When I worked for Garrard

[Soniclife]

I wonder if the short length of many popular songs is related to the approximately three-minute max available on a 10" 78rpm monaural record. A lot of pop music 45rpm records were less than three minutes long. Then again, the term "albums" also survived into the internet/digital storage age.

Technology definitely shapes music, as well as the examples you give I saw albums get longer when CD came in, this was frequently a bad thing, the old 40ish total playing time limit helped keep quality up, without that constraint bands were free to clog up albums with filler.

 

[Xulonn]

.

I have old LP boxed sets of classical works with the sides cut like that for use on an autochanger. Confusing for the unsuspecting!

And today, a large "boxed set" collection like the complete Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner RCA collection is available on 63CDs for $999 - or you can download the entire collection as about 12.5Gb of FLAC files. That is less than 3% of the capacity of the below MicroSD card - a tiny storage device that is only 11x15mm - so small that it is difficult to handle and insert and remove from connection ports

This technology still boggles my mind. Ten years ago I was still using 1.44Mb floppies and transitioning to USB flash drives - and now I have lots of MicroSD cards up to 32Gb and will be getting larger ones soon. Even the 4Tb HDDs in my external B/U drives and NAS will probably be replaced with SSD's within a couple of years.

Even with all of this modern technology, I still get a special pleasure from listening to all kinds of music of various levels of resolution through my 25 y/o, 30 pound Classé Model Seventy Class AB amplifier that is connected via balanced interconnects to my thoroughly modern Topping DX7s DAC. .

 

[Frank Dernie]

.


And today, a large "boxed set" collection like the complete Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner RCA collection is available on 63CDs for $999 - or you can download the entire collection as about 12.5Gb of FLAC files. That is less than 3% of the capacity of the below MicroSD card - a tiny storage device that is only 11x15mm - so small that it us difficult to handle and insert and remove from connection ports

View attachment 30639

This technology still boggles my mind. Ten years ago I was still using 1.44Mb floppies and transitioning to USB flash drives - and now I have lots of MicroSD cards up to 32Gb and will be getting larger ones soon. Even the 4Tb HDDs in my external B/U drives and NAS will probably be replaced with SSD's within a couple of years.

Even with all of this modern technology, I still get a special pleasure from listening to all kinds of music of various levels of resolution through my 25 y/o, 30 pound Classé Model Seventy Class AB amplifier that is connected via balanced interconnects to my thoroughly modern Topping DX7s DAC. .

Indeed.
My first computer for home was a Macintosh II. It had 2MB of ram as standard which I increased to 4Mb by adding 2 1 Mb modules at £1000 each.
Its hard drive was 40 Mb, I had loads on it but today it would be too small to store a single blank sheet of paper in Word format!

 

[sergeauckland]

Indeed.
My first computer for home was a Macintosh II. It had 2MB of ram as standard which I increased to 4Mb by adding 2 1 Mb modules at £1000 each.
Its hard drive was 40 Mb, I had loads on it but today it would be too small to store a single blank sheet of paper in Word format!

My first home computer was a Philips P2000, which had two 5 1/4" floppy drives and 16k of RAM. Software was by 1 or two plug-in ROM modules which allowed things like a word-processor and spreadsheet or database at the same time, so could do mail-merges !!!

Printing was on a daisy-wheel printer that was so noisy, it had a huge wooden sound-cover.

The ROM modules, were, if I remember correctly, around 32k each, so with a total of 48k memory available (64k with two ROM carts, plus the 16k RAM) it could do everything I needed at the time. Data was stored on the floppy disks, so a mailmerge required the two ROM carts and floppies holding the names and addresses and letter text. There was a basic word processor cart provided with the P2000 on 16k of memory. It didn't have mail-merge facilities, but a basic word processor in 16k! Not M or G, but k.

S.

 

[Juhazi]

My first PC in 1988 was a used Amstrad with 2x512 floppys, MS-DOS 3.11, B/W monitor and matrix printer. I gradually updated it with a HDD module and 720kB diskette station, and color monitor. I had a word processor and a database application. I don't miss it but it helped me and wife a lot with studies and hobbys. I got Windows95 & internet in-96.

