Garrard 301/401 - Which is best?

a well set up TD124 is better

Neither.

The response to this thread has been a bit disappointing. Surely somebody has compared the two...?

OK, I admit I have a vested interest - a nice plinthless 401 in storage. A hand-me-down that I never got around to using. Quite where I'd use it is another question entirely...

Mick, where are you...???? How's the ARO on your own "Loricrafted" 401?

Richard

Seconded; I've never done a cpmparison myself but once talked to a Japanese audiophile who had done so. Apparaently, the 301 is more popular in Nippon as its styling appeals more, but sound-wise, there is said to be not much in it.

if you like what the 301 and 401 do try and hear a good td124 or a trio LO 7D both of these go down the same road but a bit further if you get my drift (the aro sounds a1 on the 124)

Thanks Guys.

Rick,

I used to have a TD124 with an SME3009 & SPU. You're right, it was rather good but my wife thought it was seriously ugly (She was instrumental in my getting a Gyro ). I kept it in my office system for a while until I was visted by a Korean client and he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It was well timed as I was at a weak moment financially after purchasing a rather serious record collection. The silver lining to this sorry tale was that the record collection came with an absolutely mint TD125/SM3009 with all boxes, paperwork, service records and a huge collection of associated SPUs, Shure V15 MkIIs and MkIIIs with the entire gamut of stylus profiles. I still use this deck (with some light Chadwick-style mods) for replaying my older mono LPs. I'm still taken aback at just how good it is - a seriously under-rated deck in my opinion. I'm toying with the idea of getting a spare armboard and fitting an ARO and also perhaps a Prefix....

Richard

Chaps

I live in Swindon where the Garrard was manufactured, so there are lots of ex employees around. Everyone of them, i.e 100%, have all stated that the 401 was the better made than the 301 and the best sounding for stereo.

Terry Sullivan also reckons the 401 is the better model but his website indicates otherwise.

The 301's are more collectable because of their quirky appearance. You cannot go wrong which ever one you buy, because there are enough spares around to see most of us lot out.

If you are thinking of buying a 301 or 401, you must house it in a heavy plinth such as Bastins or Loricrafts. The rumble disappears and even with a RB300 fitted, it equals most LP12's.

My 401 is with Garrard and the Aro should be fitted within a fortnight and I must admit I am looking forward to getting it back. The cartridge is a Dynavector 17d2, so I am hoping for some good results.

I will give you an honest opinion after I have played a few records.

If anyone wants to hear it, they are welcome to come in for a listen. I live near Junction 15 of the M4, so am fairly easy to get to.

I am still surprised how good the Loricraft plinth improved the sound and what with the Aro and a Loricraft PSU which is on order, I am hoping for a superb sound.

I have never regetted buying the 401 and I urge you all to consider it at least.

Regards

Mick

the aro works very well on turntables that arnt as mechanicaly silent as they could be due to the bearing not adding any shite and chatter of its own

I have restored a lot of both 301 and 401, and had 401 in use from 1990 to 1997. At that time, I considered the 301 less, as it had sometimes a bit ringing quality. I kept that opinion until lately, when I bought a genuine grease bearing grey hammerite 301, which sounded way better than every other Garrard I had before, including a Loricraft restored 401 in Loricraft 12-inch plinth, which I had last year for 6 months. So, in my opinion, the Japs are right. Pitifully, ebay prices reflect this.

kind regards,
Hartmut

I have tried an Aro on my 124 and, for me, it didn't work.
Don't know if it is because of my home-made plinth or whatever.
That is sad as I love a lot my 124, but the Aro went on the LP12, instead (were it belong, I hear some say......).
The 124 had an Ittok and was performing very well. I think the same kind of heavier arms (ekos, rb1000, etc) may better suit the 124.

I have to retry the Aro on the 124 one of these days to be sure!

Cheers
Jean-Marc

The Japanese are MAD for these things, but then, they keep beetles and cockroaches as pets because they can't have dogs! Terry told me a story at one of the London shows a few years back about how he set out to duplicate the original rubber mat for the 301, but his first production was refused wholesale by the Japanese because the Garrard logo was just slightly too small and not in the exact same location around the spindle as the original! I think the vast majority of these have ended up in Asia, or in the bin.

Hello all,

I have been running a 401 since 1992 when I had to replace an LP12 (long story so i won't tell it). It did'nt really come into it's own until 1996 when I had it overhauled and set in a piano black plinth made up of seven 1" inch layers of mdf forming a huge heavy mass for the turntable and its mechanics etc to be set. It had an SME 3009 arm and a Goldring 1022 GX cartridge.

The plinth and overhaul/mod expertly made & supplied by Alan Stretton (anyone know him?)an engineer known for his knowledge and passion for horn speakers and valve amps. Rumble certainly disappeared and for comparatively little money (under 250 quid i seem to remember) I had what seemed to me a brand new and exciting deck with amazing bass and clarity that i used as a front end partner with a Marantz 63se CD Player powered with 140/snaps/32.5. Needless to say the 401 and Marantz were like chalk and cheese but being my 1st CD player I tolerated its raunchiness and of course it allowed me to appreciate the 401 even more.

This year I got myself an Origin Live 250 Silver Arm, such a beautiful thing! I was successful in luring Alan out of retirement, not difficult when the word 401 is mentioned, and he did a beautiful job of setting up the OL 250 and fitting a new AT OC9.
The result was a masterpiece of applied mass theory sat majestically on the top shelf of a Mana 6 tier, solid as a rock, the stand itself spiked into solid floors.

The 401 has entertained a number of combinations over the past few months including 52/SC/135's, currently 72/APS3/135's and it simply grooves with the best of em, sublime bass through SBL's and a dignified alternative to cds2 (not forgetting lp12 ;O), it loves to be volumed past 12 o'clock on those 'no one home cept' me opportunities. At those times the 401 will jetblast Poncho Sanchez, his wonderful conga drums and the whole band live into my listening room in seconds while they delicately float in mid air producing a 'wall of sound' with lips and cheeks blown out on brass and skin slaps on skin with technique aquired only by the necessary hours put in!

Wow, mus'nt get too carried away, problem is i've recently ripped out the stylus on my OC9 with the skin of my forefinger whilst dusting! What is my next cart going to be? any suggestions from 401 knowers out there? Anyone had experience of the Benz Micro Glider MC?

hail to the 'G' spot!

Steve D

Undertone,
I had a Benz Glider (1st model) High Output that I use on my LP12 and my TD 124.
It is very refined, especially the top end. Very good 3D image but very very laidback (don't know if they improve it with model 2) and don't time as well as other to me.

I've resold it and changed to a Dyna DV20xH which gives more Prat and lotsa more authority in the bass.

Hope this helps
Jean-Marc

Thanks Jean-Marc,

20x definitely on the list!

cheers, Steve

hello all you 401 enthusiasts - still hoping in vain for some cartridge suggestions?

Must be some creative, even empirical, thoughts out there?

Sorry to hear about the cartridge accident Steve.

I still also need to sort out a cartridge that will initially be used on a Lorricaft plinthed 401 / RB 300 combo. Depending on how thing’s turn out with Mick Parry’s Aro / 401 combo, I may end up going down that route also. Ideally, I will want the cartridge to be suitable for the Aro. Possibilities include:

Dynavector KARAT-17D2MKII or XX-2
Ortofon
Lyra

Any suggestions?

Stuart