the future, it's a mod which can be easily reversed if things don't work out and will add a little more silver into the MONO playback loom. I may at some point change the RCA's on the Croft with some lovely silver RCA sockets, current contenders are WBT or KLE, I'm not decided, I'll need to tot-up my hifi spend this year
to see if I can justify such a purchase, I have to look after the sheckles now that I'm getting a little older :wheniwasaboy:. I might also see if I can improve the earth post on the Croft phonostage, who know's I might improve the low level hum I get through the speakers. The hum is of a low level and dosen't really bother me as such but I would rather it not be there. I might even do some pictures and produce another update soon! Stay tuned....

I am sure either plug sockets would be great. I need to look at doing this myself.

The Garrard 301 Restoration Project PT LXXXV - Some new mods (maybe).....???

A short one tonight. I don't usually hunt out new mods for the 301 they just usually crop up from time to time. I have two new mods to mention tonight and they both come from Classic Turntable Company, I had a short conversation with Mr. Clark with regards the idler wheel and the bearing spindle replacement for the 301. I've been thinking about purchasing both of these upgrades to see how they can improve the 301. The spindle has a better tolerance than the old 301 spindle and the idler is said to make more contact with the platter. I've tried two after marker idler wheels and the original garrard 301 and have always gone back to the original Garrard offering, I later ended up selling the other two. I've never tried a spindle replacement so that should be fun, presently I'm running a Martin Bastin modded bearing. Ok peeps, that's it for tonight. I now need to decide if I want to spend a few hundred quid on this experiment..... Stay tuned.

I would agree that a spindle manufactured to tighter tolerances would be an improvement, but I would exercise caution over changing the idler wheel. There is more to consider when it comes to their replacements. You say the new idler wheel makes more contact with the platter. That could be because it is thicker, or it uses a 'softer' rubber material.

Although a completely different turntable, I have found everytime I have tried a replacement idler wheel on any of my Thorens TD124/II, I have gone back to the original Thorens design, or a Thorens approved design sold by Schopper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Barry

I would agree that a spindle manufactured to tighter tolerances would be an improvement, but I would exercise caution over changing the idler wheel. There is more to consider when it comes to their replacements. You say the new idler wheel makes more contact with the platter. That could be because it is thicker, or it uses a 'softer' rubber material.

Although a completely different turntable, I have found everytime I have tried a replacement idler wheel on any of my Thorens TD124/II, I have gone back to the original Thorens design, or a Thorens approved design sold by Schopper.

---

Can't argue with any of that wisdom, I agree totally. Probably try the spindle as that is what Ray has suggested first.

The original Garrard spindles were cylindrically ground seriously hardened and super polished. Having them made today is quite an undertaking, ensuring they are fully 'round' is a key issue- Garrard managed this with no CNC to speak of - We own several of the original factory devices used to measure them including this one:

https://i.ibb.co/rGYD1MJq/Garrard-fa...measureing.jpg