A new Thorens era coming?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by LakeMountain, Jan 18, 2020.

  1. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Thorens uses that center mass for resonance control in the armtube, it's not adjustable (AFAIK).
     
    KT88 likes this.
  2. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    Actually it is based upon the TD-150, not the 160. The 150 is the model that (I believe) the Linn LP-12 was originally modeled after, with its long arm-board. The 160 did not feature an arm-board at all. And the 160 Super only had a tiny one. But it looks like this model probably features a much more rigid subchassis than any of the classic Thorens belt-drive TTs. And that would be an improvement.

    However, I think that the glossy wooden plinth makes it look cheap. Nobody finishes real wood like that. And the blocky tonearm gimbal makes it look more primitive than it deserves.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2020
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  3. Bobsblkwax

    Bobsblkwax Forum Resident

    Location:
    NorCal
    Ah, I see now from that picture. Thanks!
     
  4. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    i think these have been available for a while along with their earlier lower priced thorens / "marantz" direct drive tables built in the same factory in germany that makes clearaudio tables.
    smart move pairing them with the audio technica ART 9. as long as the platter spins it should sound excellent with that cartridge.

    Thorens TD 1600 Classical Wooden Plinth Turntable (Black)
     
  5. Never understood what happened to Thorens, Fisher, Nakamichi, and Sansui—once great brands where new owners destroyed decades of goodwill by affixing the name to inferior products—and in the case of Sansui, Fisher, and Nakamichi, to junk.
     
    jesterthejedi likes this.
  6. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    Fisher: Sold to Sanyo, Avery Fisher retired.
    Nakamichi: Mr. Nakamichi passed away, son (Niro) tried to make a go of it on his own and failed.
    Sansui: Not 100% on this, but I think the general opinion is their commitment to quad brought them down.
    Not mentioned, but the same thing as Nak happened to Akai: Mr. Akai passed, then brand was sold.

    FWIW, last I heard, Akai, Nakamichi and Sansui brands all now belong to a Hong Kong holding group.

    Time marches on. How many owners has KLH been through since it was first sold to Singer?

    Only early brands I can think of who have (sort of) maintained their credibility are Denon (AKA Nippon Columbia), Marantz (through various owners) and Sony.

    Thorens? My guess is they were brought down by the Japanese turntable invasion of the '70s that destroyed Garrard, BSR, Dual and others.
     
  7. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    Thoren's was alive an well in the 80s and early 90s at least. The brand just didn't adapt to the world of CDs like Linn did, and they weren't able to compete with all of the extreme high-end TT manufacturers which remained. They probably had already been sold by the time that the Vinyl resurgence had begun around 15 years ago.
     
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  8. Subagent

    Subagent down the rabbit hole, they argue over esoterica

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    I think it's kind of sweet of them to offer the auto-shutoff model. Very considerate to those who are slow, or those who have slowed down.
     
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  9. LakeMountain

    LakeMountain Vinyl surfer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Netherlands
    The TD 124 was an idler, I think. It was produced from 1957 to 1968.
    A TD-124 DD is still in the planning to be released in 2020 according to the website. DD seems indeed indicate a direct drive.
     
  10. LakeMountain

    LakeMountain Vinyl surfer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Netherlands
    Thorens went bankrupt in 2000. But since there was a large stock of TT’s and material, it continued to sell under a new owner, a Swiss business man until 2018.
     
  11. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Where do you see a mention of the 124DD on their website? Can you post a link?
     
  12. LakeMountain

    LakeMountain Vinyl surfer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Netherlands
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  13. LakeMountain

    LakeMountain Vinyl surfer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Netherlands
    Thorens - a long history of music reproduction
    I think this part is only German. It says so in the very last sentence under history.
     
  14. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Interesting.
     
  15. Steve Baker

    Steve Baker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbia, Maryland
    I'll just keep my TD-150. Happy to hear of a comeback.
     
    Gasman1003 likes this.
  16. nosliw

    nosliw Delivering parcels throughout Teyvat! Meow~!

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    It's currently under the Grande Holdings conglomerate. Even today, these companies are nowhere near what they're used to be during the Japanese bubble economy. All three merely rebranded OEM products produced in China. Out of the three, Akai is the only one that "sells" turntables and record players, which are just rebranded Yahorng OEM turntables and even Skywin for its garbage portable record players (read=Crosley).
     
  17. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    Gotta love Japanese made Techniques turntables. No drama.

    But it would be nice to have a classic wood plinth and styling.
     
    macster likes this.
  18. Rick58

    Rick58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, ID, USA
    I have a TD-145, couldn't think of getting a TT without at least the aut0-lift/shutoff feature ...! In fact a fully auto would be best for me! but this one will likely remain with me for the rest of my days ... (edit: at $4000 for a new version, I'm SURE my original will be staying with me forever!)
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2020
    SirMarc likes this.
  19. jonwoody

    jonwoody Tragically Unhip

    Location:
    Washington DC
    It's there in English too further up here is the relevant part:


    In April 2018, Heinz Rohrer sells Thorens to the former Elac Electroacustic managing director Gunter Kürten due to a lack of a successor regulation.

    Thorens since 2018

    On 1 May 2018, the newly founded Thorens GmbH in Bergisch Gladbach commences business operations. The brand is now back in Germany.

    Initially building on the existing product portfolio, the new owner will ensure a quick return to the Thorens "DNA", to what made the brand famous in the past.

    New devices are designed within a few months and the first innovations are successfully placed on the market. The new models planned for 2020, such as the TD1600, the TD1601 or the TD124 DD based on the legendary TD124, are a tribute to the achievements of the past and testify to the new owner's respect for the oldest brand in music reproduction.
     
  20. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    "The brand is now back in Germany"?????? Last I heard, it was originally Swiss.

    At least it's not...er..."Far Eastern".:shake:
     
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  21. jonwoody

    jonwoody Tragically Unhip

    Location:
    Washington DC
    "In 1963, Thorens SA and Paillard SA merged, integrating into a larger environment and expanding the product portfolio to include film cameras and typewriters.
    In 1965, the TD 150 model, equipped with a subchassis suspended on conical springs to decouple the engine from the ground, was developed and, after production had been transferred from Ste Croix to Lahr in Germany, the first Thorens model was produced there in 1966. The plant in Lahr is operated together with EMT. At that time it is not yet foreseeable what influence the small and inconspicuous TD 150 will have on the worldwide development of turntables to this day."
     
  22. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
  23. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    I don't know that he had a hand in all of the Thorens of that time but the Thorens TD 240-2 and the Dual CS 455-1M are twins

    I dont know if he had a hand in the TD 550 or the TD 2035 but id take them in a heart beat.
     
  24. Tim Irvine

    Tim Irvine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    IMO the new Thorens era is underway but at Vinyl Nirvana, not Thorens. As much as I loved my TD 150 with Kugel arm and my TD 125 with SME 3009, my VN 150 is better than either of them. Thorens did a lot of things, like machining, really well, and where they were not quite as solid, damping and wiring, Dave excels.
     
    ddarch likes this.
  25. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio

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