Beogram 5500 Turntable, any thoughts?

[RochaCullen]

How does a thorens TD160 measure up? You can get one of those with a cartridge for under a hundred quid. They look like they are well built!

[DSJR]

Andre, did you ever use, let alone sell the SL7 or SL10 as I did????? The SL7 came with a reasonable T-4P cartridge of which some new ones are still available - they all share the same mass and stylus pressure so will fit straight in.

The SL10 was a lovely sounding deck with the supplied MC cartridge. I don't think they're available now, so a re-tip or MM replacement may be necessary now...

The TD160 isn't bad at all, although the 150 model can have more done to it, as this latter shares so many of its dimensions with an LP12............. I believe a "Sole" sub-chassis is now available for the 150 and apparently, the bearing can be carefully removed from the original pressed sub-chassis and grafted on to the replacement. The 150 fits a Linn plinth and arm boards can be customised to fit too..

The best TD160 variant is the "Super" one, featuring superior plinth, base and sub-chassis damping. This deck worked well with the ubiquitous SME "Improved" models and now you can get decent arm boards, the Rega variants as well as any good clean Linn Basiks, which tend to go for silly money now. For the future, one of the baby Jelco's should fit too and will transfer over to the Technics SL1200 you really should be buying

[Rare Bird]

Andre, did you ever use, let alone sell the SL7 or SL10 as I did????? The SL7 came with a reasonable T-4P cartridge of which some new ones are still available - they all share the same mass and stylus pressure so will fit straight in.

The SL10 was a lovely sounding deck with the supplied MC cartridge. I don't think they're available now, so a re-tip or MM replacement may be necessary now...

The TD160 isn't bad at all, although the 150 model can have more done to it, as this latter shares so many of its dimensions with an LP12............. I believe a "Sole" sub-chassis is now available for the 150 and apparently, the bearing can be carefully removed from the original pressed sub-chassis and grafted on to the replacement. The 150 fits a Linn plinth and arm boards can be customised to fit too..

The best TD160 varient is the "Super" one, featuring superior plinth, base and sub-chassis damping. This deck worked well with the ubiquitous SME "Improved" models and now you can get decent arm boards, the Rega varients as well as any good clean Linn Basiks, which tend to go for silly money now. For the future, one of the baby jelco's should fit too and will transfer over to the technics SL1200 you really should be buying

Dave we had SL-7 in the record shop i worked in the early '80's..I have a dislike for Japanese decks anyway so no changing mi view realy..

Re: Thorens..I'd rather opt for the 'TD160 Super' over the 'TD150..'TD150' can be as temprimental as say the Linn, the '150' platter is too haevy IMHO, a lot of weight for that poor little motor, I just find the 'TD160' easier to set up..Don't get me wrong i like the Thorens 'TD160' if they had manufactured a solid metal top plate in preference to the thin laminated aluminium on steel it would have been a beauty, the standard 'TD160' Wood surround were terrible quality, the 'Super' a vast improvement but still medicore.However i do feel that people are not intrested in the hastle Spring decks give.

[Rare Bird]

Tell you a decent deck: The old Logic 'Tempo' with 'Datum S' arm, or even the twin motor Logic 'Gemini'..

Here's my old one, looks a bit rough i bought it second hand, posted this on Vinyl engine yonks ago, looked like new though when i finished it.Made mince meat out of the Rega

[RochaCullen]

I suppose when you say "solid metal top plate" you mean if they had made it like the Garrard 401? I'd love to get a nice one of those, but I am afraid it will be a long while till I can afford a decent example. And since I am only about to begin the vinyl journey, I will try not to let myself get carried away.

[Rare Bird]

I suppose when you say "solid metal top plate" you mean if they had made it like the Garrard 401? I'd love to get a nice one of those, but I am afraid it will be a long while till I can afford a decent example. And since I am only about to begin the vinyl journey, I will try not to let myself get carried away.

Hi

No the thorens 'TD160 was approx 3mm thich galvanised metal top with a very thin aluminium bonded to the top for a nice finish, may look nice be technically a cheap.. I mean solid metal as in the Linn top plate or say the Ariston 'RD11 Superiour'

[DSJR]

The 150 and 160 share the same drive (apart from the pulley clutch), platters and suspension as far as I'm aware...

The Logic was good as I remember (vaguely I'm afraid, I only knew the DM101), but please note. ALL suspended belt driven turntables will need some sort of setting up, especially as most Thorens models are on their third, fourth or even fifth owners now.

The Ariston's I sold in the late eighties often had iffy finish (sometimes rust where the chrome-plating came away) and the suspensions weren't very stable. Even old Lp12's had iffy plinths causing severe bowing of the top plate, which had to be carefully "bent" to correct this - along with judicious use of the bolt levelling tool...

I'm still pushing the TECHIE 1200 series at you. it works pretty well straight out of the box and will sound to Rega levels straight off. As funds allow, it will leapfrog all the mid-priced models and compete with the best on their terms...

[Rare Bird]

No the platter & bearing are different on the '150' & 160' even tho they look the same.. '150' platter is heavier

Logic 'DM101' although a bit roughly manufactured was one of my fav decks..Had a beautiful bearing & platter assembly

[DSJR]

Depends which era 160 you're comparing with the 150 and which era 150 too - the early ones were the same - rather sloppy, as are some mk2 TD125's... From the mid seventies, the shaft became thinner but ran in a deep, almost full-length bushing. I believe the very late models reverted to the wider shaft with twin bushings. Most 160's had a machined point a la Linn, but the 150's had a captive ball, as did the TD124 I should add.....

[Rare Bird]

TD125 mk.1 & TD150 have always had the same 10mm shaft..There's been that many variation to TD's over the years it's quite unbeleivable.