Cartridge / Phono Combo for Thorens TD 160

[Barry]

The Mission 774 arm is a very different beast to the Thorens TP16.

Whilst I agree a Decca cartridge can work well in a Mission (probably because of the facility for damping), I would hesitate to recommend its use in a Thorens arm.

[walpurgis]

FWIW (maybe not much) but I have found from personal experience in my TD 150 my Decca Supergold is superb. I have no experience of your tonearm as I'm using a Mission 774

Now you'll have 774 owners asking where you got the nifty armrest from .

[worrasf]

Now you'll have 774 owners asking where you got the nifty armrest from .

Who me ?
What arm rest ?
.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[panos_adgr]

FWIW (maybe not much) but I have found from personal experience in my TD 150 my Decca Supergold is superb. I have no experience of your tonearm as I'm using a Mission 774 into a Quad 33/303 (both fully Net Audio upgraded).
This combo works very well and betters many other cartridges (MC & MM) by a country mile on this TT.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

Nice set up!

I have also no experience on my tonearm and TT. I haven't received it yet. I'm waiting for it. First thing I'm going to do is change the belt (I have order a couple) and service it. For the moment I will keep it as it is and listen to it. I want first to buy a phono preamp and check it with its cartridge as Geoff suggested. Then I 'll see what I'm going to do. I haven't had a TT for the past 5 years. I sold my old TT 5 years ago and I've kept my records. I always liked vinyl. So it is a nice chance to start over again.

I do know how I got into, buying this thorens.... I was looking around in ebay a month ago and I saw a Thorens TT and it all started.

[panos_adgr]

Today I received my Thorens TD 160 / TP16/ Empire 999 VE/X setup.

I spent about 3-4 hours cleaning it and examining it outside and inside. It is in a pretty good shape for its age but it needs some work.
I have to check and adjust suspension strength and level alignment.
I have order a motor knocking repair kit (it doesn't knock but it it not absolutely quiet)
I ordered an SRM Tech motor vibration damp rubber ring.
The Empire is in excellent shape but I think it needs stylus replacement. I will decide in the next weeks what I'm going to do with it.
It looks absolutely beautiful!
Now, that I have it in front of me, I understand all the hype around Thorens TD turntables.

As for the phono choice I'm more on the Clearaudio Nano Phono V2 or Smart Phono V2 but it is not a final decision

It needs some work and it will be fine!

[Jac Hawk]

Very nice, it looks in good condition, when you come to adjusting the suspension I’d recommend replacing the standard nuts with nyloc ones, they will be less likely to unscrew themselves over time and mean that once everything is set up it should stay that way for longer, other things I’d recommend are damping the top plate and sub chassis with bitumen sheet and replacing the motor circuit board.

other than that change the belt, clean and re oil the bearing and give the platter rim a polish with brasso wadding or duraglit

[panos_adgr]

Very nice, it looks in good condition, when you come to adjusting the suspension I’d recommend replacing the standard nuts with nyloc ones, they will be less likely to unscrew themselves over time and mean that once everything is set up it should stay that way for longer, other things I’d recommend are damping the top plate and sub chassis with bitumen sheet and replacing the motor circuit board.

other than that change the belt, clean and re oil the bearing and give the platter rim a polish with brasso wadding or duraglit

Yes indeed! It is optically in great condition. I've polished it and it looks super!
I have lubricated all the parts inside, the mechanisms and it works smoothly!

As for the functional condition I have ordered the following

Original Thorens belt
Motor vibration damping ring
Motor thrust bearing kit because motor is a bit noisy.
New suspension spring set from vinyl nirvana
New sponges for suspension
New stylus replacement for the empire 999 ve/x cartridge. An original NOS Astatic / Empire stylus.
New rca Plugs

And I'm waiting for them.
It is optically excellent and I want to service it and make it as new.
When I first took it in my hands I was kind of in love with it!
It is built optically and functionally in a way that makes the use of it an experience.

Edit
I will need help for adjusting spring tension. Vinyl Nirvana wrote to me in a question of mine after the spring purchase that he is going to send me 'how to' instructions. BTW the bolts of the new springs are with a material that prevents unscrewing. I think as you said that are made with nylon inside the nut.