Turntables I'm looking at...

[tin ear]

Garrard
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1165341136

Thorens
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1165013598

Any thoughts? (No, I have not given up on the auto-shutoff feature yet.)

TIA
-Jon

[tin ear]

I see the same write-up & photos on the Garrard here:
http://sphl.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/buy_cl.pl?anlgtabl&1165341136
Could be the same guy, but I wonder...

DOH! Never mind -- I see that the above url is in the audiogon domain. Guess it is the same guy and not "canned" desc. and photos like I was beginning to suspect.

[jrhymeammo]

I can't really help you, but the seller of Thorens. He wrote,

"...I take pride in my packing." Ah...... that dude is a freak. I bet he packs boxes on weekend and display them in his office like a shrine

I wonder what kinda boxes he uses? Make sure you dont endup paying premium for his packing expertise.

-JRA

[royphil345]

Take it from a guy who bought two shipping-damaged turntables in a row... A guy who takes a little pride in his turntable packaging is OK in my book!!!

I'm not a big fan of the old, fully-automatic Garrards. The automatic mechanisms are primitave, and put alot of drag on the tonearm. You'd really need to stick with a lower compliance cartridge. The bearing design is also primative, and not extremely quiet for belt-drive. Were once the best, but were later outperformed by Dual and even Technics. Built like a tank though...

The Thorens looks pretty tempting... Probably won't last long at that price.

You could get a Sony PS-X6, PS-X7 or PS-X50, PS-X60 direct drive that would outperform something like the Garrard in every respect for around $100.00. Auto mechanisms are optically triggered and don't add drag to the tonearm. Very well isolated, solid, and inexpensive tables with decent arms if you like automatic functions. Plastic though... (thick Sony Bulk Mould Compound)... Definitely sound more high-end than they look. http://cgi.ebay.com/1977-SONY-PS-X6-Automatic-Stereo-Turntable-and-Manual_W0QQitemZ320035188935QQihZ011QQcategoryZ486 49QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Would probably even outperform something like the Denon you were considering as far as isolation, speed stability and noise (it's direct drive, but QUIET). Only downside is the higher mass tonearm which won't work as well with some of today's very high-compliance cartridges. Works excellent with a Shure M97xE or Ortofon OM 20 Super. The PS-X7 and I believe PS-X70 models have a lighter carbon fiber tonearm which would work well with just about any cartridge. Harder to find, pricier, and came with a foam-filled turntable mat that tended to deteriorate over time though. The VERY thick rubber mats on the lower models are awesome.

[JohnMichael]

The Garrard has their Zero Tracking Error tonearm which is designed to move the cartridge in the headshell to maintain proper tangency as it moves accross the record. Of course this made the arm heavy and all the moving parts in the tonearm created a lot of extra vibrations. It added more distortions then it was designed to correct. Between the two I would vote for the Thorens.

[tin ear]

The Garrard has their Zero Tracking Error tonearm

That's what that is! Wondered about that. Might br OK with jeweled movement & space-age materials, but metal parts & 30 years of wear... nah

I just remember Garrards from the day when they were the cat's a55, but that's been quite a while ago. Yeah, I have heard about Garrards & their mechanical complexity. Not really something I want to manitain all the time.

Looks like my next table might be a Sony PS-X*. Thanks for that info; I had no idea. Sounds like a great deal as a good step-up from what I have, or who knows... good enough to do me while I get other equipt. in place? (Tube phono stage is high on the list...)

Thanks!
-Jon

[basite]

my vote goes to the thorens, the garrard once was good, but that time has passed along time ago.

[JoeE SP9]

Get the Thorens. If you need a dustcover (recommended), check www.audiokarma.org (http://www.audiokarma.org) . I remember seeing a post there about a place that makes dust covers. The prices are reasonable. I'll see if I can find the thread. If I do I'll post it. I'm reasonably sure there are at least a few cracked or broken dust covers out there. BTW the Thorens looks like it has the TP-16 arm which is a pretty good arm.:3: