Pet Shop Boys. Left to my Own Devices. From the LP 'Introspective', 1988.

The cartridge is an Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML, tracking at 2.1g.

This Garrard Zero 100S is the latest addition to my collection of old-but-still-good-enough-to-use-today turntables.

This turntable is almost before my time!
In other words, believe it or not, back in 1970 I was still at school and too young to think about buying one, although I'm sure I knew about it.

In my humble opinion, I reckon it looks much better than the later, today more common, Zero 100SB.

Here are some of the differences between the 100S and the 100SB:
- 100S ivory and gold contrasts with the rather drab 100SB black and silver.
- 100S idler drive, 100SB belt drive.
- 100S has an alloy turntable, but hiding under it is an autochanger-style pressed steel 'sub-turntable', on which the idler wheel runs.
This is a bit shite compared to the heavier alloy 100SB one-piece turntable, which is fully machined.
- 100S autochanger-style main bearing, 100SB single point main bearing.
- 100S has a neon-lit stroboscope and fine speed adjustment, 100SB has neither.
- 100SB has a stylus timer (not a very useful feature).

Of course, they both have the 'zero tracking error' tonearm (well, almost zero), and Garrard's famous Synchro-Lab motor.
The automatic functions are also the same, as is the plinth and cover.

This 100S was really dirty when I bought it, and none of the auto functions worked properly.
However, after a thorough clean and tweak, it looks like new, and everything works!

The biggest problem I had was with the alloy extrusions around the plinth.
There was a gap of 1 or 2mm at each mitred corner, which looked crap.
The weird thing is, it must have left the factory like that.
There were large burrs on the ends of each of the extrusions, preventing them from pushing together.
I had to remove the right-angled steel corner pieces, which were epoxied into slots in the extrusions.
I heated up each corner on a hot plate, to soften the glue, before some gentle walloping with a plastic hammer.
I removed the burrs with a file, put it all back together, and the job's a good 'un.

As far as sound quality goes, the 100S is better than I expected.
It sounds much the same as my 100SB and 86SB.
That's a bit surprising, considering the 100S has various less-than-fantastic autochanger inheritances.

I used my MCP PRE-1 pre-amp.
It sounds excellent.
I designed and made it, so I am ever-so-slightly biased in its favour.
Surely pre-amp design hasn't changed that much in the last 40 years?

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