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Thorens TD-124/II restoration / upgrade

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I took this pic for a thread over on Steve Hoffman's site in order to demonstrate how to accurately set tracking weight over the ferrous iron platter, so I may as well post it here too. One needs to establish the height of the record surface, I did this by measuring how high it was above the base of the strobe cut-out, then one can establish the correct height for the scales' measuring platform. In the case of my cheapo Chinese scales from teh eBays this is right if I stand it on one of the black rubber pads. Seems very accurate and corresponds to the expected 0.5g attraction for a DL-103.

PS Quick belt update: Turntable Basics FM13.9 is stacking up as the best I've tried by a good margin. It is not presenting any issues and runs quietly so far.
 
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Have been listening to the 124 with my new motor suspension springs. I think I notice a slight improvement, but hard to say really.
Just thought I would post a pic.
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Ooh, you live in teh foreigns as you have an upside down motor pulley! Schopper bearing too! I view the springs as a icing on the cake thing, I'm pretty sure they drop the noise-floor that little bit further, but assuming a well serviced and aligned motor that shouldn't be to bad to start with.

Tell me about your idler! It isn't a standard Thorens one, that much I do know!

PS FM13.9 is still King of the Belts.
 
Tony:
When I bought the 124 on eBay years ago, the original idler wheel was somewhat warped. I found a replacement for sale on eBay through a seller whose name was Mirko Djordjevic.
Don't know if he is still active on eBay, but he offered several other replacement parts for the 124, including a stainless steel platter.
His idler has worked well in my 124 for over 10 years.
 
Thanks for the tip on belt size. I ordered the FM 13.9 today.
Will compare it to my current William Thakker belt, which has served me well for several years. Always looking for ways to improve the quiet running of my 124, though!!
 
Ah, you may find the FM13.9 too long. I'm on 50Hz so using the fat end of the motor pulley. I reckon I could still get away with a bit looser, hence my wanting to try a FM14, so you may just get away with it, but I have a feeling it will be too long. I'm now convinced the loosest belt that works is the one that you want and I'm sure this is why so many are finding their crumbling tired stretched Thorens originals from the 50s and 60s are all but impossible to beat with modern alternates. I'm also convinced there should be two belt lengths, one for 50Hz, one for 60Hz. Assuming the thing doesn't slip there is no benefit I can think of to additional tightness, only unnecessary pressure on the bearings, motor decoupling grommets etc and a corresponding increase in generation/ transmission of noise.
 
At a price of only $10.00, it's worth a shot.
I will post my results after I try fitting it.
You may well be right that it will be too long.
 
Just installed the 13.9 belt. I noted prior to installation that the new belt's diameter is a few millimeters larger than the "Thakkar" belt it replaced, and is also a little narrower.
Bottom line, my 124 now runs silently (although at 69, my hearing is no doubt not what it once was). With the old belt and my better ear next to the chassis, I could always hear a little belt noise, always wondering if that was causing at least some small vibration which prevented the Thorens from performing its best.

Listening to the 124, I think it sounds more relaxed and sure-footed, and I can only conclude that Tony is right in saying the best belt is one that is just tight enough to turn the platter without any slippage.

I really thought I had maxed out the 124's performance, and can't tell you how happy I am that I tried out this new diameter belt.

Thanks to Tony and this forum, I will be playing more vinyl than ever!
 
Excellent, great to know it works ok. This means I can go longer again given I'm on 50Hz. I'll certainly buy a FL14.0 once they come back into stock.
 
Does anyone know how many watts the 124's motor pulls?
I ask because Phoenix Engineering manufactures power supplies for turntable motors and a unit (called "Roadrunner") which monitors turntable speed, allowing the power supply to adjust to maintain a constant speed.
I'm thinking this could solve the problem of the 124 start up speed being slightly fast.
The power supplies come in 2 sizes. One for motors pulling up to 5 watts, and one for those pulling up to 15 watts.
 
Does anyone live near Leicestershire / Nottinghamshire who can take a look at my TD124?

I'm not looking to get it overhauled yet as it seemed to play fine at the place I bought it from. I'd just like to get the opinion of someone who's familiar with these and can offer any advice about possible work that needs doing.

I've not got a cart on it yet but just had it going and when I pushed the clutch in there was a catching sound every revolution, so something is not quite right.

Also the speed change control is very stiff, I assume it shouldn't be like that?

The platter keeps going round for exactly 1 minute after it's switched off so that must be good news overall.

Anyway, there may be a few things to sort out but I'd just like someone to help assess things a bit.
 
The catching sound is because the brake mechanism that raises the 'over' platter is not adjusted correctly.

The motors generally need rebuilding if they haven't been done recently, as the lubrication goes sticky and they either run hot or not at all.

Otherwise things generally need lubricating and the belt, motor pulley, idler and inner platter rim need cleaning.
 
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Hi All
There s plenty of excellent info on this and other threads on the 124
I have put in my 2 cents worth and fished for ways to reduce rumble on my two 124 s
A pal of mine has forwarded the idea that the rumble may be accentuated by the top platter not sitting right or is bent.
He has suggested i try tiny bits of blutac at the 6 black contact discs between bottom and top platter.
I think there have been eBayers selling improved contact discs.

I came across this
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=201522432114

which seems like a nice bit of engineering.

Can anyone offer opinion on top platters and he contacts/ discs ?
 
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There is a UK seller making a very similar CNC cut alloy top platter (link steel control belts just to have a spare in my parts box as that's a bit that is mission critical, exceptionally hard to find a replacement for and apparently rather easy to break!

FWIW I think actual rumble from a TD-124 is a sign of something really quite wrong. Invoking 20/20 hindsight now I understand the deck a lot better all I've ever had is belt noise, which whilst highly irritating doesn't seem to escape through the deck to the speakers. I seem to have cured that now with the Turntable Basics FM13.9 belt. I still want to try an even longer one, but the the FL14.0 is still out of stock and TB don't seem in any great rush to restock.

PS I'd personally be reluctant to replace the original Thorens platter pads unless absolutely necessary as they were actually machined level to a tight tolerance as part of the deck's manufacture. They really are flat and level!
 
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I agree with Tony on this.

The last thing anyone should do is 'stick' the top platter down with blu-tak - Thorens did know what they were doing with the top platter design. It may look a bit crap, but with original rubber decoupling pads and an original Thorens hard rubber mat, the whole works very well. Most of the noise (not rumble) in my TD-124 comes from the idler wheel/stepped pulley interface; and that can be reduced significantly in a number of ways. The best way to assess noise in the TD-124 is to use a stethoscope (or an ear) pressed against the chassis or armboard, so you hear structure-borne noise rather than airborne noise.

I too have the new Swissonor top platter, which runs true, and cost significantly less than that machined one. Swissonor state that they tried all sorts of manufacturing methods for the top platter, before settling on a pressed solution just like the original. The TD-124 is a carefully balanced combination of materials and compromises and I wonder how it might be unsettled by a machined alternative.

I really need to get the TD-124 out of hibernation. It's been side-lined fir some time by a Kenwood KD-990 which is, by any objective standard, a much better deck; however there is something magical about the old Thorens and I doubt that I'll ever part with it. I might even bring it out for static show at the Styl:us event this coming weekend at Heathrow, in a lovely original Ortofon ST104 plinth that cost an arm and a leg.
 
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