Garrard Lab 80
- Thread starter kaplang
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
One of the better changers for what? I'm sorry, but I don't think its in the running for honors at playing records. Massy arm, lousy bearings and clunky mechanism. Aesthetics are a matter of taste, and idler drives do have real charms, but I can't get worked up for this one.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
How about the SL-95, then, Nat? ;-)
Better, but still a meat cleaver and not a scalpel. That arm, and its implacable motion once it gets going seem to me a threat to the life of most better cartridges. And the platter bearing is none too quiet. I'm willing to admit that it has rude vigor, but something like the Dual 1019 just embarasses it. If I have to defend a Garrard changer, the Lab 95 might be worth it (though the GT 55 would be my choice), but the lower end Garrards just aren't worth it, in my book.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
A tt that is embarrassed by a 1019 is not something to which to entrust one's most precious vinyl ;-)
I'm not really slagging the Garrard, but it can only use a fairly limited range of cartridges safely, and it is noisier etc than other easily found turntables (including the 1019), so its hard to think it justifies much effort or expense unless sentimental or aesthetic considerations are important.
I've had a Lab 80 since the early days. Shure M91 or other similar cartridge will do a great job. If you have it, keep it. It will discover all the shortcomings inherent in LP's after some tweaking. Is there a better looking Record Changer? Forty years from now it will still be spinning. :thmbsp:
Of course the best Record Changer is the Garrard Z2000, IMHO. :yes:
Peace. Regards.
Of course the best Record Changer is the Garrard Z2000, IMHO. :yes:
Peace. Regards.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
I gave the one I had to Charles King. Not sure if he ever did anything with it.
131east23
...near Frank's Pizza!
Read the 1964 review from "Gramophone" regarding the Lab 80. It has its charms. The link will take you to the first page of a long article consisting of reviews. Go to the bottom and click on page 8 and it will take you to the beginning of the Lab 80 review. I'm charmed by it...
http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/November 1964/107/805510/TECHNICAL+REPORTS#header-logo
http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/November 1964/107/805510/TECHNICAL+REPORTS#header-logo
Brian
An Old Geezer
Interesting about the magnetic lift design. The same idea was used by Saul Marantz in the SLT12/12U table and it was considered one of the best as being gentle on cartridges.
As for the Dual 1019 vs Lab 80 fight as they went neck to neck back then was a pure tossup as to winner. The only thing I can measure against was the tradeins. When the 1219 came out it was amazing how many 1019s came in on trade. Owners seemd universally to want to get something better. The 1219 and 1229 were significantly better tables than the 1019 in use. We saw virtually no one trading in the LAB 80 until the belt driven version of the Z100. Miracords never seemed to come in but that was expected as nothing Dual or Garrard put out did as well. Dual, Garrard and Miracord owners seldom seelmed to crossover brands when they traded so bran loyalty was there in our area. PE was another that never seemed to get traded unless there was a problem. They did seem to somehow get out of mechanism sync more than the others but it was an easy correct. The BSR was not in the same league but they always seemed to work as did the VM. It came down to literally a personal choice or bias as the 2 virtually were no different in resulting sound with the same model cartridge. The tonearm on the 1019 looked like it was better than the LAB 80 but it was not in actual use. That is not to say it was not good as it was.
Of all these today, I'd still only put a good record on a Miracord 50H II.
As for the Dual 1019 vs Lab 80 fight as they went neck to neck back then was a pure tossup as to winner. The only thing I can measure against was the tradeins. When the 1219 came out it was amazing how many 1019s came in on trade. Owners seemd universally to want to get something better. The 1219 and 1229 were significantly better tables than the 1019 in use. We saw virtually no one trading in the LAB 80 until the belt driven version of the Z100. Miracords never seemed to come in but that was expected as nothing Dual or Garrard put out did as well. Dual, Garrard and Miracord owners seldom seelmed to crossover brands when they traded so bran loyalty was there in our area. PE was another that never seemed to get traded unless there was a problem. They did seem to somehow get out of mechanism sync more than the others but it was an easy correct. The BSR was not in the same league but they always seemed to work as did the VM. It came down to literally a personal choice or bias as the 2 virtually were no different in resulting sound with the same model cartridge. The tonearm on the 1019 looked like it was better than the LAB 80 but it was not in actual use. That is not to say it was not good as it was.
Of all these today, I'd still only put a good record on a Miracord 50H II.
2DualsNotEnough
Addicted Member
I use a Lab 80 for playing my 78s.If I got a Miracord or a 1019/1219 in good working order,Id switch it out in a heartbeat.
Jimmy
Jimmy
It seems to me that Dual owners might be trading up because the 12 series looked more precise and modern than the 10 series, where as the Garrards that followed the Lab series just looked cheap. They might have been as good or better, but they sure didn't look it. And if the aesthetics of the Lab series appealed, the new ones would not.
131east23
...near Frank's Pizza!
I would agree. By the time I became interested in TT's (mid 70's) Garrard already had a bad name and Dual was a trusted brand that looked great, sounded great and operated with a sense of smoothness that most Garrards could only dream about. As a newly rejuvenated vinyl spinner my main goal is too get a handle on classic TT's that I can afford. I bought a really nice Lab 80, not because it is THAT classic table, but because it's an idler drive TT from Garrards hey day and that's what I'm interested in. Also, if I can fix a lab 80 I can fix anything. It really is a nice record changer mainly because it doesn't look like a record changer. I was surprised at how light that heavy looking tone arm can be. So far I've only been able to play records from the 60's and 50's that I can track 2+ grams on. I have the original Pickering cart and stylus and I was amazed at the volume that little thing produces. Anyway, I have the lab 80 that is my project, I just bought a parts table which I'll get working and sell if I don't need anything major. A fun winter project for the rainy season in Portland. Really, I aspire to a transcription motor: 301, 401, Rek-O-Kut, Thorens. Something that will allow the ability to change tone arms quickly...but that is many dollars away...ha!
danj
modern primitive
Once there, search for "Dual 1019" and you will be taken to their review of same. They were quite enamored by it.
