Who has the ugliest Turntable?

[drummerman]

I'll put one of mine forward for the top spot;

Thorens TD115 MKII

It really is fugly. Problem is it sounds sublime (and had some of the best measurements in its time) with some clever motor decoupling, servo control and a good tonearm.

Anyway, one of the ugly ducklings of the turntable world.

 

[jjbomber]

Anyway, one of the ugly ducklings of the turntable world.

No real hi-fi is complete without a fugly turntable. But what about cables??? And mains conditioners???

 

[MajorFubar]

Only got two to choose from, in the prettiness stakes the TD160 loses by a country mile to the sleek linear-tracking Technics SL6 in my home studio, but it would be unfair to call it truly fugly. Though what's secured it's status in the living room is the superiority of its sound (compared to the Technics).

 

[nopiano]

I think I've been lucky over the years with these. My first was a Pioneer PL-12D, which in its day was the best budget model, and had a shapely arm and drilled headshell. Then I got the then recently released Dual CS-601, complete with a Shure V-15 cartridge. Some years later in the mid 80s I won a Linn LP12 with a Syrinx arm (quite rare). I had that until a couple of years ago when I decided I couldn't afford to restore it to a decent level.

My current Michell is decent looking, and the others were all fairly smart in their day, I reckon. The Linn I always thought looked better with the older, fluted plinth, whereas newer ones look unnecessarily clunky.

Generally turntables have an interesting look, to my eyes, though I vaguely recall one with a meccano-like arm which wasn't great looking.

 

[luckylion100]

of turntables from the likes of Rega and Pro-Ject are as ugly as sin. They are characterless, almost without soul. I've only owned four turntables, a Ariston RD40, Nottingham Analogue Space Deck, Pro-ject 1 xpression and my latest purchase a Technics SL1210... 3 of these were lookers (in a unique way) one was a pig.

But maybe I have poor taste or bad eyesight, I liked the look of the Roksan K2 amp... ;-)

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Only got two to choose from, in the prettiness stakes the TD160 loses by a country mile to the sleek linear-tracking Technics SL6 in my home studio, but it would be unfair to call it truly fugly. Though what's secured it's status in the living room is the superiority of its sound (compared to the Technics).

I know what you're saying, but the black and silver TD160 is a good looking, stylish deck, and as stylish as the SL6 was in it's day, it looks a bit 80s for me, though it's certainly not ugly in any way.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thorens TD115 MKII

It really is fugly.

I'm not going to argue, it isn't at all nice looking.

 

[Al ears]

You mean there are ugly turntables??

 

[drummerman]

@Bernhardiner; Nop, it really has been designed by a kid with lego. I'd like a TD124 in a nice plinth.

@Alears; I actually quite like the look of some, Rega for minimalism and a nicely plinthed (did I spell that correctly) Garrard 301/401 for ... I'm not sure but I like them. - Even a 1210 with an SME arm looks not to bad imo (but not with the original).

Sondeks look kinda blunt and a bit boring but some have nice wood work.

Agree with the SL6/7/10 from Technics. Sleek and in case of the 7, good sounding too.

I wonder what, if anything I could do to 'pretty up' my TD 115 frankentable or is all lost?

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I wonder what, if anything I could do to 'pretty up' my TD 115 frankentable or is all lost?

 

[drummerman]

That bad?

It does, believe it or not, look a bit better in the flesh. A little bit.

If I don't want to loose the 'orthodynamic' suspension (Thorens blurb) ... which actually works a treat then my options to do anything are fairly limited.

Clever concept implemented by Klotz designer/s.

Still, its the music that matters, apparently.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

That bad?

Oh yes!

 

[stevebrock]

a black Gyro SE is a thing of beauty

but yeah all Rega's look the same - ugly

 

[Vladimir]

That bad?

It does, believe it or not, look a bit better in the flesh. A little bit.

If I don't want to loose the 'orthodynamic' suspension (Thorens blurb) ... which actually works a treat then my options to do anything are fairly limited.

Clever concept implemented by Klotz designer/s.

Still, its the music that matters, apparently.

Have the black segment of the plinth replaced with wood block perhaps. Or if you have an itch ($), black granite.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

That bad?

It does, believe it or not, look a bit better in the flesh. A little bit.

If I don't want to loose the 'orthodynamic' suspension (Thorens blurb) ... which actually works a treat then my options to do anything are fairly limited.

Clever concept implemented by Klotz designer/s.

Still, its the music that matters, apparently.

Have the black segment of the plinth replaced with wood block perhaps. Or if you have an itch ($), black granite.

A hammer would be cheaper, and kinder in the long run.*biggrin*

 

[mikeparker59]

I've only owned 2 turntables a Sony that I can't remember the model number of, and my current Heybrook TT2 At one point I thought my Heybrook was a bit ugly esp with that industrial sized on off rocker switch, but now it looks kinda vintage cool, and will be with me to the grave !

As an aside I think my A&R T21 tuner is pig ugly !