Thorens TD150

[Seanm]

The TD125 I had was meh with an RB300 and with a Nima, and tremendous with a Mission 774: huge sounding, great heft, if not especially detailed. Definitely in a different league to the TD160 and TD147 I had, although they had Thorens arms (very nice all the same). I also preferred it by some margin to the later TD321, which I tried with a much posher arm (Funk FX3) and cart (AT ART9).

Looking for obvious flaws in the TD125 I'd have to point to the bearing, in the MKII anyway: I've had two and they were both pretty sloppy. All the other Thorens I've had were much better. Who knows why, or if my sample was representative.

Anyway sorry, this is supposed to be about the TD150. Never tried one, will do some day.

 

[madmike]

A 150 was my first serious tt. Before that I had a Phillips music centre and ceramic cartridge...ugh. I added a philips cassette deck as I could get a discount from Boots where my girlfriend worked. Then came my first proper amp, a teleton and some rank speakers. Then a proper deck would be needed so I got the TD 150. It came with as a chassis with the original mk 1 arm and shure M75. Even on my limited system the sound was a revelation. I built a crude plinth in my dad's workshop and eventually changed the arm to a Micro Seiki. Can't remember which one but it had a sprung bias with a circular adjustment over the pivot. My next deck was a technics direct drive.....

 

[Craig B]

A 150 was my first serious tt. Before that I had a Phillips music centre and ceramic cartridge...ugh. I added a philips cassette deck as I could get a discount from Boots where my girlfriend worked. Then came my first proper amp, a teleton and some rank speakers. Then a proper deck would be needed so I got the TD 150. It came with as a chassis with the original mk 1 arm and shure M75. Even on my limited system the sound was a revelation. I built a crude plinth in my dad's workshop and eventually changed the arm to a Micro Seiki. Can't remember which one but it had a sprung bias with a circular adjustment over the pivot. My next deck was a technics direct drive.....

Would it have been an MA-101, Mike? Black ring with AS calibration on?

A lovely thing from back when Japan Inc. tonearms were the most lovely of things hi-fi.

 

[madmike]

Would it have been an MA-101, Mike? Black ring with AS calibration on?

A lovely thing from back when Japan Inc. tonearms were the most lovely of things hi-fi.

Yep...thats the one...wish I still had it !

 

[matt j]

Maybe one for @Craig B as he is a font of knowledge - but is there more than one version of the Mk1? Only sat in front of me I have both a Mk1 and Mk2 top chassis plate and a Mk1 fascia plate that fits on neither of them

It is clearly a Mk1 fascia plate as it only has one hole for the speed select/power knob, but it doesn't fit on my Mk1 top plate, the power knob hole doesn't line up, however it does fit on the Mk2, but clearly the Mk2 has another hole for the arm lift mechanism control which this covers up. So is there a Mk1.5 so to speak or just a face lift version in between the two?

 

[lawrence001]

I wonder if there was a MK2 type like the TD160B designed for a third party tonearm and hence missing the armlift?

 

[matt j]

I wonder if there was a MK2 type like the TD160B designed for a third party tonearm and hence missing the armlift?

That is what I was wondering too, but every picture I've googled shows it with the arm lift.

 

[lawrence001]

That is what I was wondering too, but every picture I've googled shows it with the arm lift.

Yup me too.

 

[matt j]

Doesn't help that I can't remember where this fascia plate came from as I've got a few!

 

[Craig B]

Maybe one for @Craig B as he is a font of knowledge - but is there more than one version of the Mk1? Only sat in front of me I have both a Mk1 and Mk2 top chassis plate and a Mk1 fascia plate that fits on neither of them

It is clearly a Mk1 fascia plate as it only has one hole for the speed select/power knob, but it doesn't fit on my Mk1 top plate, the power knob hole doesn't line up, however it does fit on the Mk2, but clearly the Mk2 has another hole for the arm lift mechanism control which this covers up. So is there a Mk1.5 so to speak or just a face lift version in between the two?

I think the word you were looking for is 'fount', Matt, as in pedantic spewer of trivia. On that note, both the original and Mk2 armless versions were TD 150B ('B' for 'Base' only, i.e. with plinth). TD 150 was chassis only, with the suffix of 'AB' indicating both arm and base. Although rather rare, TD 150B/II (sans arm lift/lower knob) do occasionally crop up for sale on-line.

Also, the original had the power knob positioned further in from the front edge of the plate relative to TD 150/II, so it sounds like you have a TD 150B/II fascia there.

TD 150B/II with factory fitted Decca FFSS tonearm and cartridge: