imported_dom_
Head-Fier
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- Sep 14, 2005
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I have posted this on another forum but thought it might be nice to post here too.
So I got another deck... (I think I'm addicted to buying them or something)
I’m pretty sure most of you may not know what a garrard 401 is so I’m going to lay on a bit of history first.
Garrard the crown jewellers were asked during ww1 by the government to make precision range finders. So they setup a manufacturing side of the business. After the war they decided to make other things and keep this side of the business going. They went into making record decks and eventually split from the jewellery business.
The first high end deck they made was the 301 followed by the 401 which was made between 1965 and 1977. Garrard went out of business but the name has since been purchased by Loricraft. Loricraft restore 301's and 401's, they also sell plinths for them and they also make some very expensive record cleaning machines.
The 401 deck is not a belt driven deck. It’s a transcription deck. Which is fancy version of direct drive without the motor directly being coupled to the deck itself.
This picture shows you the idler wheel and motor, when on the black idler wheel swings over contacting with the motor unit and this wheel is also in contact with the inside of the platter. So the isolated motor turns which turns the idler wheel which turns the platter.
The 401 is now a very sought after collectable item. It has only been recently discovered that if correctly plinthed the 401 is an outstanding performer. Most people who own them have come from the likes of a Linn sondek lp12. The lp12 was always thought of as a super deck unbeatable almost. But the lp12 owners don’t go back after having a 401.
Ok so pics time and info on my 401.
This is the stand i’m using. Its 18mm mdf between beech supports. It has very thick sorbothane feet in the bottom legs to isolate it from what it’s sitting on.
You can see the arm cut-out and the soon to be cut-out 401 lines. This is known as a skeleton plinth. Current thought on garrard plinths is high mass stand with a low mass isolated top plate which the deck sits on being best. With mine the plinth is high mass and the deck sits on sticky sorbothane sheet between it and the plinth making it its own low mass top plate.
I will leave the beach wood as is and paint the mdf at a later stage.
This is the 401 mounted in place without an arm fitted just to test its all working and maintaining speed
This is the inbuilt strobe system which allows you to adjust the speed so you hit exactly 33 1/3rpm, 45 or 78 depending on which records you're playing.
This shows the rega rb250 mounted on the plinth with a custom vta adjuster from Loricraft on a custom arm mount again made by Loricraft.
The rb250 has incognito wiring fitted which greatly improves this bargain arm. It will shortly have an origin live structural upgrade added and slotted arm tube to further improve the sound.
This is my Dynavector 10x4 mkII moving coil cartridge on the end of the rb250.
This is the incognito wiring above and mains cable below. I used an old Naim mains cable with Crabtree plug I had lying around. I added the blue braiding because my plugs are colour coded. Blue for phono stage and deck. Black for amp and headphone amp etc.
This picture shows you the underside of the deck with the motor housing on the right and bearing housing on the left of the pic. Notice my great sheathing skills on the new earth cable I added.
I must say this combination of arm cartridge and deck is amazing. Since having this setup I have been slowly working my way through my record collection again re-living all the records as I have never heard them before.
I was originally going to paint the plinth but i just ordered a huge amount of matched veener in mahogany. I will post pics when done!
edit: one final pic!
the money shot
So I got another deck... (I think I'm addicted to buying them or something)
I’m pretty sure most of you may not know what a garrard 401 is so I’m going to lay on a bit of history first.
Garrard the crown jewellers were asked during ww1 by the government to make precision range finders. So they setup a manufacturing side of the business. After the war they decided to make other things and keep this side of the business going. They went into making record decks and eventually split from the jewellery business.
The first high end deck they made was the 301 followed by the 401 which was made between 1965 and 1977. Garrard went out of business but the name has since been purchased by Loricraft. Loricraft restore 301's and 401's, they also sell plinths for them and they also make some very expensive record cleaning machines.
The 401 deck is not a belt driven deck. It’s a transcription deck. Which is fancy version of direct drive without the motor directly being coupled to the deck itself.
This picture shows you the idler wheel and motor, when on the black idler wheel swings over contacting with the motor unit and this wheel is also in contact with the inside of the platter. So the isolated motor turns which turns the idler wheel which turns the platter.
The 401 is now a very sought after collectable item. It has only been recently discovered that if correctly plinthed the 401 is an outstanding performer. Most people who own them have come from the likes of a Linn sondek lp12. The lp12 was always thought of as a super deck unbeatable almost. But the lp12 owners don’t go back after having a 401.
Ok so pics time and info on my 401.
This is the stand i’m using. Its 18mm mdf between beech supports. It has very thick sorbothane feet in the bottom legs to isolate it from what it’s sitting on.
You can see the arm cut-out and the soon to be cut-out 401 lines. This is known as a skeleton plinth. Current thought on garrard plinths is high mass stand with a low mass isolated top plate which the deck sits on being best. With mine the plinth is high mass and the deck sits on sticky sorbothane sheet between it and the plinth making it its own low mass top plate.
I will leave the beach wood as is and paint the mdf at a later stage.
This is the 401 mounted in place without an arm fitted just to test its all working and maintaining speed
This is the inbuilt strobe system which allows you to adjust the speed so you hit exactly 33 1/3rpm, 45 or 78 depending on which records you're playing.
This shows the rega rb250 mounted on the plinth with a custom vta adjuster from Loricraft on a custom arm mount again made by Loricraft.
The rb250 has incognito wiring fitted which greatly improves this bargain arm. It will shortly have an origin live structural upgrade added and slotted arm tube to further improve the sound.
This is my Dynavector 10x4 mkII moving coil cartridge on the end of the rb250.
This is the incognito wiring above and mains cable below. I used an old Naim mains cable with Crabtree plug I had lying around. I added the blue braiding because my plugs are colour coded. Blue for phono stage and deck. Black for amp and headphone amp etc.
This picture shows you the underside of the deck with the motor housing on the right and bearing housing on the left of the pic. Notice my great sheathing skills on the new earth cable I added.
I must say this combination of arm cartridge and deck is amazing. Since having this setup I have been slowly working my way through my record collection again re-living all the records as I have never heard them before.
I was originally going to paint the plinth but i just ordered a huge amount of matched veener in mahogany. I will post pics when done!
edit: one final pic!
the money shot
