My 13 year old grandson phoned me stating that he would like to get into vinyl. I bought him a TD160 with a Rega RB300 and Ortofon Red . He is delighted.
Well done on obtaining a table as nice as the Thorens. I love mine. I've had it about 24 years. It and the Rega can be upgraded to a very high level. The Chinese make a Michell clone clamp for cheap that works well on the Thorens without upsetting the suspension. Enjoy!
Why is it a "upgrade" to change the motor pulley I can't see it, no reason why that should be any better theoretically the plastic should be better. And I don't believe in removing the foam is better either that makes no sense why removing the foam from the springs you think is better? Why don't you put a stabilizer Bar that's the best mod could make one
Hello, and thanks for your query! The improvement yielded by substituting the plastic pulley for a precision machined metal unit is the absolute concentricity of the metal pulley, which then, in turn, improves pitch. The removal of the foam from the springs further isolates the suspended sub chassis and was a technique used on the Thorens TD160 Super. In regards to your final suggestion, this table's sub chassis has been stiffened by a peice of aluminium angle.Thanks again and let us know if we can be of further assistance!😊
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 there's no evidence to say the metal pulley is more concentric then the plastic, I've measured the plastic it was 3 microns, I've only managed tested one, I would say be hard to find that the metal is better than that, when you brought it did it come with a reading, these aftermarket add-ons are usually not very good don't have the accuracy tolerance. No the brace I'm talking about it's just stop rotation nothing about the stiffness of the plinths. make no sense foam doesn't add vibration the opposite. not sure why they took it out if they did I have to contact them thanks!
@jedi-mic The only reason Thorens went to plastic was to save money. I've owned several Thorens TD160 tables, and I heard an immediate improvement switching from the plastic pulley to a machined metal unit. The TD150 came with a metal pulley, as did the Thorens TD124. I'm curious to know about the brace you mentioned. How exactly does it work ? Thanks.
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 maybe I just got lucky with a very accurate pulley, can't see the benefits of the machined aluminium thought, I might have to make one, who is the company you got it from? i was contemplating actually going to replace motor and get a Linn motor and pulley and aftermarket controller. Well I utilised a throttle body linkage, mounted it on one of the springs post and put a post on the main chassis plinth, because it's mounted on Springs there is rotation oscillation force against the springs that's why solid decks in some ways are better than suspended dicks like Rega. I believe some of the Linn models have a linkage as well I'm sure I've read it somewhere. I don't know if Thorens has done that in the later models?
I have to disagree. The Australian Redgum looks in my opinion in keeping with the quality of the deck overall, in addition to the sonic benefits of a heavier plinth. Just my thoughts. The standard Thorens td160 plinth is a weak point of the table.
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 OK no worries 😎 Mine is pale cherry just slightly thicker than original chipwood Thorens plinth, it is french polished to a semi gloss to a lustre similar to the top plate. I also have bitumen mat on the inside of the plinth for deadening. 3 adjustable cherry mounts same as plinth and no base plate... A base has no function and turns the turntable into a resonant cabinet! The new TD1600/1601 is a beautiful player and well worth the money, with this invention now I wouldn't do a custom TD160 nowadays if I didn't do the customisation 20 years ago as it can't match the performance of the new one and you could spend as much money and all the time invested. I've a Rega RB300 with Goldring 1022GX cartridge on my TD160, tonearm base mod is MDF, all machined by me 😎 I'm sure you know the Mk1 TD160 had the 10mm diameter bearing spindle which was reportedly better than the 7mm on Mk2? But lets ditch them both and buy the TD1600 🤔
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 Yeah costs more money but our tables are slightly inferior lets be honest here. Theres a dutch guy reviewed and compared it to the legacy version. That's not to say ours is not good, mine would still smoke most of the modern cheaper stuff as would yours. I haven't used mine in around 5 years LoL 😆
My 13 year old grandson phoned me stating that he would like to get into vinyl. I bought him a TD160 with a Rega RB300 and Ortofon Red . He is delighted.
That's very generous of you. It's pretty high up the audio food chain. I'm sure he will enjoy it.
I’m restoring a TD-160 and putting in an rb-220 tonearm as well. What did you use to replace the vestigial cueing switch? Looks like a spirit level?
