The plinth is the most important component in getting the best possible sound from your 301/401. Get it wrong and the 301/401 is just another old turntable, get it right and you have a world beater regardless of price.

For more details of the SMD Reference Plinths see http://www.peakhifi.co.uk/cgi-bin/ecom.cgi?Command=ListProducts&db_scid=15

The problem for the plinth designer in the past has been whether to select mass or damping to kill resonance, the SMD plinth employs both methods.  Using sound mechanical and acoustic engineering principles they have designed and developed a range of plinths to extract the best from your Garrard 301/401. All the plinths in the range use a skeletal type damped plinth. The mass of the plinth depends on the model selected. Four different materials are used across the range, Veneered High Density Fibre Board, Quartz, Slate and Granite.

All the SMD plinths have an incredibly low noise floor and a very solid bass delivery and extension, the separation between performers is amazing…. almost holographic and you feel as though you can walk between the performers. The decoupled top plate isolates your stylus from external room bound resonances and the high mass top board effectively acts a sink, its sheer mass dampens motor noise. The plinth is designed to add nothing to your sound, no coloration but it is designed to remove the unwanted vibrations that would impair the sound of your deck. Being an open skeletal design we have none of the problems associated with internal vibrations and resonances that can build up in box type plinths and the heat from the motor unit is effectively transferred away as air is free to circulate around the unit.

We suggest you avoid single piece box type plinths with a cavity as these act as an amplifier (a little like the body of an acoustic guitar) by catching stray vibrations from air borne vibrations from the loudspeakers, foot fall etc. These are transmitted back into your cartridge and cause a muddy indistinct sound. We can show the differences by demonstration at Peak HiFi.

A major advantage of high mass is its ability to nullify motor vibrations and If you had a one piece solid plinth with no damping at all then slate would be one of the best material choices as it is high mass and the multi layers tend to be naturally damping. However the SMD plinths are high mass and very effectively damped, if you want to see the effect of good damping remove the platter mat off your 301/401 and flick the platter, it rings like a bell. Now try it with the mat in place, there is virtually no ring.  

The Type II Quartz Reference Model features an arm boards that is CNC machined from slate which provides a great decoupling from resonance.