Has anyone moved on from idlers, Garrards??

[bonzo75]

For some this is where a Thorens TD-124 comes in , Idler DNA but with a slightly lighter hand than the 301 , if circumstances allow nice to run both .

One guy did, both all out restores, the Schopper 124 won every time.

There is another report, https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23054&start=30

“Don’t have a Lenco but do have a Loricrafted 401 and a Schoppered Thorens in other words 2 fully restored turntables. The Thorens 124 with its new bearing and platters has an amazing bass and midrange response and to my ears is superior in most respects to the Garrard…but a lot of money went into the restoration!!

Prior to the restoration, the Garrard had the edge over the Thorens in a vanilla sort of way”

 

[kozzmo]

For some this is where a Thorens TD-124 comes in , Idler DNA but with a slightly lighter hand than the 301 , if circumstances allow nice to run both .

Agreed but for me it has become more of a maintenance issue...There are a lot of moving and perishable parts on an idler...even more so on the 124, What I found with the Garrard after messing with them over many years is when anything on this deck starts going, like say the spring tension on the idler, it can alter the performance greatly. When I was a younger man chasing down mechanical issues was fun and part of the game because the rewards with the Garrard are great....but I am at a point where I just want to press a button and play a record. I actually tried the new technics table, there really isn't a better one button option than that table offers and I was hoping to like it because the DD experience is similar to the idler, however the idler had a lot more meat to the sound and I ultimately couldn't live with the Technics. The perfect option is to have them all!!

 

[jeff1225]

Agreed but for me it has become more of a maintenance issue...There are a lot of moving and perishable parts on an idler...even more so on the 124, What I found with the Garrard after messing with them over many years is when anything on this deck starts going, like say the spring tension on the idler, it can alter the performance greatly. When I was a younger man chasing down mechanical issues was fun and part of the game because the rewards with the Garrard are great....but I am at a point where I just want to press a button and play a record. I actually tried the new technics table, there really isn't a better one button option than that table offers and I was hoping to like it because the DD experience is similar to the idler, however the idler had a lot more meat to the sound and I ultimately couldn't live with the Technics. The perfect option is to have them all!!

I now have a fully tricked out 124 and 401. I love them and couldn’t imagine anything else. But, when I have to rebuild them in a few years, let’s see where my mind is at.

 

[kozzmo]

I now have a fully tricked out 124 and 401. I love them and couldn’t imagine anything else. But, when I have to rebuild them in a few years, let’s see where my mind is at.

Yeah I never thought I'd go back to a belt drive, that's for sure. Also there was an emotional attachment to the Garrard...as stupid as that sounds it was a thing with me for sure. What's interesting and I thought about this last night...is how we can get used to anything. The first few days with the new to me Kuzma left me yearning for the old Garrard....now after several weeks what I am hearing with the Kuzma is now something that I wouldn't want to give up! So the ear and mind are apparently very adaptable!