 

[Neddy]

Now we're down that rabbit hole, my first PC was an Apricot (F1, I think.)
The thing was amazing - PC the size of a shoe-box, wireless (optical, w/optional light-pipe) keyboard and mouse, which was a trackball that could be flipped upside down and used as a mouse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apricot_Computers
Their GEM GUI was a mess, but it did run Lotus and WP just fine.
That thing was an amazing design - but the GEM non-IBM compatability killed what I thought should have been a huge success.
The thing was still working fine when I finally tossed in a de-cluttering/house move rant in the 90s....
I DO remember calling their US support line quite a few times just to hear the lovely Scottish lilt of the superb lady support tech

 

[restorer-john]

Even with all of this modern technology, I still get a special pleasure from listening to all kinds of music of various levels of resolution through my 25 y/o, 30 pound Classé Model Seventy Class AB amplifier that is connected via balanced interconnects to my thoroughly modern Topping DX7s DAC. .

Yep, that's what it is all about. Awesome.

 

[restorer-john]

My first computer for home was a Macintosh II. It had 2MB of ram as standard which I increased to 4Mb by adding 2 1 Mb modules at £1000 each.
Its hard drive was 40 Mb, I had loads on it but today it would be too small to store a single blank sheet of paper in Word format!

Well, my first computer at home was a Sinclair ZX-81 with 1K RAM? and a 16K ram-pack. Cassette interface and a Z-80 inside. I swapped it with a kid at school for a Coleco Vision TV game I had got in a trade from someone else.

We had Ohio Scientific Challenger 1P and 4Ps in out school "computer lab". (4K and 8K IIRC) and basic/hex/machine language via a cassette interface.

There was an 8P too, and it had twin 8" floppies but we weren't allowed to use that...

 

[Neddy]

Yup, ZX-80s/81s here too!
I eventually modified them to use for a custom home control/phone system.
Two of them running off the very first DTMF decoder chips (SLIC chips) - which did line reporting (# of incoming rings, answering machine, speaker phone, etc, and could use any phone in the house (wireless phones had just come out!) to control AC appliances too (via radio shack/BSR AC controllers).
Took me a year to write all that code (in BASIC), not to mention designing and making the PCBs (on the Sinclairs!!) and enclosures for it all.
Pretty much all the things you can (finally) do with via smartphone today - tho no voice control but not too bad for 1983 or so....and a homebrew.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Well, my first computer at home was a Sinclair ZX-81 with 1K RAM? and a 16K ram-pack. Cassette interface and a Z-80 inside. I swapped it with a kid at school for a Coleco Vision TV game I had got in a trade from someone else.

We had Ohio Scientific Challenger 1P and 4Ps in out school "computer lab". (4K and 8K IIRC) and basic/hex/machine language via a cassette interface.

There was an 8P too, and it had twin 8" floppies but we weren't allowed to use that...

Well I was effectively "system manager" of the DEC VAX system at work, since I was initially its sole user. We did have a Commodore 64 at home before the Mac but I wasn't a fan of games (then or now) and wanted something more powerful for hard sums.
I was also running the wind tunnel controlled by an Analog Devices Macsym II process control computer. I was really only interested in making the F1 car faster but in a department of one engineer, one technician and (eventually) a modelmaker had to do the programming and wiring as well...

 

[Florian]

Hello,
I am right that this thread from and about people that worked at garrard? May you can help me.
I have here a Zero 100 international from my father. The problem is that the platter does not rotate stable. I have noticed that the bushing of the platter bearing has great play. Is this normal? The platter can really be tilted.
Does anybody know here if it is possible to get spare parts for this model. For example parts of the platter bearing?
Thank you

 

[Hiten]

Hello,
I am right that this thread from and about people that worked at garrard? May you can help me.
I have here a Zero 100 international from my father. The problem is that the platter does not rotate stable. I have noticed that the bushing of the platter bearing has great play. Is this normal? The platter can really be tilted.
Does anybody know here if it is possible to get spare parts for this model. For example parts of the platter bearing?
Thank you

While experts join allow me to reply. I think besides the shaft and bushing wearing out (I doubt it because the are well made to have a play on the platter) bearing there is a thrust ball bearing below the bearing shaft. Which may have bearing loose. Below that some rubber washer to damp the noise. Check that if it is there . Or the Whole Spindle shaft assemble rested on Triangular sturdy base held by screws. Check that also.

Love Garrards. Nice Mechanical machines . Here is my restoration of Cheap Garrard 6400.
Garrard 6400 Restoration
Click play button below left.
Regards

 

[badboygolf16v]

Not sure if this link is public, but some background on Garrard.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/892288934171516?view=permalink&id=2212439632156433

 

[anmpr1]

Hello,
I have here a Zero 100 international from my father. The problem is that the platter does not rotate stable. I have noticed that the bushing of the platter bearing has great play. Is this normal?

Platter should rotate freely with no appreciable wobble. Parts? Your best bet would be to find another in relatively good condition. I doubt you will find any NOS parts other than small accessory items that have been packed away at old, out of business, repair shops, and now rediscovered. For example, I found a NOS alignment jig (used to set zero point tangency), new strobe housing frame (flimsy plastic--original split), 45 rpm spindle, C-3 cartridge slide, etc).

