Thorens TD 125.. check it out

I snapped this a couple days back - and I just had to post it somewhere

 

You're using an old counterweight for a clamping/damping device?

 

Uh.. yes. At some point I thought I heard a difference, now I'm not sure. It might be damping the LP just a little bit.

I also need to give the new armboard a couple coats of semi-matte black finish (so it looks like what was there before) and drill a proper-size hole for the arm stand.

Edit: and replace the tatty cabinet at some point, and fit a dustcover, and..

 

Exactly. What use is it hanging in the back of the arm anyway?

 

I love that table, Damian! One of the legendary tables along with the 124 and the Garrard 301 and 401. Your original is a bit better than the later Mk II. The build quality of the Mk II isn't as good.

Is that the original mat under Mr Hendrix and company? A Herbie's Way Excellent mat might be a nice step up. Lotsa raves for that mat.

BTW, your avatar is freaking me out.

 

I have the same table!!

With what appears to be the same arm-Grace 707.

Hope it's treating you right.

paul

 

Hah! Hope I'M treating IT right.

So how do you like it? What cartridge are you using on it? Any tweaks you could recommend?

Mine is still very much 'as found' - needs work, mostly cosmetical. Fortunately the innards esem to be in good shape, .. knocking on wood right now .

I can't really judge the sound right now, since my system is boxed up (painting the room), so I hooked it up to my bedroom stereo just to be able to spin LPs.

 

That looks nice. I have a few quick questions that I hope you don't mind answering. Where did you buy this from? Was it a Garage Sale or Estate Sale? Just curious.

Also, if it sounds good, will this be part of your main system or do you have a secondary system you are planning to use it in?

 

There's a far bit of info on the Thorens 125 on the web - Google is your friend!

TryThe Analog Department's 125 page or Hi-Fi World's look at the 125.

 

Sure, I don't mind. I love talking this stuff . I found the TD125 on a local auctions site, some time after my 'comeback' turntable started giving in (it was a Sansui and it actually fared quite well). I paid the equivalent of $120 for it (very roughly).

Turntable had probably spent the last 20 years or a couple less sitting in a closet or something- fortunately dry. I used it for some 4 months or a couple more with the stock TP-14 tonearm, with the Shure M55E cart on the picture (came with the 'table - needless to say the stylus is new, and it actually sounds very good to these ears).

Some time after a very kind fellow over at the Asylum sent me the Grace 707 arm (I'll be sending him some LPs as soon as I'm done CDRing them but .. he doesn't know).

I spent some time doing the hack mounting job you seen in the picture, and that's basically it- these last days I've just been spinning, no tweaking.

The guy I bought it from was this fellow in his mid-50s in a rather cluttered apartment- he told me he used to have a rather large jazz collection (he also said he used to play trumpet and had a box full of tape reels he wanted to CDR), but that a box or boxes full of LPs had 'vanished' during a move .

He was selling off the Thorens 'cause he didn't think he'd have a chance to re-build such a collection too soon.

About the table, he sounded like he knew he had something good, but he was not a crazed audiophile by any means, or I'd have never gotten it for that price (I've seen them going for about $400 lately, although the $400 one had an SME arm on it).

That's about it, I guess. If there's anything else, post back and I'll try to answer.

This is my main turntable. I still have the Sansui stashed away, but it has a tired motor and speed is a bit on the saggy side. I might be able to fix it though, then I could use it for a bedroom system- I'm missing a preamp though.

Off to work!

 

I like mine quite a bit.
I am using a Shure V15xMrV on mine which seems to work well.

I don't have any good tweaks for you but will second the analog dept. as a good source for Thorens info.

Enjoy!!
paul

 

Brings back memories. I used to have a 125 back in the '70s. It had a stock Thorens arm and I think I had a Stanton 681EEE on it at the time.

Cheers,
Chris