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I want to upgrade my power adapter for my turntable. Can anyone tell me where I can buy one and which one is good.I am also thinking of upgrading the tonearm cable which came with TP90 arm but on the other hand I want to use my Audioquest Anaconda IC with the turntable also. Is there a way to connect RCA connectors to the turntable? If not then which tonearm cable is good for this turntable?.
Thank you all for reading this newbie's post and replying to it.
Follow Ups:
You could cut off the stock RCA connectors and solder better ones on, but there is really no point in upgrading the TP90 cables. The tonearm is mediocre and the job is not worth it - it is not easy and best left to an expert. Having said that, the tonearm is not everything and it is still an excellent table. It has a good motor and isolation. You have to spend some bucks to get a better sound. Otherwise, you may end up buying a cheap table with a decent tonearm, and the sound won't be any better. If you can find a RDC acrylic platter than Thorens used to sell a few years ago, it will make a remarkable difference in sound. And then use it with a Thorens stabilizer. That is one biggest upgrade you can make to that table.
I tried looking for that platter online but was not able to find it, not even the website of the manufacturer Clearlight Audio. Currently I am using a female to female gender changing gold connector to connect my Audioquest Anaconda with the stock cable which came with the turntable but I feel I am not getting all the music out of the turntable because of the gender changing connector. I am using an Audio Technica ATML 150 catridge. I read in the previous posts that people have changed the tonearm cable with great results. I guess none of the upgrade parts are now available such as the platter or the power adapter and basically I am left with the turntable as it is now. Bummer.
I bought my RDC platter direct from the Thorens distributor a few years ago. Have you contacted them? You may be still able to find one on the used market. I don't think that the extra gold-plated connector is hurting the sound - the only problem with contacts is if they are corroded or oxidized, which is not the case with gold-plated ones. If your Thorens connectors are on good shape, you are not losing anything. Of course, it would be a good thing to replace the stock cables but, as I understand, it is not an easy job. Actually, I tried to do that once and shipped my Thorens 320 MK III to a guy in Boston who was supposedy a Thorens expert and he disappeared with it and all the stuff, except the dustcover which I did not ship. (I posted the story here before.) I was also using AT-ML150 with mine and it was a great match. Even with the stock cables, it sounded great, after I upgraded the platter. The original platter/mat combination is not very good. If you cannot find the RDC platter, you may want to try the Iron Audio mat instead, or maybe one of those Boston graphite mats. I bet that you would be surprised at the improvement.
Sorry to hear about your turntable. Which one did you buy after that? I have looked at the mats you recommended online and the Iron audio mat looks promising. I have sent an email to Thorens and am waiting for a reply but I dont think the platter is made anymore or I would have seen it selling online. I looked in Audiogon and the only thing about the platter mentioned there is that of another person who has posted a wanted post for it. if I dont find the platter then I will go for the mat and the Thorens stabalizer and hopefully I will get some better music out of my turntable because right now, even though its good, the guitar strings leaves a kind of metalic taste in my mouth.
I agree, you should definitely try an acrylic platter. You can get the Iron Audio one now and can keep an eye out for the RDC platter. The thing about Thorens RDC platter is that it is a lot lighter than the original alloy platter. Thorens stabilizer compensated for it nicely so that the suspension did not have to be adjusted. If you get the Iron Audio mat, which has some heft in it, and use it with the stabilizer, you would have to adjust the suspension due to the extra weight. Also, the Iron Audio mat has a recessed area in the center to accomodate the record label. It is made to be rather deep so the label never touches the platter. That is a good thing, but if you use the stabilizer or another heavy weight, it might dish the record. With the Iron Audio, it is better not to use anything, or use a lightweight clamp, like Souther Clever clamp, or KAB rubber clamp, or something like that if the height of the spindle allows. That way, the suspension would not have to be adjusted and record groove area would maintain proper contact with the platter. You would only have to raise the tonearm a bit to accomodate the Iron Audio platter. (By the way, the Iron Audio platter is about 1/4" thick, so check the height of your spindle.) From what I remember, the 320 tonearm did not like to play records "tails down". After that incident, I have been looking at tables and doing research for about two years and then got myself a Nakamichi Dragon CT. I tweaked and customized it - replaced some parts (everything completely reversible) and it will be the last table I own, unless it breaks down and could not be repaired. But if I did not lose the Thorens, I would still keep it - it was a very nice table. If you dry either platter, let me know how it works out.
Well I took the plunge and ordered the Iron Audio Mat. $120 plus shipping is not a small amout for a turntable mat and I hope it justifies its price. VTF on this turntable is a pain but the suspension is easy to adjust. I just hope the record does not slip off the mat while playing as the surface looks too shiney on the mat. I will post my impressions once I listen to it. At least I saved $160 for the stabalizer. I looked online for any reviews for this mat but have not found any. Have you tried it?
BTW, a new RDC platter direct from Thorens cost about $400 or so - not cheap either. Plus the stabilizer. You may want to search the VA archives - there may be some feedback about the Iron Audio mat.
Actually, $120 is not that much in the world of audiopilia where people are constantly posting that $5K+ cartridges are bargains and everything costing $$$ is better than other things costing several times as much. Yes, I am using it, and it is excellent. It would go on top of the alloy platter and replace the stock rubber mat. I think that you would be pleased.
Right now $120 is a big amount for me as I have just spent $2500 for new cables for my system. I am just saying that the mat should justify its price if it does not make a significant improvement in the sound of my turntable as all expensive upgrades do. Thats just my thinking.
I hope that the $120 mat justifies its price for you, just like $2500 cables.
Thanks the cables did. Do you use a clamp with the mat? When i see the picture of the mat the surface looks shiny. Do the records get a good grip on the mat?
I use a Souther Clever clamp with it but only sometimes. The grip is good and there is no slippage.
Buy one, I'm afraid not, Thorens did produce a "big brick" but I've only ever seen one secondhand unit offered on German ePay.You'll have to get a "tech" to make one for you ala Pink Triangle or Townsend.
Regarding getting inside you're TD-320, download the service manual from Steve Clarke's site.
Thank you for your reply. Guess I have to ditch this turntable and buy a new one. I wanted to upgrade it as I have read other people have done it. Any suggetions?
Thanks.
Why? There's nothing much wrong with an ac/ac "wall wart" brick driven oscillator circuit feeding a Papst motor. It's got a big platter bearing. It's just the arm, so are you going to redrill it, or get a router out and convert it into a pseudo TD-321? Then, SME's, Hadcock's, Rega's, Linn's, etc will fit.
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