A nifty turntable that I've been playing with, the Thorens TD-160 "Super" repro from Vinyl Nirvana..

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Steve Hoffman, Jun 4, 2014.

  1. Pomodori

    Pomodori Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Beauty
     
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  2. dusk_

    dusk_ Forum Resident

    ya, dave did some amazing work. :) I'll take pics of it in it's new home once I get it and listen to it for awhile.
     
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  3. dusk_

    dusk_ Forum Resident

    This classy beast sounds and looks amazing. It's the perfect compliment to the Vega on the other side of the spectrum. I'll never listen to Blues or Rock digitally if I have the vinyl on hand anymore. I've been playing Fred McDowell and Mance Lipscomb all night since I set it up and they sound like they are in my living room.

    I don't think I'm ever going to take this out of my lineup and there is a very high chance this is the last record player I will ever buy. Thanks again, @ddarch, you have earned a lifelong customer and I'll be contacting you directly whenever I need anything related to TT's.

    Thanks @Steve Hoffman for the suggestion, I'm looking forward to many years of enjoyment from my purchase.

    Alright, here are some pics of it in action:

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  4. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    He's had several projects on and off. I think he just does this stuff because he likes to and has no need or desire to actually run a business in a normal sense. He's a lot like a lot of the people you find in the experimental aircraft business, they'll do something because they find it fun and quit when it isn't (leaving you with 3/4ths of an airplane).
     
  5. ddarch

    ddarch Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Thanks for the kind words, Alex. Dave
     
  6. sailfish

    sailfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jackson,ms
    George is alive and well! Here are his two latest tables. http://www.hifigem.com/merrill-williams-101-2-turntable.html
     
  7. Mlle. Aurora

    Mlle. Aurora Señor Member

    Location:
    Southern Germany
    Great setup, great photos, too! Enjoy your Thorens, it looks mighty fine.
     
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  8. Richard H

    Richard H Member

    I was fortunate to attend an audio event where a couple of tables designed and hand-crafted by Eric Whiteacre were being demoed. On hand was a stunningly beautiful ES ii. The ETL ii in the other room took it to another level. These tables were based on the classic 80's AR ES-1 His modified and restored AR turntables are truly works of art. And they sound as fabulous as they look! (hopefully when I've made a few posts i can show pics)

    Check out his site: http://www.soundofthewoodaudio.com/
     
  9. Good stuff. That's a pretty table Dusk. I have an old Thorens TD-147 Jubilee (gold finish) that I would love to give "the treatment"
     
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  10. Rockinrob

    Rockinrob Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    I have a TD145 I picked up on craigslist 5 years ago for $50. I set it up, put a thick plywood bottom plate on it, spikes, and rewired it by adding rca sockets on the back, allowing me to use new cables. I run this with a grado Red into a VTA SP8 tube preamp I built, with a VTA modified ST77 I also built, powering klipsch chorus II's with all of the Crites speaker upgrades. It still has the stock arm.

    I love the TD145, but often wonder what league I am hitting in... Does this compare favorably with $1k tables, or would I notice a huge improvement with a VPI Scout or something like that?

    Should I upgrade the arm and then never wonder again unless I'm willing to go over $3k?

    I have actually never heard another hi fi turntable rig, being 28 and not having any real life friends into the hobby...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2015
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  11. David B.

    David B. Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    You've got a nice turntable there. I think you would notice a significant improvement by substituting an Ortofon 2M blue stylus assembly for the one that came with your 2M red. Easily done and under $200 to make the swap. A lot of ink has been spilled on the difference between the two, but suffice it to say I like and admire the 2M blue but am emphatically not a fan of the red.

    --David B.
     
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  12. Rockinrob

    Rockinrob Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Thanks for the tip, but I actually have a GRADO red. I'll do some googling on the Ortofon though...

    And the ortofons match well with the stock arm?

    Ive been thinking a Denon DL160 was possibly in my future but since those were discontinued, ive just been enjoing the grado
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2015
  13. David B.

    David B. Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    My apologies. I read your post too quickly and focused only on the "red." I missed the "Grado" part. Oops.

    But I think the fact Dave Archambault of Vinyl Nirvana "liked" my post above indicates he must think the Ortofon 2M Blue is a good match with the stock arm on your TD-145. I would certainly defer to his judgment on cartridge matching with Thorens arms.

    --David.
     
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  14. Jim T

    Jim T Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mars
    ----------------------------------------
    I have turntable envy now!!!!!
     
  15. ddarch

    ddarch Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    2M Blue Verso. Need Verso for that headshell
     
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  16. Rockinrob

    Rockinrob Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    How Does my VTA look?

    I backed the allen screws out at the bottom of the tonearm assembly, and pushed it all the way down. Is there something I could change on the underside to make it go a little lower, or does this look/sound about right?

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  17. ddarch

    ddarch Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Impossible to tell by sight...optical illusions and such. With deck OFF, place needle in LAST track of side. Take a LINED notecard (3x5) and set it BEHIND the arm ON the record, with the lines parallel with the tonearm tube. Don't expect the tube to line up with any individual line, rather, use all the lines to determine the general direction the arm needs to go, up or down. If you still need to go UP at the headshell side, I sell a shim kit at Vintage Thorens link below. (Or you can buy a thicker mat)
     
  18. peter masse

    peter masse New Member

    you table is a beauty ddarch i just got a jubilee in mint cond its nice
     
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  19. peter masse

    peter masse New Member

    can anyone tell me whats a nice preamp to buy to pare up with my perreaux 2150b amp any sugestions for me
     
  20. Pomodori

    Pomodori Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    I think I can finally get off the audiophile train. I've had my Vinyl Nirvana TD 160 Super for a few years now and the more I listen to it the more I love it.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2015
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  21. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    I bought mine for £67 .
    Cleaned, lubed, fitted new van den hul wires to the headshell .
    Adjusted the suspension, and fitted V15 mk3.
    In s nutshell , the best turntable i have heard. It simply sounds right!.
    My partner bought a Td166 on Ebay. Did same with that, except kept the supplied cartridge ( a nad) once again it sounds superb.
    Had an LP12 for 20 years. The Thorens simply sounds cleaner, smoother.
    Steve,s turntable must be awesome!
     
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  22. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Fascinating. I upgraded from a TD160 (not a Super) to a Sondek and it was a significant improvement. So the Super must be something.
     
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  23. ddarch

    ddarch Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Thanks for the kind words, Pomodori. Running a Denon 103?

     
  24. Pomodori

    Pomodori Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Yep, DL-103. Went to Vinyl Engine to make sure headshell and arm were providing the right resonance. Using the A23 step up. But the real change came with the mullard driver tubes in integrated amp.
     
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  25. DanBNash

    DanBNash Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    I am a certified "Vinyl Nirvana lurker" and fingers-crossed I am no more than a year away from buying my forever turntable from Dave.
     
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