General Asylum: REVIEW: Oswalds mill audio Slate plinth for garrard 301 Turntables by noroom4squares

Model:	Slate plinth for garrard 301
Category:	Turntables
Suggested Retail Price:	$ N/A
Description:	two piece slate plinth with eccentric armboard
Manufacturer URL:	Oswalds mill audio
Model Picture:	View

Review by noroom4squares on February 10, 2008 at 09:59:22
IP Address: 68.196.252.174 Add Your Review
for the Slate plinth for garrard 301

I've had this plinth for approximately 3 weeks now. I picked it up from Jonathan & Cynthia's Mill house in PA. Two kinder & more hospitable people you will not meet & the Mill system is a must hear, The new Oswalds mill designed speaker is INCREDIBLE. All of the information on plinth material & process are explained clearly on the Oswalds mill website. The 301 pictured on the sight is mine. My first impression of the plinth was that it is visually stunning. It truly is a piece of sculpture. It reminds me quite a bit of the later work of Isamu Noguchi. Organic, with a purity of line you just dont see in manufactured items. Assembly was completely intuitive. You level whatever surface you are placing it on, set the 3 slate blocks in position to accept the bottom plate, sit the bottom plate (which is drilled to make room for the Garrard mounting bolts, on the blocks. Next attach the turntable to to top plate with the supplied nuts & bolts and carefully place the top plate onto the bottom, a task which is made simple because of the recessed hand grip on either side of the plinth (another fine design feature) The next step is to install the arm onto the armboard. Adjust pivot to spindle distance by rotating the eccentric armboard, set VTA, & VTF, plug in & enjoy. The fit & finish on this plinth is excellent. The slate is honed to perfection & as nice as it is to look at it is also a pleasure to touch. Enough gushing about aesthetics, lets talk about what it does to the sound. Let me start by saying I've owned my 301 for two years. When I bought it it was dead silent, vibration free, & had perfect speed stability. The only maintenance I've done was to add fresh oil to the bearing. I previously had it mounted to a slab of 15mm baltic birch plywood resting on 3" thick maple blocks. It sounded great, better than anything else I've heard up to that point but it wasn't exactly pretty, not ugly but a little spartan for my taste. Around this time I was unloading some excess gear & posted in the Hi Eff asylum wondering if anyone could use an RCA cabinet. Jonathan responded & I ended up dropping the cabinet off to him. He showed me the plinth he had just completed for the TD-124. Seeing that, I knew I had to have one for my 301, at the same time I ordered The Thomas Schick tonearm that Jonathan distributes (review forthcoming). I have to say I was not ready for the sound this combo produces. It's as if you are no longer listening to a mechanical device. Bass notes swell & fade into blackness. Drums are clear & have physical impact & there is a sense of wholeness to the sound that I have never experienced with any gear before. I realize I'm not really great at using audiophile terminology & I generally dont write or read reviews because I feel that each person experiences sound differently but I really can't imagine anyone finding fault in this plinth & if you get the chance to listen to one yourself don't hesitate. You will not be disapointed. Life is short & you might as well get the best if you can. I'll finish by saying thanks again Jonathan I couldn't be happier with your effort.

Product Weakness:	None that I have noticed
Product Strengths:	Beautiful design & execution. The improvement to is impossible to deny

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: various tube amps & tube integrateds
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Croft super micro, Fi Y with bottlehead phono
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Garrard 301 oil bearing, denon dl 103 unmodified
Speakers: 3 way jbl le15 in blh with 2309 horns mounted to 375 driver & 075 tweeter
Cables/Interconnects: various
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, electronic, kraut rock, everything but opera really
Room Size (LxWxH): 18' x 12' x 8'
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	various tube amps & tube integrateds
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Croft super micro, Fi Y with bottlehead phono
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Garrard 301 oil bearing, denon dl 103 unmodified
Speakers:	3 way jbl le15 in blh with 2309 horns mounted to 375 driver & 075 tweeter
Cables/Interconnects:	various
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, electronic, kraut rock, everything but opera really
Room Size (LxWxH):	18' x 12' x 8'
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner