Replacement power cable for Garrard SL-95b

Hello All,

Newbie here, with possibly a newbie question (I may have a few, and some for different subfoums too lol).

I picked up a Garrard SL-95b, as it was the one I grew up with in the 70's, as the Mrs and I are getting nostalgic for Vinyl. Whatever your opinions are of this model aside (this was a sentimental, neither an audiophile nor a collector's buy), mine comes with an odd power plug.

It's two pronged but the distance between the prongs is wider than conventional US plugs, and it has rounded tips and shafts. A third wire is protrudes further up on the cord and is for the ground.

Is this a plug for a console power supply or perhaps an international outlet?


I would like to convert this for use with a US hospital grade power strip. How can I do so?

My initial thoughts/options were (in no order of preference):

• Cut the cord and solder/splice a hardware store supplied cord with plug (18 gauge perhaps)
• Disconnect at the turntable and connect a new cord with the correct plug (as per above) running a dedicated/seperate ground wire to the amp (or connect it somewhere on the chassis)
• Any of the above but with shielded cables

Are any of the above the "correct" way to do it, or are there other options? As I understand it (and I may be wrong), I shouldn't wire the ground inside the new cord via a the ground plug as I need to keep the loop of the phonograph and amp together to avoid hum. (Though if both will be on the same strip, wouldn't this work?)

Any help would be welcome.

Thanks!

Since you did not fill out your "country profile", I don't know where you are--but if you are where the power supplied is "117 vac/60 Hz.", use extreme caution, as that's a German style power plug, that MIGHT be set up for "220/50 Hz." Ron Rich

The changer is probably set up for 240V with that type of cord.
The motor as well as the cord will have to be re-configured for anything else now. (120V)

Ron Rich wrote:Since you did not fill out your "country profile", I don't know where you are--but if you are where the power supplied is "117 vac/60 Hz.", use extreme caution, as that's a German style power plug, that MIGHT be set up for "220/50 Hz." Ron Rich

MattTech wrote:The changer is probably set up for 240V with that type of cord.
The motor as well as the cord will have to be re-configured for anything else now. (120V)

Uh oh. I'm in the US, which is why I got a US Hospital grade power strip. I got this off eBay from a seller in NE. I didn't think it would be configured for European power coming from NE.

Were the Garrards made specifically for target markets, or did they have one unit for all, but differing adapters? I seem to recall my father's had a US plug, but may have had a plastic box along the cord that may have been a converter? it's been over 25 years since I last saw it in person.

How does one go about reconfiguring the motor?

Thanks!

"AWC" first thing is to examine the motor and look for any voltage switch. -Some- Garrards intended for the international market had 110/220 switches.

Go here fro a manual: http://www.vinylengine.com/library/garrard/sl-95b.shtml

In some cases phono motors can be rewired for 110, probably not practical here though.

There is also the problem that this is a synchronous motor and the pulley on it's shaft will be sized for 50Hz operation, thus it will run way too fast on 60Hz.

You can by a cheap step-up transformer for well under $20 but you'll still have the pulley problem.

Easiest solution: Replace the motor with a 110/60 from a junked American table. Garrard made millions of turntables and sold the bulk of them here (USA) so you should have no trouble finding one. It does -not- have to be from the same model table, however make sure that the inner rim of the turntable of the donor is the same diameter.

Rob/NYC

Thanks Rob/NYC. Apparently I lucked out. My "International" Garrard (as it is stamped on top) had a box inside where all I had to do was make sure it was wired correctly on 4 poles to run in the 110 range.

I consulted with others on http://www.vinylengine.com/ (I found a similar post in their Garrard forum) and I am good to go. While I don't have a strobe to confirm, the test records I've tried all sound correct (no Chipmunks sounding like Paul Robeson or vice versa )

Thanks!

"AWC" You can get a free phono strobe here:

http://www.extremephono.com/free_turnta ... e_disk.htm Just print it out. There are number of other sites offering this as well.

To view it you need a light that is powered by the 60hz line -not an electronic source.

A florescent lamp with a typical magnetic ballast or a neon bulb such as a night light.

There circuits you can buy/build that use LEd's, these produce a very clear set of dot-lines from the disk, but the direct method is simpler and works fine.

Rob