Garrard 301 motor and rumble

But there is no way around the noise produces by the idler drive. You can lower it for a time perhaps but it will be back with a vengeance.

@mijostyn My phono section cuts off at 2Hz; the mechanical resonance of the tonearm/cartridge combo describes the LF bandwidth limit. I don’t see my woofers moving except for bass notes. I don’t do anything in particular to flatten my LPs.

Its not hard to keep an idler drive system working with low rumble. Once a year, make sure the platter bearing is clean and properly lubricated. Do the same for the motor and idler bearing. Clean the idler surface at the same time and you’re good to go.

An idler will get noisy because it can perish and get hard (and so go out of round) or the motor is allowed to grind against it while the platter isn’t moving. So its always a good idea to give the platter a spin before starting it.

Cheap idler drive machines often have more noise because the platter is able to resonate. A more massive platter, espicially one that has been damped, will be quieter.

One of the reasons our Atma-Sphere 208 was so quiet was because we damped the platter. Not only did that help the bass out, you could twock the platter with your index finger while a record was playing and not hear it in the speakers. One of the reasons the Technics SL1200 works so well is Technics bothered to damp the platter. Anyone with a turntable can take this as a clue.

The Empire 208 platter, which we used in the Atma-Sphere 208, was particularly well suited to a damping treatment. Idler drive machines might be tricky in that regard, but often if there is the will there is a way.

I had Nottingham Spacedeck and moved to a heavy plinth Lenco 78 with SME 3009mk2 tonearm.
Lenco won in terms of PRaT, piano and organ tone, better bass, better instrument separation, more musical. No rumble, very quiet idler drive.

Most belt drive turntables are not accurate in rhythm nuances and play separate divided not connected sounds. The general meaning of music, the essence of interpretation itself disappears. They are also sensitive to the belt condition and bearing maintenance. Rubber belt should be changed each couple of years.

A year later and I am all caught up on this thread- amazing the twists and turns an audio forum takes. 

Well...my issue persists and with the additional time, I deduce that its the motor sending vibration up the shaft and to the pulley where it is picked up and amplified.

I will either send it out again or send it out to never return. 

A year later and I am all caught up on this thread- amazing the twists and turns an audio forum takes. 

Well...my issue persists and with the additional time, I deduce that its the motor sending vibration up the shaft and to the pulley where it is picked up and amplified.

I will either send it out again or send it out to never return. 

My advice is to send it to Greg Metz in Nashville TN. I have not talked to or exchanged messages with Greg in three or four years but he is a master at repairing/servicing the Thorens 124 and Garrard 301 motors. Thorens are his first love and specialty, but he knows his way around the 301 as well.