Opinions on Thorens 1600/1601 Turntables

[Oxfordian]

I have absolutely no knowledge of Thorens Turntables so thought I would ask peoples views and opinions on whether it would be worth looking at shortlisting one for audition as my final TT, the one to last me until my kids pack me off to the old folks home.

In previous threads I have indicated that I want to spend some of the kids inheritance and treat myself to something rather nice, that makes music sound great, that gets me nodding my head, tapping my feet whilst grinning like a Cheshire cat. I'm not looking at buying anything in the immediate future but over the next 12 months or so I would like to put a system together.

I know that there are other TT's I can audition as well, just wondering how Thorens holds up as a quality deck, the price suggests a top line deck but do they last and are they the real deal?

I look forward to getting feedback.

Thanks.

 

[Al ears]

I have absolutely no knowledge of Thorens Turntables so thought I would ask peoples views and opinions on whether it would be worth looking at shortlisting one for audition as my final TT, the one to last me until my kids pack me off to the old folks home.

In previous threads I have indicated that I want to spend some of the kids inheritance and treat myself to something rather nice, that makes music sound great, that gets me nodding my head, tapping my feet whilst grinning like a Cheshire cat. I'm not looking at buying anything in the immediate future but over the next 12 months or so I would like to put a system together.

I know that there are other TT's I can audition as well, just wondering how Thorens holds up as a quality deck, the price suggests a top line deck but do they last and are they the real deal?

I look forward to getting feedback.

Thanks.

Thorens have been making turntables for decades and they are very well put together.
If you want an old fashioned looking suspended sub chassis deck then I wouldn't hesitate to look into the 1600 or others.
Good review here:-

[Review] Thorens TD1600, Thorens TD1601, Thorens TP92 first listen

Thorens TD1600, Thorens TD1601, Thorens TP92, first listening test by Mark Wheeler on TNT-Audio - Internet HiFi magazine - www.tnt-audio.com

www.tnt-audio.com

 

[Oxfordian]

Thorens have been making turntables for decades and they are very well put together.
If you want an old fashioned looking suspended sub chassis deck then I wouldn't hesitate to look into the 1600 or others.
Good review here:-

[Review] Thorens TD1600, Thorens TD1601, Thorens TP92 first listen

Thorens TD1600, Thorens TD1601, Thorens TP92, first listening test by Mark Wheeler on TNT-Audio - Internet HiFi magazine - www.tnt-audio.com

www.tnt-audio.com

Thanks for the feedback, excellent review.

 

[Gray]

You'd certainly be getting quality, as you would hope for the price.
(I think my 160S was £215, but that was in the last century, without an arm and no chance of balanced operation 🙂).

If you're thinking of spending that sort of money, I think they should be on your list.

I won't be buying another turntable, but if I were, a Technics direct drive would be on my shortlist.

 

[Oxfordian]

You'd certainly be getting quality, as you would hope for the price.
(I think my 160S was £215, but that was in the last century, without an arm and no chance of balanced operation 🙂).

If you're thinking of spending that sort of money, I think they should be on your list.

I won't be buying another turntable, but if I were, a Technics direct drive would be on my shortlist.

People may think I’m mad considering spending that on a TT but I get so much pleasure from my vinyl that I think that it would be worth it, one last splash of the cash on something to enjoy for years.

You mention Technics, a name I know but not one that I associate with quality TT’s but a quick look and they are certainly well thought of.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[nopiano]

This is the recent Thorens that very much appealed to me. I was quite close to getting one when I found my Technics for under a grand - it’s now nearer £1500.

This TD1500 is £2000 including a £300 cartridge.

Thorens TD 1500 Turntable

A handful of turntable brands lay claim to the first suspended subchassis model, but few, unlike Thorens' TD 150 from 1965, were mass produced. Here's its great grandson Thorens CEO Gunter Kürten is true to his word: when we first met at the Tokyo High End Show in 2019, he hinted that the...

www.hifinews.com

 

[Oxfordian]

This is the recent Thorens that very much appealed to me. I was quite close to getting one when I found my Technics for under a grand - it’s now nearer £1500.

