Garrard Synchro-Lab 55B

Not much is documented about the Garrard Synchro-Lab 55B. It shows up most often in one setting: built into the Marantz Model 28 receiver, a compact all-in-one system Audio Exchange calls “exceptionally rare.” The combo put the Garrard deck and the Marantz receiver in a walnut cabinet. A dark tinted dust cover followed the sloping angles of the chassis.

The 55B was an automatic stacking changer. One owner on diyAudio described loading a stack of LPs and watching the first one drop, and then the post cuts off mid-sentence, so the outcome is unknown. That same owner had cleaned the unit and fitted a new stylus before the incident. The fact sheet notes a single listing that calls the deck “Direct Drive.” Garrard built changers in that era and the 55B uses a mechanical stacking mechanism, so treat that claim cautiously.

Past that, the record is thin. There are no production years, no original price and no formal specifications. Motor type (beyond that single “Direct Drive” claim), platter size, speeds and tonearm details are all undocumented. What survives are listings: complete units offered for repair, a platter and mat in “Very Good Condition with light wear,” and a motor/switch assembly priced between $19.95 and $69.00. One parts listing labels the motor “part # sl55b” but says it came from an SL95B turntable. The model identifiers are mixed up there, so don't take it at face value.

Known specs, such as they are: