I have had my deck back from Loricraft for about a week now so i thought i would post my results.





I had the 401 fully stripped and rebuilt not just serviced as it had never seen any attention in its whole life.
The insides are fantastic now, everything clean, oiled, replaced that needed it etc. It spins so smoothly and runs up and down from speed so well. The speed control is spot on accurate now too.

The plinth is their skeletal plinth in black. As you can see this is two layers with aluminium struts and black squash balls at the top connecting the two layers. This gives the deck just a bit of give.
They also made me a custom mount for my Aro. This gives adjustment for overhang, something missing from the Aro! While they where at it i got a new mat (looks like cork but isn't) and two rubber rings around the platter to reduce ringing.

Everything was done to a very high standard.


Now the important part, the sound!
Compared to the 401 before in a plinth purchased off ebay (the guy who makes them with sme mounts all the time) this is another league. No comparison.
It is the exact same sound as before, just everything is so much better. It all works so well together. I can not find fault with it.
The bass is spot on, the mids are perfect and the highs that used to be a little congested are now crisp clean.

If you have a Garrard you should take it to Loricraft just to see what can be achieved.

I have found my perfect deck! I can't see any need to change this ever. My quest is over (except maybe the cartridge ).

how much do they charge for service?

Very nice dom_

Holy Krap, it doesn't bounce

Hi dom-!

Looks nice and I`m quite sure sounds even nicer. As you can see in my profile and in System-Pictures 2007 I have an restored 401 (in the 501-plinth) and I`m absolutely delighted with the Garrard fitting into the naim way of presenting the music, soundwise.
Do you have the big PowerSupply? If not you have a nice upgrade as time comes - price is in region of "black-boxes", but at a certain point worth considering.
Wish you lots of houres of beautiful music.

Regards,

Jodl

They have offered the powersupply on demo, so may have to take them up on it. Nigel at loricraft seemed interested in me running my esl 63's off of it!


As for service cost, i'm not sure as i had a rebuild. Just call/email and ask.

My congrats to the Dom, for such a fine looking/sounding deck.

Ok . . . . being one without vinyl, I was wondering how the garrard deck compares to, say a linn lp12 for example? Same pace, presentation, for lack of better description/(knowledge)?
They must be highly regarded, as there are more than a few on this forum who have had these decks refurbished. But I really have no clue.

One other question . . . if you were to start over, would you still buy the same deck or would you go with something different, say a rega,, mitchell, etc.?

Thanks
Max

If i was to start again i would do the same thing. As i have owned two pro-ject decks and heard many others.

I am not sure how it would sound compared to an lp12. The only lp12 i can hear belongs to a friend who is running a completly different cartridge/phono and speaker setup. Would be interesting to do them side by side, i would imagine the 401 would stamp all over it

Dear Max!

I have a Lp12 (Armageddon, Aro, Akiva, now Missing-link phonoPre) standing beside the garrard 401. I can easily swap the Aro-armtube with the cart, so could (can) compare these players as I didn`t have to take the Garrard 401 if I thought my two-year-old LP12 would sound better.
With the Power-Supply for the Garrard the LP12 just cannot bring the same involvement as the Garrard. The Garrard sounds grown up, correct, without getting in the way of the music but bringing plenty of detail and running rocksteady-this pace is so seductive!

Regards, hope this helps a little

Jodl

Stunning, dom_! I'm shure this baby leaves LP12 for dead indeed. Sorta jealous!

Hi dom_

Without any doubt, that's the best looking Garrard 401 I have ever seen.

ATB Rotf

Same as ROTF that is the best one i have ever seen.
I hope it sounds as good as it looks.
You should get an award for doing that to that TT. Fantastic.
Munch

Dom

I also have a 401 and like you I had Loricraft fit the Aro about 3 years ago.

You have the same mounting bracket as me, made by Nigel.

I also have the Loricraft PSU80 fitted and that makes a big difference as well.

I have the traditional Loricraft plinth and mine was the last one to be made of 1.125" thick American Ash. Today it is all 1".

If someone can explain in baby languagr hoe to put pics onto this forum, I will show you mine.

I have a prefix fitted and I really must get that linked into a Supercap.

I live in Swindon, you are welcome to have a listen to mine to see how we compare etc.

Regards

Mick

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
If someone can explain in baby languagr hoe to put pics onto this forum, I will show you mine.

Mick

The most straightforward way is to click 'Add Attachment' on the reply box then browse to the picture you want to post and attach it. As long as it is under 100k it will attach ok. You will need to add some text as well otherwise it will not allow the picture to be posted.

There are other methods involving 3rd party hosting sites but this is the easiest.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Dom

I also have a 401 and like you I had Loricraft fit the Aro about 3 years ago.

You have the same mounting bracket as me, made by Nigel.

I also have the Loricraft PSU80 fitted and that makes a big difference as well.

I have the traditional Loricraft plinth and mine was the last one to be made of 1.125" thick American Ash. Today it is all 1".

If someone can explain in baby languagr hoe to put pics onto this forum, I will show you mine.

I have a prefix fitted and I really must get that linked into a Supercap.

I live in Swindon, you are welcome to have a listen to mine to see how we compare etc.

Regards

Mick

Yes terry did mention yourself having an Aro too. I think the power supply is on the cards, as someone i know had one and it made a big difference.

dom

one word: wow!

i am sure an aro goes very well with this table!

regards
BF

quote:

The most straightforward way is to click 'Add Attachment' on the reply box then browse to the picture you want to post and attach it. As long as it is under 100k it will attach ok. You will need to add some text as well otherwise it will not allow the picture to be posted.

err...

mick

you need a hosting service to do this.
dial www.photobucket.com and register.

you then need to upload your digital pics to your own photobucket folder.

after that you can do it like proposed above (all the fora work the same way btw.)

if you don't get it done i will help you.

regards
BF

No, that's the point - you don't get 'wow'

quote:

Originally posted by blackforest:

you need a hosting service to do this.

No, you don't.

i think you're right - sorry!

wow - what a service!

regards
BF