SME buy Garrard

[nopiano]

...or at least the rights to the name, along with Loricraft, who I believe restored and repaired many Garrard turntables.

I read this in Germany’s Stereo Magazine so I guess it will appear here soon.

 

[chebby]

I read this in Germany’s Stereo Magazine so I guess it will appear here soon.

Three days ago ...

https://www.whathifi.com/news/sme-brings-garrard-audio-brand-back-to-uk

 

[plastic penguin]

Never realised Garrard was still in existence. Thought that Garrard was in name only.

I'll keep an eye on their progress. Have a soft spot for older Garrard models.

 

[Al ears]

...or at least the rights to the name, along with Loricraft, who I believe restored and repaired many Garrard turntables.

I read this in Germany’s Stereo Magazine so I guess it will appear here soon.

Not just service and repairs, their record cleaning machines are rather well regarded.

 

[nopiano]

I read this in Germany’s Stereo Magazine so I guess it will appear here soon.

Three days ago ...

https://www.whathifi.com/news/sme-brings-garrard-audio-brand-back-to-uk

Oops! Obviously I missed that, and even flicked through the news pages first. Not far back enough it seems.

I wonder if it’ll mean a resurgence of idler drive tables?

 

[alchemist 1]

I still have a Garrard ZERO 100 in storage........*blush*

 

[nopiano]

I still have a Garrard ZERO 100 in storage........*blush*

That was such an interesting design. I have to say that nowadays I see it as a solution to a problem that didn’t need fixing (not to say it doesn’t exist), and that it rather let itself down elsewhere. But a worthy item in HiFi history all the same.

 

[newlash09]

Cost a fortune in india on audio sites. The last one I saw was some grease bearing type, qouted 1200 pounds. And sold the same evening like it were going for free

 

[Chris Munden]

I hope SME/Gerrard bring out a turntable but I also hope it will be affordable

 

[Al ears]

I hope SME/Gerrard bring out a turntable but I also hope it will be affordable

I'm sure it will..... if you happen to be a Saudi oil sheik. ;-)

 

[Infiniteloop]

I hope SME/Gerrard bring out a turntable but I also hope it will be affordable

.

I'm sure it will..... if you happen to be a Saudi oil sheik. ;-)

They’re just about to release a new all in one TT. The Synergy. To me, it just looks odd. A random collection of shapes to house the power supply, controller and platter itself

Visually it’s a mess....

 

[chebby]

Visually it’s a mess....

That doesn’t matter. No true audiophile has ever been accused of having a fine aesthetic sense.

 

[spiny norman]

I hope SME/Gerrard bring out a turntable but I also hope it will be affordable

I think they hinted to Michael Fremer in his Munich show report that the 401 might be coming back, but no idea of price. It's on his Analog Planet site IIRC.

 

[ifor]

I hope SME/Gerrard bring out a turntable but I also hope it will be affordable

.

I'm sure it will..... if you happen to be a Saudi oil sheik. ;-)

They’re just about to release a new all in one TT. The Synergy. To me, it just looks odd. A random collection of shapes to house the power supply, controller and platter itself

Visually it’s a mess....

There's nothing Garrard I can see in that.

 

[MajorFubar]

Price of any new 401/301 will be through the roof because of heritage tax, same as how Panasonic is capitalizing on the SL1200. What is it now, three or four times the price the orginals were when they were discontinued in 2010?

While at the budget end, should they choose to compete there, it will either be a shite all-plastic thingy or yet another variation of the 'thin steel platter and alloy arm nailed to contiboard' formula.

 

[Al ears]

Price of any new 401/301 will be through the roof because of heritage tax, same as how Panasonic is capitalizing on the SL1200. What is it now, three or four times the price the orginals were when they were discontinued in 2010?

While at the budget end, should they choose to compete there, it will either be a shite all-plastic thingy or yet another variation of the 'thin steel platter and alloy arm nailed to contiboard' formula.

I would very much hope that these famous names steer well clear regarding your 'budget end' description. ;-)

 

[MajorFubar]

I would very much hope that these famous names steer well clear regarding your 'budget end' description. ;-)

Agreed. For a change, would be nice to see Garrard do budget the same way they always did budget: metal chassis idler drive, just to be different. It has its own merits and charms despite the negatives. Why not be different, providing you 'do different' greatly? Respect to Audio Technica for at least being different with the LP5, which WHF really did highly rate, but could never quite bring themselves to recommend over the formica worktop alternatives, almost as if they feared they'd lose credibility by doing so.

 

[Chris Munden]

I'm inclined to agree with MajorFubar and All Ears, both give good points and I agree re the AT LP-5. There has been a good deal of snobbery over decades of HI FI, mostly aimed at the high end gear, hey, if you have money spend it on what you like, but this snobbery was very evident on review sites, not all I might ad.

Most of the turn table market with the resurgence of Vinyl is budget to middle, thats where the profits are for the manufactueres, high end gear often referred to in the States as the NERD/GEEK end of the hobby has a small market. SME really need to do some serious market research before investing huge ammounts of money in a product that might not return them a profit,

Why did I buy a Audio Technica LP-5, no, not from reviews but from a shop demo. My reason was my old Rega Planar 3 was getting tired even though I did the motor mount mod and new drive belt along with a bearing clean and re oil, I even fitted a new Ortofon Red, it sounded great but a new deck was out of my price range. Then I heard the LP-5, Well, it sort of did things better than the Rega, and absolutely no detectable Wow or motor noise, which the Rega had on inner tracks, and the AT95EX really out shone the Ortofon. In my humble opinion the arm is capabale of handling more expensive cartridges.

 

[MajorFubar]

the AT95EX really out shone the Ortofon.

AT95EX is a gem. Chap on this forum uses a slightly butchered 95EX stylus with a much more expensive cartridge and by all accounts it puts in a very good show for itself.

 

[Al ears]

the AT95EX really out shone the Ortofon.

AT95EX is a gem. Chap on this forum uses a slightly butchered 95EX stylus with a much more expensive cartridge and by all accounts it puts in a very good show for itself.

I'd agree. Regards the tonearm I think that you will find many will, up to a point, support much better cartridges as the manufacturers normally fit the cheapest they feel that they can get away with this enabling them to sell the deck at a reasonable price.

Regards SME, they were never in the mass-market game and, in my opinion, should never attemp to dive in to the budget end of the market where there are plenty of other manufacturers to choose from. They are not totally reliant on turntable scales and seem to be doing very nicely as is.

 

[Chris Munden]

Agreed, all ears, about the market sector and SME, however, in my opinion they could easily make the Gerrard into a cult deck like Rega have done which would really establish the famous name. Yes, it could be pitched at the Rega higher end.

I put a Nagaoka MP-100 on my LP-5 and it sounds excellent, again better than the Ortofon even with a 'blue' stylus, but its not any better than the AT95EX just a sightly different sound stage on some instruments. may be its the Conical tip stylus of the Nagaoka VS the Eliptical on the AT. If I ever upgrade the AT95EX it would be another AT cartridge or may be a Goldring.