The Garrard Project 2015 was one of my three choices for a Positive Feedback Writers’ Choice Award for 2015.
The project team of Garrard specialist Ray Clark of Classic Turntable Company, bespoke analog maven Christopher Thornton of Artisan Fidelity, tonearm craftsman Thomas Schick, and yours truly, worked together to create an analog work of art that played music as beautifully as it looked, which was altogether breathtaking.
The Garrard Project 2015 player system.
In my Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Award writeup I said:
"As many of you know, I’ve had ‘a thing’ for Garrard 301 based turntables going back a long time. Starting in 2004, I wrote a series of articles for Six Moons (1, 2, 3) about my first Garrard Project player system. In that first Garrard Project my plan was to keep it simple and as low cost as I could, to match my budget at the time.
Fast forward to 2015: My goal was a little more ambitious for my latest Garrard project, the Garrard Project 2015 (Issue 79).
This time I wanted to build a hot-rod Garrard 301 based player system that could pretty much go toe-to-toe with Garrard 301 ‘super-tables’ like the Shindo Garrard 301 player system, or the Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement player system, perhaps the two most notable examples of the vintage-based Garrard ‘super-table’ genre.
But here’s the kicker: I wanted to knock on the door of those vintage-based Garrard super-table’s performance, but I wanted to do it for about half their price.
To accomplish that goal I recruited Garrard specialist Ray Clark of Classic Turntable Company, bespoke analog maven Christopher Thornton of Artisan Fidelity, and tonearm craftsman Thomas Schick.
To make short work of a long article, I succeeded. Spectacularly! The resulting hot-rod Garrard Project 2015 player system had stunning tangible presence, timbral realism, vivid tonal colors, and such strong emotional impact that it was truly awe inspiring, and riveting to listen to.
Price-wise I accomplished my goal, coming in at $12,285 USD, which breaks out to $4345 USD for Classic 301 turntable with optional brass platter, $5340 for the Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement Plinth with optional Stillpoints Ultra SS footers, and $1300 USD times two for the superb Thomas Schick tonearms.
The resulting Garrard Project 2015 turned out better than I could have ever imagined, and I am absolutely thrilled by both its beauty and performance."
The Garrard Project 2015 player system.
I've come to appreciate the Garrard Project 2015's beauty and remarkable level of performance even more over time, and every time I look at it elicits a "Wow!" from me.
The Garrard Project 2015 constantly amazes me as I explore stereo & mono treasures on LP with how really good this turntable player system is, both musically & sonically, making the music come to life before my ears in ways I had only dreamed about before.
To recognize the fine analog constructeurs Ray Clark (Classic Turntable Company), Christopher Thornton (Artisan Fidelity), and Thomas Schick, who made this remarkable bespoke Garrard Project 2015 player system possible, I want to honor their achievements with a Jeff Award for 2015.
Please join me in congratulating Ray, Christopher, and Thomas, for their wonderful accomplishment in the Garrard Project 2015.
You guys are amazing!
Many thanks to Ray, Christopher, and Thomas for helping me make my turntable dreams come true.
If you'd like to make your own turntable dreams come true, you can contact these fine analog dream weavers for a little bit of help:
Ray Clark’s email address.
Thomas Schick’s email address.
Christopher Thornton’s email address.
Thanks for stopping by!
