Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2018 14:05:35 GMT
Ive had around half a dozen Thorens Decks. with exception to the TD124 i had for around a couple of months before making a bad decision..Ive had: TD150/2, TD125/2, TD160/1, TD160B/2, TD147 Jublee, TD160 Super.. I would never touch any of the last six models again as long as i live
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on Apr 27, 2018 14:34:54 GMT
I loved the TD125 I had for a while and only passed it on for financial reasons (I'm too attached to my Dual 701 you see). My 125 had a bent spring which may have been deliberate for all I know and apparently, a set of current LP12 springs works really well (the total mass of platters and heavy top plate is apparently not too different from the massier LP12 platters plus light-weight sub-chassis. With properly dressed exit cables, my R200 arm sounded great and bass didn't bloat or bloom at all, which suited me just fine The TD160 doesn't 'sound' as good to me in musical terms as a similar age Rega 3 and some early ones had sloppy main bearings as the TD125mk2 had and I maintain this doesn't help! The 160mk2 had a different main bearing and these were fine. It's my view the TD160 SUPER is the best of the 160's by a long way, from the massier plinth and base to the mdf arm mounting 'board' and better mat for the deck, the top plate damping not making any real difference when we compared with and without, although it looked slightly posher.. I suspect the mat makes the largest single difference. One other which isn't really sleeping now and it may need some restorative work, the Philips GA212! Good motor, drive and excellent floaty suspension, the arm is massier than it looks but not a problem for many cartridges today tracking at 1.7 to 2g. The platter is a steel one though, so care may need to be taken in cartridge choice although I seem to remember that ADC's could be used with their heavy magnets over the stylus assembly. Frail build but it actually 'sounded' very good indeed and the illuminated touch controls were funky too...
|
|
|
Post by julesd68 on Apr 27, 2018 14:57:00 GMT
Yum, I do like the TD160 Super with the SME - that is handsome!
|
|
tonedeaf
Rank: Trio
Oldies are Goldies
Posts: 168
|
Post by tonedeaf on Apr 28, 2018 13:32:39 GMT
...................One other which isn't really sleeping now and it may need some restorative work, the Philips GA212! Good motor, drive and excellent floaty suspension, the arm is massier than it looks but not a problem for many cartridges today tracking at 1.7 to 2g. The platter is a steel one though, so care may need to be taken in cartridge choice although I seem to remember that ADC's could be used with their heavy magnets over the stylus assembly. Frail build but it actually 'sounded' very good indeed and the illuminated touch controls were funky too... I looked at a couple of these but they are getting snapped up really quickly and sellers aren't hanging around for people to arrange a viewing :-(
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Apr 28, 2018 14:26:30 GMT
I remember that Philips being rather good.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 18:10:29 GMT
I remember that Philips being rather good. I once bought a Philips 'GA230' Which was the most beautifully made turntable ive ever owned. Real top quality construction. Only downfall was The arm was very short. The deck iself was great though it was a Idler/Belt jobbie Same as the one here [Scroll down a bit Post 18485] www.hifi-forum.de/viewthread-84-87-369.html
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Apr 28, 2018 18:22:08 GMT
Nice. Looks vaguely like a Thorens.
|
|
tonedeaf
Rank: Trio
Oldies are Goldies
Posts: 168
|
Post by tonedeaf on May 2, 2018 14:54:42 GMT
Well thats a surprise, went and bought 2 turntables yesterday, not sure if they are keepers or not.
One is a virtually mint 1971 Lenco L75, with a std Shure M75 cartridge, the other is completely different being a Sony PS4750. Not to sure about the Sony, as it looks a bit scruffy so might clean it up put a new stylus oon it and get rid of it. Both seemed a good price and too good to turn down, so my TT hunt is now over for the next 6 months.
After listening to them both against my Ariston i have to say the Lenco really surprised me with how good it sounded. Once i get it serviced and singing i'm sure it will be around for a few years. On the other hand the Sony was a bit of a disapointment. Maybe the cartridge i'm usin didnt do it justice, but it sounded really flat, ( very neutral - typical Sony)
Will upload some pics when i get the chance
TTFN
|
|
tonedeaf
Rank: Trio
Oldies are Goldies
Posts: 168
|
Post by tonedeaf on May 2, 2018 14:58:43 GMT
More like a thorenco, the illegitimate offspring of a Thorens & Lenco.... But have to admit its a great looking turntable.
|
|
|
Post by julesd68 on May 2, 2018 15:11:50 GMT
Excellent, look forward to the pics!
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 2, 2018 18:42:04 GMT
Good stuff. Presumably, you know about the amazing resource that the Lenco Heaven forum is for anyone getting one of these decks going at its best?
|
|
tonedeaf
Rank: Trio
Oldies are Goldies
Posts: 168
|
Post by tonedeaf on May 4, 2018 8:50:35 GMT
Good stuff. Presumably, you know about the amazing resource that the Lenco Heaven forum is for anyone getting one of these decks going at its best? Yes Chris I joined it last week, its a strange forum, with people being right uppity over silly little things, whereas ive always found the members on here to be most helpful and generally good humoured.
|
|
tonedeaf
Rank: Trio
Oldies are Goldies
Posts: 168
|
Post by tonedeaf on May 4, 2018 8:52:11 GMT
Ive had around half a dozen Thorens Decks. with exception to the TD124 i had for around a couple of months before making a bad decision..Ive had: TD150/2, TD125/2, TD160/1, TD160B/2, TD147 Jublee, TD160 Super.. I would never touch any of the last six models again as long as i live Whys that?