My impression is that there's not a lot that will 'break' on these decks, as long as they are not abused. If you look at the underside, it's stamped steel and metal mechanical parts. Not 'modern' in any electrical sense (motor is strong and appears to be well designed), but everything is mechanical and Rube Goldbergish (no servos, PLL, quartz lock, etc,). At this late stage of their life, they all probably require good cleaning and relube. Nothing that an amateur hobbyist can't work through, given enough time and patience.

Most folks interested in records are not going to be interested in it. I have one that is still going strong. I should probably try and find a NOS idler reduction wheel. A new one could make a difference, I imagine.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Hello,
I am right that this thread from and about people that worked at garrard? May you can help me.
I have here a Zero 100 international from my father. The problem is that the platter does not rotate stable. I have noticed that the bushing of the platter bearing has great play. Is this normal? The platter can really be tilted.
Does anybody know here if it is possible to get spare parts for this model. For example parts of the platter bearing?
Thank you

The bushing shouldn't have much play. If it is worn I am not sure where there are spares any more. Loricraft in Lambourn near Swindon bought all the spares from the factory and did repairs until fairly recently but I believe they and the name have now been acquired by SME who are remaking the 301.
I haven't seen the inside of a Zero 100 for 44 years but I remember there were both single players and record changers. The changer has a ball race bearing to carry the vertical load, if this has worn out there would be a lot of play.

 

[Hiten]

Hi,
Back in the day most turntables had rubber grommets motor suspension. it would be interesting to know about garrard 301/401 motor suspension. what were the reasons having 2 x three springs at an angle ? A little discussion did took place at other forum - Link

Thanks and regards.

 

[anmpr1]

Hi,
...it would be interesting to know about garrard 301/401 motor suspension. what were the reasons having 2 x three springs at an angle ? .

@Frank Dernie would probably know, if anyone. The 301 was industrial strength. In the US Garrard advertised it during the '50s and '60s in their full page ads, but by the time of the SL95 and the later Z100 (circa 1970) it was not seen. I presume Garrard didn't make any money importing and selling it, given the spread. By the mid-70s idler reduction drives had pretty much been displaced in consumer and pro space with belt drive and/or DD. For a short time Garrard offered a kind of hybrid idler/belt system.

By the late '70s no one wanted a Garrard, or any changer based record player. At least it was that way in the US. Japanese DD models dominated the market, with the more 'tweako high end' relegated to a few 'exotics'-- usually belt drives such as the Linn, although Goldmund offered an expensive direct drive I believe. 'Art' turntables started appearing, where the emphasis was on the visual look--Gale, Transcriptors/Michell and some others.

As things go, the luxury market now finds outfits refurbing the old Garrards, putting them in exotic wood bases, and selling them for the price of a high performance Japanese motorcycle.

 

[Robin L]

I have no idea what the Garrard importers into the USA (I assume you must be USian) prioritised . . .

Hard to find manual Garrard 'tables in the US, easy to find changers, particularly in the low end of the market. Plenty of three-speed Garrard changers with ceramic cartridges to be found at thrift stores. I recall that the KLH model 20 all-in-one stereo had a Garrard changer.

 

[Robin L]

.


And today, a large "boxed set" collection like the complete Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner RCA collection is available on 63CDs for $999 - or you can download the entire collection as about 12.5Gb of FLAC files. That is less than 3% of the capacity of the below MicroSD card - a tiny storage device that is only 11x15mm - so small that it is difficult to handle and insert and remove from connection ports

View attachment 30639

This technology still boggles my mind. Ten years ago I was still using 1.44Mb floppies and transitioning to USB flash drives - and now I have lots of MicroSD cards up to 32Gb and will be getting larger ones soon. Even the 4Tb HDDs in my external B/U drives and NAS will probably be replaced with SSD's within a couple of years.

Even with all of this modern technology, I still get a special pleasure from listening to all kinds of music of various levels of resolution through my 25 y/o, 30 pound Classé Model Seventy Class AB amplifier that is connected via balanced interconnects to my thoroughly modern Topping DX7s DAC. .

I've got a lot of these Micro SD cards, from 32Gb to 512 Gb. Rip CDs to the computer as Apple lossless, copy to the Micro SD and play back on a couple of DAPs. I'm convinced it's better playback than CDs, a smoother data stream, as it were.

 

[anmpr1]

I recall that the KLH model 20 all-in-one stereo had a Garrard changer.

For the man on the go...