Yes, you are exactly right. It's a Thorens labelled level.
Well done on obtaining a table as nice as the Thorens. I love mine. I've had it about 24 years. It and the Rega can be upgraded to a very high level. The Chinese make a Michell clone clamp for cheap that works well on the Thorens without upsetting the suspension. Enjoy!
Why is it a "upgrade" to change the motor pulley I can't see it, no reason why that should be any better theoretically the plastic should be better. And I don't believe in removing the foam is better either that makes no sense why removing the foam from the springs you think is better? Why don't you put a stabilizer Bar that's the best mod could make one
Hello, and thanks for your query! The improvement yielded by substituting the plastic pulley for a precision machined metal unit is the absolute concentricity of the metal pulley, which then, in turn, improves pitch. The removal of the foam from the springs further isolates the suspended sub chassis and was a technique used on the Thorens TD160 Super. In regards to your final suggestion, this table's sub chassis has been stiffened by a peice of aluminium angle.Thanks again and let us know if we can be of further assistance!😊
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 there's no evidence to say the metal pulley is more concentric then the plastic, I've measured the plastic it was 3 microns, I've only managed tested one, I would say be hard to find that the metal is better than that, when you brought it did it come with a reading, these aftermarket add-ons are usually not very good don't have the accuracy tolerance. No the brace I'm talking about it's just stop rotation nothing about the stiffness of the plinths.
make no sense foam doesn't add vibration the opposite. not sure why they took it out if they did I have to contact them thanks!
@jedi-mic The only reason Thorens went to plastic was to save money. I've owned several Thorens TD160 tables, and I heard an immediate improvement switching from the plastic pulley to a machined metal unit. The TD150 came with a metal pulley, as did the Thorens TD124. I'm curious to know about the brace you mentioned. How exactly does it work ? Thanks.
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 maybe I just got lucky with a very accurate pulley, can't see the benefits of the machined aluminium thought, I might have to make one, who is the company you got it from? i was contemplating actually going to replace motor and get a Linn motor and pulley and aftermarket controller.
Well I utilised a throttle body linkage, mounted it on one of the springs post and put a post on the main chassis plinth,
because it's mounted on Springs there is rotation oscillation force against the springs that's why solid decks in some ways are better than suspended dicks like Rega. I believe some of the Linn models have a linkage as well I'm sure I've read it somewhere. I don't know if Thorens has done that in the later models?
Don't forget to have fun! @@jedi-mic
I've a customised TD160 Mark 1. Your mods are all good stuff but I got to say that horrible monstrosity of a plinth completely ruins the turntable.
I have to disagree. The Australian Redgum looks in my opinion in keeping with the quality of the deck overall, in addition to the sonic benefits of a heavier plinth. Just my thoughts. The standard Thorens td160 plinth is a weak point of the table.
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 OK no worries 😎 Mine is pale cherry just slightly thicker than original chipwood Thorens plinth, it is french polished to a semi gloss to a lustre similar to the top plate. I also have bitumen mat on the inside of the plinth for deadening. 3 adjustable cherry mounts same as plinth and no base plate... A base has no function and turns the turntable into a resonant cabinet!
The new TD1600/1601 is a beautiful player and well worth the money, with this invention now I wouldn't do a custom TD160 nowadays if I didn't do the customisation 20 years ago as it can't match the performance of the new one and you could spend as much money and all the time invested.
I've a Rega RB300 with Goldring 1022GX cartridge on my TD160, tonearm base mod is MDF, all machined by me 😎
I'm sure you know the Mk1 TD160 had the 10mm diameter bearing spindle which was reportedly better than the 7mm on Mk2?
But lets ditch them both and buy the TD1600 🤔
@@nocturnal1970 Hahaha, the TD1600 costs more than I've spent on my entire table! Looks nicely finished though.
@@mydadsaysaudio6192 Yeah costs more money but our tables are slightly inferior lets be honest here. Theres a dutch guy reviewed and compared it to the legacy version. That's not to say ours is not good, mine would still smoke most of the modern cheaper stuff as would yours. I haven't used mine in around 5 years LoL 😆
@@nocturnal1970 Very true. I've never spent more than 1k on a single component, the last being a near mint Technics SL10 shipped from Japan.