Out with the new, in with the old

[The Vinyl Adventure]

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/0ad68b2a.jpg

Have just taken out the quadrispire acrylic stand (need the money) and put the black one in.. Thankfully I can't hear the difference anyway ...

Also techie gone ... Thorens td150 back (hence the thread title)

My questions are

What would make a good mm cart for it

How easy would it be to rewire the tonearm, or just rewire the cable from te tone arm... What cables, both options

Same questions for mains cable

Is it likely to be worth while?

[DSJR]

It's a TD160 by the look of it Hamish. Please can I have a pic of the arm and then I can be more specific.

As it is, the AT120e is a good general purpose cartridge, the Stanton 681EEE s3 should work in all the Thorens arms although the price has shot up I think in recent times. The Pickering XV15/625E has also shot up but is a safe bet.

Another one which may be got cheaply is the Shure M97XE, which may have to be imported to get the best price possibly.

Working on the assumption that the internal arm wires are still ok, the exit cables could readily be replaced with Van Damme pro-patch mic cable. This two core with screen is very flexible and as Johnnie at Audio Origami also uses it (and me of course ;)) I recommend it highly, fitted with Neutrik rean plugs at one end (return conductor and screen connected together to phono shell) and the two conductors (+ve and return) connected to the terminal block under the deck with the screen clipped back and heat-shrinked out of the way. Any link connecting one of the returns to chassis (fitted when made) should be removed and a separate stranded cable taken from the chassis point to the earth terminal on the preamp if there is one. Doing this minimises hum.

Mains leads? I still use the original grey fig-8 wires on the TD125 and the Dual. I just cut half an inch off and stripped back some fresh copper. The consumption is so low that a better wire may not make a difference.

The TD160 will benefit from a superior mat. The Thorens one supplied isn't much cop and inferior it seems to the old multi-broken-ribbed one supplied with the TD124 and which I currently use. The slightly squidgey Le mat or Dumpa mat tend to over do it, but the NAS Spacemat works, as does the thicker Rega wool mat. From what I've read, the Thorens 160 Super/147 mat may be the best one and there's one on fleabay at the moment.

Don't expect the seizmic slam of the techie, but once sorted, you'll have a decent, light and airy performance that won't disappoint, I promise. get a new Thorens belt too - it MUST be an original with "Thorens" printed on its outside. they're readily available for around £20 now..

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Yeah, 160... Miss type ... I even checked first and still put 150

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/9b86608c.jpg

Can I get a link to the cable and plugs and a bit more layman's info on replacing it ...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Sorry dave that request was a little rude, I was typin it when I had some people
Round earlier was only half concentrating ...
Same question but with relevent p's&q's :)

[DSJR]

S'OK mate..

Right - the TP16 arm CAN be re-wired as there's a pin holding the socket in place which can be carefully removed. Vinyl Engine has an article I believe on re-wiring this very arm...

Next - the tonearm bearings. There is usually a small rattle from the bearings on this arm and the slop can be easily toned down (the top screw is accessed if the trim-cover is gently prised off). It may not be possible to totally remove this without siezing the bearing concerned, but have a GENTLE go in any case. To check for play, hold the inner "gimbal" and try to gently twist the headshell. Any play in the vertical bearings will be easily felt and the adjustment screw is on the left side I think from memory.

Once you've sorted the vertical bearings, gently rock the shell again to see if you have play in the horizontal plane...

Do you have an account with Vinyl Engine? Service manuals are available (I believe for the very similar TD147 but including the 160's). The wiring block is shown for audio connections..

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Yes, il have a look on vinyl engine then...
Any specific recomendation for cart based on tanearm?
Probably something that might be fairly universally compatible if there is such a thing?

[hifi_dave]

You can't put anything too 'energetic' on the TP16. Take a look at the Ortofon MM's for a lively, clean sound.

[markf]

Please try to avoid painting the Thorens, although I have to say you did well selling
the Technics I didn't think anyone would buy it painted blue.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Bah, just to spite ou I'm gonna paint it bright orange! ;)

[The Vinyl Adventure]

You can't put anything too 'energetic' on the TP16. Take a look at the Ortofon MM's for a lively, clean sound.

Sounds good... Any to avoid/look at for, I dunno £50-£100 (closer to £50)

[Rare Bird]

Sounds good... Any to avoid/look at for, I dunno £50-£100 (closer to £50)

If the TP16 was a Mk.I it would be a higher mass version than the MK.II..Personally i would have bought a version of the TD160 withought an itegral arm, not that there's anything wrong with the TP16.Dunno if one of those lower Ortofon 2M's would suite

[MartinT]

What happened to the Techie, Hamish? After all that work, too!

[Rare Bird]

:popcorn:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

My camera broke and I couldn't afford to get it fixed and it wasn't covered on the insurance ... And my amp wasn't selling .... So they we go... End of the techie... Never mind...