Thorens TD 125 MK II

[Squishman]

Here's some shots of my new vintage turntable set up at home and I couldn't be happier. It was at @TLS Guy 's place so he could get it up to snuff for me. It needed a new RCA plug and new foot pads. He also put on a brand new Ortofon Black cart onto the SME 3009 Series II tonearm. Mark says the tonearm is in like new condition. Not too shabby. Before I brought it home, we listened to it a bit on his fabulous system. I brought a T-Bone Burnett record over and one track has what I thought was a cello. Well, his speakers are so crystal clear that you could tell it was a stand-up bass played with a bow. It just throws you for a loop what it sounds like in his studio/theater. Bass goes down 20 Hz. and probably lower. And the midrange is so powerful, it just slays you. The instrument separation is quite a thing to hear too. It was quite a treat to hear my turntable on his system. He played it in pure 2 channel obviously.

 

[Squishman]

Much appreciation for TLS Guy for finding this gem and recommending I buy it and then for setting it up!

 

[Squishman]

@Eppie , The suspension is not an issue. I was hoping I didn't have to do what Heisenberg recommended on Breaking Bad to "tread carefully" walking around near the turntable. It's good.

 

[Mikado463]

Nice find, it's great that Mark lives close to you !

 

[Squishman]

Nice find, it's great that Mark lives close to you !

Yeah no doubt!

 

[Squishman]

I just ordered a new clear cover.

 

[Squishman]

I just ordered a new clear cover.

A pristine unit like this deserves a pristine cover.

 

[Squishman]

As I mentioned, the cover was a mess, but it was very square. Severely cracked in back at the hinge mounts. I reinforced those areas with plastic and Gorilla glue. Then I drilled in extra holes through the back and the newly added plastic and ran tiny screws with nuts in case the Gorilla glue ever failed. I was happy with how it turned out as the purpose was to tide me over until I felt like plunking down almost $200 for a new one. So I texted photos of it to @TLS Guy. I'd quote him exactly, but suffice it to say, I am forever wounded by his critique! I did get him to admit that it would tide me over effectively. So long story short, I got top dollar selling my Pro-Ject tt, so I used some of that do-re-mi to buy this new cover. I gotta admit that if it wasn't for Mark's critique, I would certainly have lived with that cover for a while, or longer than a while. The new one is fantastic. Heavier gauge plastic too. Scroll down for a couple shots of my "repair".

 

[Mikado463]

Lookin good Squish !

 

[Squishman]

Lookin good Squish !

Thx brother. It is beyond what I was hoping for in a future turntable!

 

[Alex2507]

I'd quote him exactly, but suffice it to say, I am forever wounded by his critique!

He didn't bestow a participation trophy on you for effort?

That's so unlike him!

BTW: I sent you a friend request on FB a couple of days ago in case you wondered who the good looking guy with the cute dog was ... just being neighborly. I thought it was odd that you popped up as someone I might know. I can't imagine the connection but jgarcia thought it was AH.

My lawyer told me to say that this isn't stalking because juggling multiple restraining orders gets expensive.
j/k The restraining orders are saving me a ton of money on gas alone!

 

[highfigh]

He didn't bestow a participation trophy on you for effort?

That's so unlike him!

BTW: I sent you a friend request on FB a couple of days ago in case you wondered who the good looking guy with the cute dog was ... just being neighborly. I thought it was odd that you popped up as someone I might know. I can't imagine the connection but jgarcia thought it was AH.

My lawyer told me to say that this isn't stalking because juggling multiple restraining orders gets expensive.
j/k The restraining orders are saving me a ton of money on gas alone!

Can't you talk to someone about consolidating the restraining orders? Are these temporary, or permanent?

 

[Squishman]

He didn't bestow a participation trophy on you for effort?

That's so unlike him!

BTW: I sent you a friend request on FB a couple of days ago in case you wondered who the good looking guy with the cute dog was ... just being neighborly. I thought it was odd that you popped up as someone I might know. I can't imagine the connection but jgarcia thought it was AH.

My lawyer told me to say that this isn't stalking because juggling multiple restraining orders gets expensive.
j/k The restraining orders are saving me a ton of money on gas alone!

I just scrolled back in my Bookface notifications and I don't see it. Might have to re-send it!

 

[TLS Guy]

He didn't bestow a participation trophy on you for effort?

That's so unlike him!

BTW: I sent you a friend request on FB a couple of days ago in case you wondered who the good looking guy with the cute dog was ... just being neighborly. I thought it was odd that you popped up as someone I might know. I can't imagine the connection but jgarcia thought it was AH.

My lawyer told me to say that this isn't stalking because juggling multiple restraining orders gets expensive.
j/k The restraining orders are saving me a ton of money on gas alone!

No I was unforgiving about it. It made the turntable look like a piece of junk at Goodwill.

I am glad to say all ends well. The turntable was not exactly as described. It was not functional on either channel as one side had a lifted ground and the other a short circuit. This was easily corrected. However the main turntable supports were broken and one completely detached. So I had to send for Squish, as that was a four handed job.

