KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Yes, truer words have never been said. Got a 1200 series VM Stere-O-Matic changer next month to degunk and lubricate, and a new rebuilt speed turret to buy and install.
Synchro Lab 95 Plinth
- Thread starter 67 grad
- Start date
hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
I have a Dual 1019, a Garrard SL 95b and a Garrard Lab 80 mkII. I like the Lab 80 mkII the best. I'm using a Shure M95ED cart tracking at 1.5g. It tracks wonderfully on it. I have also used a Shure M91e, Grado Prestige Blue and an Audio-Technica AT95. All worked well, but prefer the sound of the Shure M95ED. It tracks my worst torture test records better than any of my other tables and arms, including a Rek-O-Kut Rondine B12 with Grado wood arm/Blue cart, also has an Infinity Black Widow w/ADC-LXM cart, also a Denon DP75 with a VM Pro arm and Grado Blue cart. I don't think the Lab 80 arm would have any problem with any of the V15 series Shure carts. I haven't made a direct comparison of the Dual arm vs the Lab 80 arm, but do remember that the Shure M91e and V15 type II tracked OK in it several years back. Probably only comes down to which table you like best. I just happen to prefer the Lab 80 mkII over any of my other turntables. It looks good and tracks like a fiend on the scent. I have plans this summer to build a heavy plinth for it similar to the one I built for my R.O.K.
As for the SL 95b, it tracks nice and sounds OK, but gives off the impression of "cheap" like none of the other tables do. I don't use the automated features of any of the tables that have them. All need repair, and I wouldn't trust my records with them anyway, so I disabled the changers.
Dave
As for the SL 95b, it tracks nice and sounds OK, but gives off the impression of "cheap" like none of the other tables do. I don't use the automated features of any of the tables that have them. All need repair, and I wouldn't trust my records with them anyway, so I disabled the changers.
Dave
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67 grad
Active Member
All very interesting!
Couple of Polaroids of my Lab 80 and the plinth I made for it out of walnut and cherry.
hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
67 grad,
I love the plinth you made. Looks like it's from the 50'-60's era. Tasteful!
Dave
I love the plinth you made. Looks like it's from the 50'-60's era. Tasteful!
Dave
hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
Here is my 2nd Lab 80. Just arrived a couple of days ago. I immediately replaced the platter ball bearings with 1/32 ceramic ones found on Amazon dot com. This takes the Garrard from quiet to VERY quiet. This new table has a retreaded idler wheel. The entire mechanism has been goon through and cleaned and lubed. It is fully functional as a changer or semi-automatic. This Lab 80 is a late model mkI. The plinth has been reinforced internally, so quite strong, and is the prettiest of all the factory plinths I've seen so far. I replaced the mat with a cork mat on the bottom and a red 1/8 inch thick felt mat on top. The turntable arm rides level now. I adjusted the cue device to just nicely clear the record and all works perfectly. I put in my Shure M95ED, set tracking at 1.25 grams using a digital scale, and it plays like a dream. That are is FAR better than many give it credit for. With the high compliance Shure, it tracks without a hitch. I'm using a pair of 15" open baffle woofers with a fs of 23 Hz. No pumping or strain to be seen. Rumble on Shure test record is as low as any other table I've tried the test record on. About the same level as my Denon DP75 and Dual 1019. I suspect the record pressing is the limiting factor.
Anyway, it's clean and wonderful sounding at 1.25g. The trip mechanism works perfectly, and all is well.
My broken Lab 80 came with a usable hard-to-find cake top dustcover.
Dave
Anyway, it's clean and wonderful sounding at 1.25g. The trip mechanism works perfectly, and all is well.
My broken Lab 80 came with a usable hard-to-find cake top dustcover.
Dave
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67 grad
Active Member
Probably made it in '69. My own design, and local wood. Can't remember what I did with it, or what the original plinth looked like when I traded the Lab 80 on a Dual 1019, which I'm still using.
