Just got a 401

[Mikeandvan]

What, making slate roofing tiles for their huts?
There has been a slate industry in Wales since Roman times.

Weapons? Arrow heads etc?

[Macca]

Weapons? Arrow heads etc?

They used flint for them. Not that you couldn't whack someone over the head with a slate thus inadvertently inventing an Eric Sykes comedy routine about 4000 years too early.

[Mikeandvan]

Think I'll eventually try a different arm on the 401, something classic like a 3009, would that and a cart like a shure M55 or whatever they're called, be a good combo for classic 60s beat/rock'n'roll? Read on another thread here that the Mission 774 was a good choice for the 401 as well, which is good, cos they're cheap. Is it right that the 3009 and similar arms are lighter weight and more suited to classic carts, and hence music from that period, like jazz etc? Thinking of running 2 TTs, even though space is limited in my 1 bed flat.

[Ali Tait]

Yes I have a 774 with my 401. Great combo.

[Mikeandvan]

Starting to look at plinths. Is there any difference in sq between a cheapo one like this https://www.bonanzamarket.co.uk/list...SABEgJHXfD_BwE and a 'full monty' Layers of beauty at £800? I mean its just a lump of ply right? What else is there? Apart from looks I see no difference, thoughts? I do like the piano black ones though http://www.dasacoustic.com/en/modell/garrard-401-9/ , sunken TT, they look great, but cost about £500.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Type of wood supposedly determines the "tone" of your deck. I was VERY sceptical until I started playing around with ebony. I'll only impart two pieces of advice, firstly modify the deck one mod a time and carefully note positive/negative effects. Secondly, enjoy yourself. I have a SME 3009 with Shure v15 Mk3 with the JICO SAS/s stylus on mine and it rakes up tremendous amounts of details, my 3009 is also set up as a "real sound" tonearm with vintage tinned copper tonearm cable and IC's, again I was sceptical but it produces a fantastic sound to more more analytical SME 3012 setup. You picked a great deck, I think you'll have lots of fun. ��

[Mikeandvan]

Type of wood supposedly determines the "tone" of your deck. I was VERY sceptical until I started playing around with ebony. I'll only impart two pieces of advice, firstly modify the deck one mod a time and carefully note positive/negative effects. Secondly, enjoy yourself. I have a SME 3009 with Shure v15 Mk3 with the JICO SAS/s stylus on mine and it rakes up tremendous amounts of details, my 3009 is also set up as a "real sound" tonearm with vintage tinned copper tonearm cable and IC's, again I was sceptical but it produces a fantastic sound to more more analytical SME 3012 setup. You picked a great deck, I think you'll have lots of fun. ��

Thanks Andrew, I was also thinking of getting a 3009 or Mission 774 and a classic cart like one of the shures. What do you mean by 'real sound' tonearm? And what difference does copper tonearm cable make? I got a Jelco 750D I will try with it first though. I have a starter plinth kindly given to me by Westflower of this forum, but I've yet to set it up, just an old SME plinth, but with lead lining. Looks wise the nicest plinths I've seen are those compact slate ones with the TT sunk (flush with plinth), they look awesome with the 401, but of course we all know looks come second to SQ and I'm not sure whether I'll like slate or wood.

[walpurgis]

I was also thinking of getting a 3009 or Mission 774

No contest there. The 774 would wipe the floor with the 3009 for sound quality. I've had several of each and know what they sound like.

[Bigman80]

No contest there. The 774 would wipe the floor with the 3009 for sound quality. I've had several of each and know what they sound like.

Agree with Geoff. Had both. The Mission is better

[Wakefield Turntables]

. What do you mean by 'real sound' tonearm? .

Real sound was a concept made popular by Jeff Day over on the now defunct jeffs place blog, it can now be found here https://jeffsplace.positive-feedback...o-jeffs-place/ basically its one man's journey into using various vintage hifi, alongside tinned copper and duelund components. It's a bit obsessive but I enjoy reading it. For fun, I made up a small "real sound" system, compromising of The Garrard 301, the SME 3009 tonearm (wired with original tinned copper tonearm wiring and tonearm cable), a highly modded EAR 834 clone, and some IC's and speaker cable made up from Duelund components, and a pair of Celestion Ditton 15 speaker that I rewired with Duelund cable. It's basically a very relaxed sounding system which is great fun. I don't take it seriously but it does sound pretty good and works even better after a dose of single malt!!!