Both the turntable and the SME arm are now operating and look in as new condition. The cartridge is the Ortofon black. The damping system and the arm is optimally adjusted for the Ortofon Black. I think the Ortofon Black is now the best cartridge available. There are more expensive ones, but I doubt a better one. The moving coil craze never seems to abate. They have poorer compliance and therefore don't track the heavily modulated passages as well, and also require higher mass arms, which means increased inertia. But of course you can't convince the loony tunes.

So, in my estimation that turntable can play an LP with the greatest fidelity compared to anything available on the market today.

 

[Squishman]

No I was unforgiving about it. It made the turntable look like a piece of junk at Goodwill.

I am glad to say all ends well. The turntable was not exactly as described. It was not functional on either channel as one side had a lifted ground and the other a short circuit. This was easily corrected. However the main turntable supports were broken and one completely detached. So I had to send for Squish, as that was a four handed job.

Both the turntable and the SME arm are now operating and look in as new condition. The cartridge is the Ortofon black. The damping system and the arm is optimally adjusted for the Ortofon Black. I think the Ortofon Black is now the best cartridge available. There are more expensive ones, but I doubt a better one. The moving coil craze never seems to abate. They have poorer compliance and therefore don't track the heavily modulated passages as well, and also require higher mass arms, which means increased inertia. But of course you can't convince the loony tunes.

So, in my estimation that turntable can play an LP with the greatest fidelity compared to anything available on the market today.

I bought the Ortofon Black for this turntable. It is a big step up from my previous cartridge, the Ortofon Blue. On very familiar albums, I am hearing new sounds. Like a synthesizer might add something you never noticed or couldn't have noticed before. Instrument separation is much better too. I wonder how much of the difference is the turntable or the cart. I am absolutely certain it's a combination of both. I'm like a kid in a candy store playing all my records.

 

[TLS Guy]

I bought the Ortofon Black for this turntable. It is a big step up from my previous cartridge, the Ortofon Blue. On very familiar albums, I am hearing new sounds. Like a synthesizer might add something you never noticed or couldn't have noticed before. Instrument separation is much better too. I wonder how much of the difference is the turntable or the cart. I am absolutely certain it's a combination of both. I'm like a kid in a candy store playing all my records.

That is to be expected. With digital gear you don't get that huge incremental increase in quality like you do with analog as you move up the "food chain." On my rig, with a good LP you would be very hard presses to tell it from the digital CD release.

With digital gear it is more of a matter of longevity and the overall feel of the unit, although I do think AV conversion is a significant issue.

 

[Alex2507]

Can't you talk to someone about consolidating the restraining orders? Are these temporary, or permanent?

Like a package deal on legal fees?

Actually I do happen to have some understanding of the temporary nature of the orders. In RI I think it's something like a standard of 6 months but 3 years does happen under certain conditions. I don't think they have a lifetime ban type of thing. I'm just guessing based on something I saw in a relationship breakup and custody rulings.

I just scrolled back in my Bookface notifications and I don't see it. Might have to re-send it!

I couldn't find a button for that on your page. I just thought it was weird that you showed up on my Might Know list.

EDIT:

It made the turntable look like a piece of junk at Goodwill.

Oof ... right in the feels!

Don't feel bad. It looks good now. I'm totally jealous and it is all about the new cover. Well, good pics too, right?

I'm curious what the TT set you back. Especially considering it was all f&^*ed up when you got it.

 

[Squishman]

Like a package deal on legal fees?

Actually I do happen to have some understanding of the temporary nature of the orders. In RI I think it's something like a standard of 6 months but 3 years does happen under certain conditions. I don't think they have a lifetime ban type of thing. I'm just guessing based on something I saw in a relationship breakup and custody rulings.



I couldn't find a button for that on your page. I just thought it was weird that you showed up on my Might Know list.

EDIT:



Oof ... right in the feels!

Don't feel bad. It looks good now. I'm totally jealous and it is all about the new cover. Well, good pics too, right?

I'm curious what the TT set you back. Especially considering it was all f&^*ed up when you got it.

I think it was $1469 including tax and shipping. The cart was $769 after tax. Cover was around $170. Then misc accessories (AT6006R lifter and damping kit) under $200 total. I got $610 for the sale of the Pro-Ject, which means it cost a little over $1800.

I am going to try to sell the repaired cover. Someone will likely buy it because of the fine craftsmanship ( ) that it took to make it useable.

 

[highfigh]

Like a package deal on legal fees?

Actually I do happen to have some understanding of the temporary nature of the orders. In RI I think it's something like a standard of 6 months but 3 years does happen under certain conditions. I don't think they have a lifetime ban type of thing. I'm just guessing based on something I saw in a relationship breakup and custody rulings.

Restraining orders would be great if the ones who have been ordered against would stay away, but too often, they don't. Temporary or permanent, the idea that "If I can't have him/her, NOBODY can!" causes a lot of homicides.

I know someone who was charged with DV after she slammed a door in the house- her husband at the time called the Police. I only heard her side, but she had made negative comments about the guy for many months before. MKE has a lot of murder/suicide cases over custody and breakups.

 

[Squishman]

Especially considering it was all f&^*ed up when you got it.

It had only a few issues that were all addressable. I don't think "all f'd up" is at all in the ballpark. I have reason to believe it was not treated gingerly in storage.