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on May 4, 2018 8:56:21 GMT
Andr'e has decided to flounce off again, so you're not going to get a reply I'm afraid.
|
|
|
Post by julesd68 on May 4, 2018 17:05:18 GMT
Good stuff. Presumably, you know about the amazing resource that the Lenco Heaven forum is for anyone getting one of these decks going at its best? Yes Chris I joined it last week, its a strange forum, with people being right uppity over silly little things, whereas ive always found the members on here to be most helpful and generally good humoured. People getting upset over nothing on hifi forums - who would have thought it?
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on May 9, 2018 15:15:26 GMT
The 160 Super was the best one and this did lift the basic performance a good bit. I'm sure the mat, mdf armboard and more substantial plinth was the main reason why, as damping the top plate and even the platter underside made no subjective difference I remember. It did make the deck look as if some effort had gone into the updates though Not sure about aluminium armboards for these Thorens models really work 'musically.' Sounds daft, but some arms such as the Rega RB's of old seem to prefer either a wooden or mdf style mount, or in the case of a Notts deck, a collet to support the pillar, even with the latest Rega arms with three-point fixings.
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on May 9, 2018 15:20:12 GMT
The Sony 4750 had odd grippy pads for record support I remember. The arm was too rough for 1g trackers (M95-ED at the time) but it sounded great with a Stanton 500EE I remember. I still have a cassette recording I made of 'Truth' by Jeff Beck on original vinyl with a 4750/500EE combination (I forget the amp used) and it captured the up-front verve and energy in the album very well.
Today with clean support pads to 'grip' the vinyl (from memory), the arm should happily work with things like the 2M Red (lively) or a Sumiko Pearl (beefy). I'd take care with support and remove the lid when playing though as all these decks can feed back badly if misused or mis-sited...
'FLAT' as in bland and boring isn't neutral to my ears anyway, as the original recordings (the most neutral you can get in recorded music) are anything but bland or boring in my opinion and experience. The GL75 with restored V bearing blocks and a sympathetic cartridge for the massy arm (at the time in the 80's, a K9 sounded great in one I serviced and it whupped a Linn Axis/Akito/K9!). I want to get my GL78 going again, but I need the suspension springs and possibly the '78' plinth to put it in as the deck is in fine order otherwise.
As said above, treat all far eastern solid-plinth decks a bit like a Rega. Light rigid support or a wall-shelf and with lid removed as these lids made the acoustic feedback effects much worse, long before howl-round started up.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 15:48:55 GMT
The 160 Super was the best one and this did lift the basic performance a good bit. I'm sure the mat, mdf armboard and more substantial plinth was the main reason why, as damping the top plate and even the platter underside made no subjective difference I remember. It did make the deck look as if some effort had gone into the updates though Not sure about aluminium armboards for these Thorens models really work 'musically.' Sounds daft, but some arms such as the Rega RB's of old seem to prefer either a wooden or mdf style mount, or in the case of a Notts deck, a collet to support the pillar, even with the latest Rega arms with three-point fixings. Spot on Dave. Aluminium armboards just don't work with Rega arms. Nor does over tightening. The best I've ever had from a Rega arm was using Pete Riggle's VTAF where the arm isn't fixed down at all and sits loosely in a PTFE lined sleeve. It's maybe a slight exaggeration but it brimgs our lot of unipivot-like qualities in the RB arms. All the better with Pete's CCM counterweight and a decent rewire job.
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on May 9, 2018 19:11:50 GMT
I've not tried that. On a Planar 2 and 3 of old, the RB arms needed to be done up firmly or the sound went to pieces - and this is something I tried on many different samples. Mind you, the three screw fixings don't need to be ruinously tight I think...
You'll read all over how 'un-musical' an RB 300 is supposed to be. I suspected the same until I heard one fitted to a Spacedeck. The thing sang so clearly and 'tunefully' it totally changed my mind. The current version has other tweaks in the design which should make it less fussy, but again, on a Spacedeck, the collet holds the pillar well clear of the tripod fixings.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 22:01:16 GMT
I think the RB arms are gems when they like the deck and cart. Always good on a Xerxes and even better with an OL or similar counterweight. If you ever get the chance to hear a VTAF I would wholeheartedly recommend it. If and when I get another Xerxes with a Rega cutout, it will be top of my list. One of the most underrated products I've come across, Lovely thing to use too. I'm talking myself into having one again BYW I cannot stand the 3 point fixing, it's one of the tackiest things Rega have ever done. Ugly, plasticky and poorly executed IMHO.
|
|