Thorens TD 166

[Mr Compo]

On Saturday I bought a Thorens TD 166, it appears in really good condition for the price and I've already been playing and enjoying it, Chemical Brothers were especially good, other things its quite muddy compared to my CD player with lots of crackles.

To bring it home I removed the platter - seemed like a sensible thing to do. I've now put it all back together and I'm concerned I could have done it better. The platter consists of 2 parts an inner plastic section around which the belt attaches, and a larger metal doughnut of a platter which fits over the top.

First I put on the plastic platter, then the belt and then the outer metal platter. Unfortunately I can't get the metal platter to sit completely flush when assembling in this manner, this means that there is a very slight wobble as the platter rotates. I'm convinced this cant be great for the sound.

If I assemble the platter in my hands I can attain a perfect friction fit from which there is no wobble as the platter roates, but now I can't work out how to attach the belt - ideas? My first idea was to chill the inner platter to make the friction fit easier while perhaps warming the outer platter.

The turntable came with a Goldring Elan cartridge - any advice on upgrading.

 

[Anonymous]

Vinylengine has the manual available for download.

 

[mitch65]

Hi I have a TD60 and have owned a TD166 and as far as I can remember both inner and outer platters are metal not plastic, I am going to make a assumption here and say you are trying to put the belt around the inner platters plastic retainer. If you google analog dept there is a wealth of info there.

EDIT- just remembered that the 166 inner platter was not metal so you must be putting the belt in the wrong position????

 

[Mr Compo]

My player has a plastic inner ring. It plays with the belt in the location described, and it appears I am correct in my method having now read the manual on Vinyl Engine - this doesn't resolve the issue mind.

 

[mitch65]

So,

both inner and outer platters will fit flush whilst off the deck but when fitted to the deck they do not sit flush?

Is the outer platter hitting the motor spindle guard?

 

[Anonymous]

I understand it could be embarassing, but have you asked the guy you bought it off??

 

[Mr Compo]

A gentle warming in the oven did expand the platter so that it sits snuggly and evenly over the inner plastic platter. Successful bodging in the great British tradition.

I bought the turntable from an auction house, the lady there claimed that if I put my ear close to the record that you could hear the voices from the stylus, she suggested that with speakers it would probably be quite loud.