To venture back into vinyl or not,...that is the question.

I’d get the 579 dollar (down from $1000) thorens td 203 with uni-pivot tonearm. All the European reviews seem to love it. What hifi 4 stars, and audiophiliac likes it. Yes it comes with a thorens tas 257 mm cartridge, but seemingly it’s a good match for the tonearm. Of course, you can always upgrade cartridge. Imo it’s a steal at $579 from rutherford audio. The tonearm is better than anything on any other comparable turntable, plus it has electronic speed control and a dust cover. Might grab it myself just because....


Here's a few reviews...

The Thorens TD 203 was tested in the Stereo issue 1/2015 on pages 84 and 85

Test extract:

"... after a few pages of the record we thought the TD 203, which was delivered with a dust cover made of acrylic, was ready for" interrogation ". It immediately appealed to us with its fresh, carefree manner. Whatever we put on - the Thorens kicked off easily and smoothly. There was no handbrake on in the timing and no hollow cheeked pallor in the timbres, but full-bodied guitars and lively plucking dynamics. Moto: Oops, now I'm coming!

It sounded sympathetic and appealing, but also a bit sleek and tough. If you want to find out what the flat turner can do, you have to allow it at least 15 hours of break-in time. Then its spatial spectrum widens, the slight roughness in the high frequency decreases, and the TD 203 moves closer to the TD 209 tested in issue 1/14, which was also used as a comparison device. At 1000 euros, it costs significantly more and the smaller model just kept up with its more harmonious mids and somewhat more serene, nuance-more precise way of playing.

But the law of action lay with the TD 203, who dedicates himself to the various titles of the STEREO hearing test LP with sensitivity, but above all with courageous commitment. Whether the cally dynamics of Antonio Forcione's "Attempo" or the gentle chorus in "Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker", whether the graceful rhythm in Louis Capart's "Marie-Jeanne-Gabrielle" or the driving percussion in Amber Rubarth's dummy head recording "Good Mystery" - the Thorens always found the right approach to music.

Even with Respighi's orchestra, which was pressed into the difficult-to-palpable inner grooves and started brilliantly, which is certainly not one of the novice's favorite pieces, the newcomer did not show any nakedness, but at least managed to keep track of things despite the vehement rush.

In the end we had really enjoyed listening to music with the TD 203. You don't even have to add the 300 euros to the TD 209. The more modestly priced model plays on low-priced systems, which in any case have more of a hit than the audiophile facets, just as sympathetically, sometimes even more appropriate. Anyone looking around in the upscale entry-level area of ​​the analog range can actually consider Thorens' new turner with the big musical heart as a kind of "small reference". ... "

Sound level: 58%

Price / performance: excellent

And another much abbreviated review..

Three turntables were tested in stereoplay issue 4/2015 on pages 42 to 49

Test extract:

"... with the preassembled MM scanner (a Thorens TAS 257), which requires a tracking force of 23 millinewtons, the tonearm, which is still damped with a ring in the middle of the tube, can be heard well coped : namely sharply outlined, precisely slim and with a lot of depth Apart from that, the small turntable gets to work vehemently, resiliently and expressively.

The Thorens ensemble "smells" very strongly of insider tip status, especially since the astonishingly small tonearm should certainly improve again with very high-quality pickups. ... "

Conclusion:

Sensibly designed single-lever offer with an astonishingly grown-up tonearm and the highest tuning potential. Wonderfully relaxed, yet never boring sound with no flaws worth mentioning. Insider tip status!

Sound: top class

Overall rating: good

Price / performance: outstanding

😁

You need Phono Eq to modify the phono signal (boost lows/cut highs)

and the needed signal boost of MM cartridge signal up to line level signal strength.

Some TT's have an option to use it's built in phono preamp, including the AT120 I linked above.

It's good enough to get back into vinyl. I liked it better than my McIntosh SS C28's phono preamp, and like my McIntosh mx110z's Tube Preamp better.

So if you don't have a phono stage now, a TT choice could include that, then try for a better sounding Phono stage later.

With a little patience you should be able to pick up a very nice Thorens td145 or td160.
One of my vinyl setups,
Mcintosh
MC2505
MX110z
Thorens
TD160
Speakers
KLH 5’s, Dynaco 25a, Klipsch KG4

Vintage vinyl heaven

I go for direct drive, quartz lock. turn it on, instant accurate speed, stays there warm or cold.

If not quartz lock, you typically need to wait for it to warm up, then refine speed, then check it again later, as I needed to do with my Thorens TD124, currently do with my Mitsubishi LT5V. My JVC quartz TT81, on, play, off.

here's hifishark.com, used quartz direct drive sorted high to low

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=direct+drive+quartz+turntable

Good questions and thoughts.  My reason for considering a turntable is a decent collection of records.  MoFi, DG. and "special" pressings from other companies.  Even though I handled and keep my records very well, I cannot say I miss the surface noise or clicks and pops that existed with even new records. 

Perhaps I am just getting more senile.  Would love the have the Turbo Esprit, 944S2, .....hell, even the mint P-1800 back,  and perhaps some companions I shared those with?  Odd, cars did not do much for mates I had,...the only one that seemed to have a + response was an early Lexus SC-400.