#td-160

Better listen to Spotify than to a Thorens TD-160?

At 0.15′ the guy stops the record played by a Thorens TD-160 using his fingers instead of the cueing mechanism: you shouldn’t do it! You will ruin both needle and record! Vodafone, do you really want us to believe a smartphone streaming compressed music from Spotify while inserted in that junk sounds better? Really? Come on!

Meglio ascoltare da Spotify che con un Thorens TD-160?

Al minuto 0.15 il tipo interrompe un Thorens TD-160 prendendo il braccio con le dita, senza utilizzare il meccanismo apposto: non si fa! Così si danneggia la puntina ed il disco! Vodafone, davvero volete farci credere che è meglio ascoltare Spotify con la sua musica compressa inserendo uno smartphone in quell’accrocco? Ma andiamo!

A Thorens TD-160 in my home… Will I let it go?

On a warm Roman may afternoon, I was at the wheel of my beloved black 2004 Alfa Romeo Sportwagon heading towards the suburbs southeast of the city. I was going to see a Thorens TD-160 someone was selling on the local ads journal. The price was really interesting and I wondered if ther was anything wrong with the turntable. According to the seller, it was in pretty good conditions, but you know…

I was greetend by a nice guy, probably in his early 60s with a limping problem due to a backache. I had the impression he lived alone. He was working on the underside of a huge scale model of a railway occupying almost half his room. The other half+ was dedicated to his hifi system, based on two huge towers, a Chario prototype, and two self-assembled Naim mono power amps. On an ironing bench he had set up the TD-160 for me to listen to. Not really a rigid stand!

I was not at all impressed by the sound produced by the TD-160 in tha tcondition. But I was there only to check that it was not seriously damaged before I paid the 220 euros he was asking. Not bad, also if I had just missed a TD-160 sold for 150 bucks in Milan, but on the other hand I wouldn’t have had the chance to check it before buying and I would have risked the perils of having it shipped. The guy must have been doing some research after I contacted him and told me he changed the advertise to 250 euros after I seemd undecided - but for me the price would have stayed the same. So much for my intention of asking for a discount…

The dust cover was particularly in good conditions, the whole deck was, aesthetically. He claimed to have recently installed an original new belt bought for 8 euros, so I knew it was not original at all. But I was expecting having to replace the belt anyway. He was including a Shure M95E cartridge with recent enough stylus. It seemd to be okay, although I didn’t notice there that the cart was attecched to the headshell by means of white tac…

All other items, original stock cables in good conditions, bounce, subplatter shaft, no noise - everything ok. I decided to grab it.

Linn vs. Thorens debate - a reflection... Is Linn really that superior?

The mythical Linn Sondek LP12 turntable is generally regarded as the best of its kind. It must be admitted that as a suspended, belt driven turntable, it has quite many arrows in its bow. The construction level is really superior. What about the sound?

I must admit I’ve never heard a Sondek in my life, never even seen one. So what am I talking about?

I am just reasoning about what I can read in the Internet. The Linn Sondek has generated a plethora of true passionate admirers, some on the verge of fanatism, maybe...

But I also read something about the Thorens TD-160 sounding not that worse than a LP12! Wow! Is it possible? Probably yes, depending on the system used, on the tweaks, if any, and maybe on personal taste.

The point, for me, is: what sense is there today in buying an LP12? Passion? Ok, I agree: if you’re passionate about it you can go ahead and spend the same amount of money you’d spend to buy 4 or maybe 5 Thorens TD-160s.

I don’t believe the sonic differences between the two decks would amount to more than 1000 euros! Come on!

Ok, if you’ve always had an LP12 since the 70s, or happen to have one at home, on have inherited it from your dad, by all means, keep it in the best way possible, even install an alarm system so that you can see who’s messing with it from your smartphone while you’re away! ;-) I wish I could have been that lucky, but I’ve only inherited a Thorens TD-165 (and I will probably write a similar post about its presumed great inferiority to the TD-160).

But if I am to spend those figures now, I’d rather buy an Origin Live Aurora or Clearaudio turntable; maybe I could also find something interesting in the Michell catalog, wouldn’t I?

Linn passionates, forgive me. I’m not saying your turntable is no good. I’m just saying it is now sold at unbelievable prices...

One could buy a used TD-160 in good shape (maybe even a glorious TD-124/5!), do the usual tune-ups, tweaks and mods, maybe buy a more advanced tonearm, even go to the extent of using a newly built plinth, and would possibly have a a turntable as good sounding as the Linn by spending less...