Garrard 301 vs Thorens TD 124
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Garrard 301 · Thorens TD 124.
| Specification | Garrard 301 |
Thorens TD 124 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,500 (used) | Highlighted difference. £1,200 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1954–1965 | 1957–1968 |
| Drive | idler drive | idler drive |
| Speeds | 33/45/78 rpm | Highlighted difference. 16/33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | cast aluminium | cast iron main platter with aluminium upper platter |
| Tonearm | none (motor unit, sold without arm) | none (usually sold as chassis; Thorens BTD-12S optional) |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
The Thorens TD 124 undercuts the Garrard 301 by £300 — £1,200 against £1,500.
Both are idler-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a rubber idler wheel driving the platter rim directly, giving huge torque and a punchy, immediate character that's become a specific taste among collectors.
Bottom line: £300 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |