Garrard 301 vs Micro Seiki BL-91
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Garrard 301 · Micro Seiki BL-91.
| Specification | Garrard 301 |
Micro Seiki BL-91 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,000 (used) | Highlighted difference. $1,150 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1954–1965 | 1980–? |
| Drive | idler drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | cast aluminium | high-mass gunmetal-toned alloy |
| Tonearm | none (motor unit, sold without arm) | none (armboard for arm of choice; often MA-505) |
| 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.
On price alone the Micro Seiki BL-91 costs less, coming in $2,850 (about 248%) below the Garrard 301.
The mechanics differ too: the Garrard 301 is idler-drive, the Micro Seiki BL-91 is belt-drive.
Bottom line: $2,850 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |