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Thorens pic of the Day

50.46.131.186

Posted on June 27, 2016 at 20:08:15

This is one of mine. sn 79209.....A TD150 with some differences;-)

The Sumiko HS-12 headshell arrived today and completes the Sumiko MMT tonearm. The cartridge is a Denon Dl-103R mounted into a Uwe ebony body. Standard tip. I'm using a 30:1 turns ratio step up transformer pair with this cartridge. I get best energy from it at that loading.

Unlike some other TD150's I've put together, including this one,it now has springs. I installed a new set of LP12 springs and grommets. The much stronger (and longer) spring required longer mounting bolts. I've also added ballast weights in two locations opposite the tonearm. The goal is to equalize the load each spring carries. I can tell by how much each spring compresses while at rest holding the full assembly. Now, the bounce is quite vertical. And the springs have enough strength to hold the non stock tonearm.


The MMT came to me without a mounting base. I lathe turned one out of solid delrin. I added to the MMT counterweight an additional turned piece of delrin to increase its effective mass capacity. (necessary)

The jack plate beneath is similar to the plate that KAB offers but with some differences in shape that can be seen in other photos at the link.

-Steve

More photos at link below.

 

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    ...
eloquent!, posted on June 27, 2016 at 21:15:09
slapshot
Audiophile

Posts: 2248
Joined: January 9, 2006
Except for Mr. Pirate-face, there's a kind of understated eloquence to this that I really like.

 

Sumiko MMT, posted on June 28, 2016 at 07:02:09
spindoctor
Audiophile

Posts: 1660
Location: Virginia
Joined: December 31, 2002
Good Morning!
I use a Sumiko MMT on my Thorens TD 321. I added the Expressimo counterweights and an ebony HS-1a headshell from Yamamoto. Mounts a Grado Statement cartridge through a Rothwell step-up transformer. I've been totally delighted with the overall performance and sound of this combination. The TD 321/TD320 is a great performer that I think is somewhat under-recognized in the Thorens world for its outstanding musicality and overall reliability. The Sumiko MMT is a good combination.

Sim

 

RE: Sumiko MMT, posted on June 28, 2016 at 10:12:08
Yes this is a good arm! Mine came to me minus a mounting collar, minus a headshell and with the 5-pin din male plug removed from its bottom tube. The arm rest clip was broken. This necessitated me to disassemble the arm completely, clean its pivot bearings and anti-skate mechanism. Both of these earned my admiration once I saw the design of it. The arm rest took more time to effect repairs. Hopefully the appearance of the repaired component blends in.

while looking for a headshell I noticed (and admired) the Yamamoto headshells that are available. I also studied those headshells being offered by Jelco. I've concluded that the Sumiko headshell I'm using quite probably came from the Jelco Ishikawa factory in Japan. It has the same casting marks on the underside. fwiw.

re: TD321. Yes, I like those. By now I should have hunted one down for my collection of Thorens players, but have not. Some Day. I also like the TD2001 / 3001 models. Kind of rare this side of the Atlantic.

-Steve






 

RE: Mr. Pirate-face...., posted on June 28, 2016 at 10:20:16
Yeah. The chassis is a mkII that came with factory arm. Mr. Pirate-face covers the opening where the cue-knob once resided. When mounting a non-Thorens arm to the mkII one is faced with a choice of options regarding the factory cue control:..
1) leave the knob there and then repeatedly have to explain its function
2) remove the knob and its underneath mechanism and cover the motor plate with a thin veneer of aluminum foil, thus eliminating the visual distraction
3) cover hole with Mr. Pirate-face.

As can be seen I opted for item #3. I like Mr. Pirate-face. Not everyone does. I might come up with another solution.

Thanks for your comments. Appreciated. It helps.

-Steve

 

Have Peter do an elliptical retip on that 103. You'll like it., posted on June 28, 2016 at 11:04:40
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
I sure love mine, also mounted on the Sumiko HS-12 headshell.









Opus 33 1/3

 

Well, in that case, posted on June 28, 2016 at 11:49:44
slapshot
Audiophile

Posts: 2248
Joined: January 9, 2006
Mr. Pirate-Face was an eloquent solution! :)

 

RE: Thorens pic of the Day, posted on June 28, 2016 at 12:05:50
hifipaul
Audiophile

Posts: 735
Location: NY
Joined: December 22, 2008

Very nicely done!!!

 

Nice photography. HDR?, posted on June 28, 2016 at 12:51:55
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
Nice decks too.


Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

RE: Nice photography. HDR?, posted on June 28, 2016 at 13:15:51
I use one 750 watt studio lamp with umbrella in combination with window light and also room lighting. Not so many shadows that way.

A lens fast enough to get a boca effect and sharp enough to render the detail that our eyes see when looking at the subject in real life. Although it is often, these days, that I discover detail within the photo that I had overlooked when viewing the actual subject with my eyes.

Additionally I process all my my photos through Photoshop LE. Adjust for size and light balance and then sharpness using the tools within.
No need for HDR with the lighting at my disposal within this room. I have used HDR on some of my outdoor landscape shots.
Thanks for the compliment.

 

Nice work., posted on June 28, 2016 at 13:50:51
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
Great to see the combination of photographic talent and musical interest.


Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

RE: Thorens pic of the Day, posted on June 28, 2016 at 21:01:35
mosin
Manufacturer

Posts: 10719
Joined: July 24, 2003
A Delrin base is a good call, in my opinion.

 

Thorens pic of the Day, posted on June 29, 2016 at 09:15:47
Steelhead
Audiophile

Posts: 863
Location: AK
Joined: December 11, 2003
Sweet no-nonsense table.

Owned a MMT for decades and a great arm for the price. Back in the day it was the go to if you could not afford Fidelity Research.

I need to get to pitchperfect again and ogle that killer 124.

 

Nice! nt, posted on June 29, 2016 at 13:18:43
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003
.
Jim

 

Nice work, posted on July 2, 2016 at 09:58:53
bare
Audiophile

Posts: 1877
Joined: April 14, 2009
Bit taken aback by the "necessary' addition of a Lead ingot.
To balance that apparently Cast Iron Arm contraption?
Yikes!
Difficult to Imagine what inertia forces are at play on that pore lil stylus cantilever.

 

RE: Nice work, posted on July 2, 2016 at 10:16:39
"Bit taken aback by the "necessary' addition of a Lead ingot.
To balance that apparently Cast Iron Arm contraption?
Yikes!
Difficult to Imagine what inertia forces are at play on that pore lil stylus cantilever."

It has been long ago established that the three springs of the suspended sub-chassis genre of turntables do not equally distribute the load carried. The spring nearest the tonearm always carries the most load. The other two carry less. And the spring furthest away (other side of the platter bearing) carries the least.

As to that poor cantilever, the more placid and un-moving the position of the subchassis, the fewer the distracting gyrations that the cantilever must deal with.

It's not hard to imagine. And it is easy to see.

-Steve

 

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