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When less is more...10 reasons to own Thorens

I KNOW my Thorens TD-160 series is not the last word. I've pereviously owned an Oracle Delphi with SAEC arm, and a Rega P25, and can vouch for the superiority of both over the 166, but...

1. I can listen all day to my "simulated stereo" LPs and it STILL sounds good.

2. Fake reverb sounds convincing as intended by the record producers

3. Warp wow and off-center pressings are not usually an issue when motor cogging obscures these faults-- two wrongs DO make a right!

4. Motor, bearing, switches and everything else will stll work fine 20 years from now.

5. Bouncy spring suspension forces you-- the listener to stay put and listen to the entire side of your LP or risk walking across the floor and sending the tonearm and cartridge flying across the record surface.

6. Works great with Grado cartridges!

7. Sounds better than most CDs (*IMO) when comparing the LP to a good digital reissue

8. Easy tonearm upgrade, accepts many cheap used arms (Jelco, Linn, etc)

9. NO PARTICLE BOARD!!!

10. Like a drug, only safer and still legal to own and operate
cocoabaroque
jeremy72
97 posts
 
Because the good vintage models can be modified and updated to run neck and neck with new tables - ex. TD124 (I or II), TD125 (I or II), TD160 (MkI only) If I had the extra dough I'd grab one of those wicked Artisan Fidelity modded Thorens with the solid Maple plinths in a heartbeat.

"9. NO PARTICLE BOARD!!!"

No, not true. Many models (most in fact, including td160's & 125's) used wood veneer over pressed wood particle board in the chintzy factory plinths. just look under the factory plinth, you'll see along the bottom edge.

I'd grab a td125 and have AF put a new dc motor in that table, then you'd have a modern turntable with the heart of a REAL Thorens.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Strange that nobody mentioned TD 160 Super. This one was/is
highly regarded in Europe and considered 'the best' (the
Reference not included) of them all. I use this one in my
second system for testing purposes.

Regards,
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Jeremy 72, The suspension of all belt driven Thorens consists of 3 springs (by Linn the steel-plate is part of the suspension). I don't believe that 'exotic plinths' will
improve the performance much but they will considerable add to
the price. This way however the most important adavantage
of the 'old Thorens' (aka price-quality relationship) will be lost. Or so I thought.

Regards,
jeremy72
97 posts
 
Nandric, Read their ads. Artisan Fidelity modifies the TD125 from the spring type to a fixed suspension. This mod/option was mentioned also in the td125 owners manual. So, they actually do benefit very much by having those high mass plinths.

I read somewhere the same outfit also converts TD160 MkI's from standard to Super. The only difference between the Mk1 and Super was internal dampening, better armboard and thicker vennered particle board plinth. Same bearing was used in each, ect...

http://www.theanalogdept.com/thorens_gallery.htm (read 160 Super description halfway down)

Bet with that new dc motor mod they offer, one of those Super converted 160's would be really something.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Hi Jeremy 72, I was not able to find this dc motor for the
160 Super on the site you provided. However I deed try Origine Live dc motor on my
(then) Linn LP-12. If I remember well +/- 500 GBP. Well despite of all the prease in HIFI Magazines to my mind this was a perfect example of wasting our money.Besides such mods expenses one will never get back by resell.

Regards,
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