I am a huge believer in the 301, but if you want it to sing, it must be restored and recommissioned. If you plan to do it on the cheap- forget about it- there are better options.
Steve Dobbins is probably the best person in the US to tweak it and refresh the linkage and idler.
A proper base, made with resonant absorbing material such as panzerholst or slate will tame the idler vibration, is essential. A power supply, although not mandatory, adds another increment of quietness to the motor by making it run smoothly.
Although the consensus is to use a vintage tonearm like an SME, in my opinion it really sings with modern lively tonearms such as the Triplanar- an exceptional combination.
If you make the commitment, you have a top level vinyl rig.