This TD1500 is £2000 including a £300 cartridge.

Thorens TD 1500 Turntable

A handful of turntable brands lay claim to the first suspended subchassis model, but few, unlike Thorens' TD 150 from 1965, were mass produced. Here's its great grandson Thorens CEO Gunter Kürten is true to his word: when we first met at the Tokyo High End Show in 2019, he hinted that the...

www.hifinews.com

Interesting, a rather good write up, I am getting more impressed by Thorens the more I investigate.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[plastic penguin]

Interesting, a rather good write up, I am getting more impressed by Thorens the more I investigate.

Thanks for the feedback.

Or...

Pro-Ject The Classic Superpack Turntable

To celebrate their 25 year anniversary, Pro-Ject Audio are combining traditional design with modern technology in a brand new turntable model. The aptly named 'Classic' is a sleek, compact and elegant turntable based around the ''frame'' design popularised by the likes of Thorens and Linn in the...

www.analogueseduction.net

 

[daytona600]

last me until my kids pack me off to the old folks home. Stick with Technics / Project / Rega
Have a 50year old technics SP10 & 60year old Thorens TD124 both will work until they stop making electricity
Modern thorens made in china not bullet proof swiss made like old thorens

 

[Oxfordian]

Or...

Pro-Ject The Classic Superpack Turntable

To celebrate their 25 year anniversary, Pro-Ject Audio are combining traditional design with modern technology in a brand new turntable model. The aptly named 'Classic' is a sleek, compact and elegant turntable based around the ''frame'' design popularised by the likes of Thorens and Linn in the...

www.analogueseduction.net

Reading through threads on the forum Thorens seem to get good reviews so I decided that it is something I would like to look at but first I hope to get owners feedback on the modern iteration of what was (still is?) a classic TT.

On the subject of the Project Classic my only issue with it is whether it would be the significant step up over the P3 I want my last TT purchase to be, the Project X8/9 are on the list having heard them but is the Classic that big an improvement, I wonder if I would keep on wanting something else if I went this route.

However, at the moment I am struggling to find stores that stock Thorens locally so it maybe a non runner anyway.

Thanks for the input.

 

[plastic penguin]

Reading through threads on the forum Thorens seem to get good reviews so I decided that it is something I would like to look at but first I hope to get owners feedback on the modern iteration of what was (still is?) a classic TT.

On the subject of the Project Classic my only issue with it is whether it would be the significant step up over the P3 I want my last TT purchase to be, the Project X8/9 are on the list having heard them but is the Classic that big an improvement, I wonder if I would keep on wanting something else if I went this route.

However, at the moment I am struggling to find stores that stock Thorens locally so it maybe a non runner anyway.

Thanks for the input.

I would say no it won't be a significant upgrade with the original cartridge, that's why I upgraded to a Clearaudio. But it has the retro look with modern internals. If the Pro-ject had a Thorens badge it would be a very popular choice.

 

[Al ears]

Or...

Pro-Ject The Classic Superpack Turntable

To celebrate their 25 year anniversary, Pro-Ject Audio are combining traditional design with modern technology in a brand new turntable model. The aptly named 'Classic' is a sleek, compact and elegant turntable based around the ''frame'' design popularised by the likes of Thorens and Linn in the...

www.analogueseduction.net

Yes, there are plenty of LP12 lookalikes around....

 

[Al ears]

I would say no it won't be a significant upgrade with the original cartridge, that's why I upgraded to a Clearaudio. But it has the retro look with modern internals. If the Pro-ject had a Thorens badge it would be a very popular choice.

That's the issue with most of these decks, yes they may be pricey but then they stick on a 'just so' cartridge and sell it as a package.
Bring back the days of turntable without pre fitted cartridges I say.