PS: (Well, duh, on looking at yours, that is what mine was like. Very nice-looking. I was just into a custom/woodworking phase at the time.)
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67 grad
Active Member
Do you believe the Lab 80 is superior to the SL 95B?
My Zero-100 is in the same base as the original post. it was in the plastic one originally, but I picked up a nice wood base with no cover and traded them out. Cover and back piece were robbed from the original plastic plinth.
My Lab 80 and 80 MKII are in wood bases. Not quite identical, but not different enough to really talk about. The Type A and RC88 are also in wood, neither are amazing but its better than plastic or nothing.
My Lab 80 and 80 MKII are in wood bases. Not quite identical, but not different enough to really talk about. The Type A and RC88 are also in wood, neither are amazing but its better than plastic or nothing.
hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
Definately. I own both. The SL 95b is made cheap in comparison. The Lab 80 will rival any idler Dual (1219, 1229, 1019) or Elac Miracord (50H), while the SL 95b is only about the equivalent to the cheaper Dual idlers, like the 1225. The Lab 80 has a 6 pound cast platter with a very well built bearing (SL 95b has around a 2 pound stamped platter), and a tonearm that will work with a wide range of cartridges. The SL 95b has sloppy tonearm bearings (both units I own did, anyway) and a real chintzy slide-in headshell incert that was always needing the contacts cleaned to prevent intermittent cutouts. There is just no real comparison.
Dave
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
It is superior to the SL95B, it's the best changer Garrard ever made as far as performance is concerned. It's the last competitive changer Garrard ever made in Mark II form to compete with Dual, with ELAC/Miracord, and Perpetuum-Ebner. The LAB 80 is what Garrard could do without Plessey accountants standing in their way, that and the 401 were the last true Garrards, built the old Garrard way.
Big issues discussed earlier with the Garrard SL 95B, is the cheaper platter, the cartridge slide being inferior (and intermittent prone) and the cheaper construction and build quality. I regard even the Dual 1225 as a much higher quality turntable in that comparison. When you compare the SL95b with a Dual 1225, the Dual has a better platter, much better bearings, a lot better tonearm which feels more solid, can get more out of a higher compliance cartridge, has a lot better and smoother motor and automatic cycle. I have owned and used both over long periods of ownership,
To close, the LAB 80 and LAB 80 Mk II were "World's Finest" along with the 401. A Garrard slogan for years, the SL95B was "Barely Competitive" on the lower end. Compare the two, and you'll come to the same conclusion I have.
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hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
Here she is, in all her radiant glory.
I wonder if a heavy built plinth and the turntable bolted tight would actually benefit anything. The deck runs super quiet now, and the plinth looks nice. Anyone care to speculate?
Oops. I already showed this pic. But here is my Rek-O-Kut with a plinth I built. If I made one for the Garrard, it would probably be along this line.
Dave
I wonder if a heavy built plinth and the turntable bolted tight would actually benefit anything. The deck runs super quiet now, and the plinth looks nice. Anyone care to speculate?
Oops. I already showed this pic. But here is my Rek-O-Kut with a plinth I built. If I made one for the Garrard, it would probably be along this line.
Dave
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Both are beautiful, the Rek-O-Kut is my most favorite. But you know why. That Garrard Lab 80 is so nice, I'd keep that as it is. Nicest I've seen.
67 grad
Active Member
Thanks, all, for the valuable insights! I'd spend all (of a rainy) day delving into some of these details, but I'm on a short leash... "and miles to go before I sleep...". I am experiencing (presumably) the headshell insert contact problem - need to get that sorted out. Coincidentally, seeing the same thing with my 1019. But that's been dogged off and on the tonearm so many times in 40 years that it's not surprising...
hurdy_gurdyman
Active Member
Here it's wearing it's dust cover. Has a few cracks and scratches, but keeps the dust off.
Dave
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67 grad
Active Member
Now THAT'S a dust cover!Here it's wearing it's dust cover. Has a few cracks and scratches, but keeps the dust off.
Dave