 

[plastic penguin]

That's the issue with most of these decks, yes they may be pricey but then they stick on a 'just so' cartridge and sell it as a package.
Bring back the days of turntable without pre fitted cartridges I say.

I don't think I've ever kept the original cart on any of my turntables. Even going back to my Garrard days I swapped them out for a upgraded version of the original or a totally different brand.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes, there are plenty of LP12 lookalikes around....

Indeed. But Pro-ject are more accessible than most other lookalikes.

 

[Al ears]

I don't think I've ever kept the original cart on any of my turntables. Even going back to my Garrard days I swapped them out for a upgraded version of the original or a totally different brand.

In your Garrard days I doubt they ever came pre-fitted by the manufacturer, which was my point.

 

[plastic penguin]

In your Garrard days I doubt they ever came pre-fitted by the manufacturer, which was my point.

They did. One had a Ortofon FF15 & the other had a Shure or Goldring (long time ago and the old grey matter is struggling)😋

 

[Al ears]

They did. One had a Ortofon FF15 & the other had a Shure or Goldring (long time ago and the old grey matter is struggling)😋

Interesting, news to me...
All of my decks of that era didn't come pre fitted.

 

[plastic penguin]

Interesting, news to me...
All of my decks of that era didn't come pre fitted.

One of my Garrards was purchased from Comet warehouse and the other from Freemans catalogue.

 

[Al ears]

One of my Garrards was purchased from Comet warehouse and the other from Freemans catalogue.

Thorens from a Freemans catalogue? Who'd have thought it...

 

[plastic penguin]

Thorens from a Freemans catalogue? Who'd have thought it...

Did they? Never saw a Thorens in Freemans.

Just looked up the cartridges came with my Garrard SP25 MKV it was either a Shure M75 or Goldring G800. Mine came with the G800

 

[WayneKerr]

Interesting, news to me...
All of my decks of that era didn't come pre fitted.

Maybe you and PP are from different eras

 

[plastic penguin]

Reading through threads on the forum Thorens seem to get good reviews so I decided that it is something I would like to look at but first I hope to get owners feedback on the modern iteration of what was (still is?) a classic TT.

On the subject of the Project Classic my only issue with it is whether it would be the significant step up over the P3 I want my last TT purchase to be, the Project X8/9 are on the list having heard them but is the Classic that big an improvement, I wonder if I would keep on wanting something else if I went this route.

However, at the moment I am struggling to find stores that stock Thorens locally so it maybe a non runner anyway.

Thanks for the input.

I would go and demo a Pro-ject alongside the Rega P3. That's only way you will know.

 

[plastic penguin]

Maybe you and PP are from different eras

Different planets, especially yours truly. 😁

 

[Oxfordian]

I don't think I've ever kept the original cart on any of my turntables. Even going back to my Garrard days I swapped them out for a upgraded version of the original or a totally different brand.

This is where my knowledge stops, I have so very little knowledge of cartridges I would have just stuck with the Elys or moving up to Rega's Exact, @Al ears suggestion of the Goldring 1042 was a step up in sound quality and has taken me out of my comfort zone which is great.

I have a lot to learn in the weeks and months ahead before I commit to a new TT.

I did see that the Project Classic can be bought with or without a cartridge, something to factor in.

My friendly HiFi dealer back in Kent has thrown me a suggestion, a Gold Note Pianosa would be a good fit for my needs in their opinion, it doesn't come with a cartridge so I can decided whether I want to go MM or MC.

Still struggling to find a local Thorens dealer so guessing that this avenue is going to be a dead end, which means that I have to keep looking.

At the moment I can get access to the following TT's locally so I think that my final TT should come from one of these or as I have had one suggestion get my P3 modified;

Gold Note, Rega, Pro-Ject, Michell, Linn, Vertere, SME and Clearaudio.

Thanks for the input it makes great reading, it is very helpful and i'm learning all the time.