Thorens TD 1601 Turntable - Customer Return

Thorens TD 1601 combines tradition with innovative 21st century technology. Externally similar to the former 160 series, TD 1601 features an automatic lift, classical wooden plinth, two-part platter with inner belt and thick rubber mat, arm board and acrylic dust cover.

TD1601 vs TD1600

TD 1601 is characterised by a completely new feature compared to its legendary predecessor, which is unique in this class today. It is equipped it with an elaborately designed and patented tonearm lift with contactless auto shut-off.

Completely independent of the turntable’s other electronics, a miniature motor located directly in the lift itself gently lowers and raises the tonearm into and out of the groove at the touch of a button. An opto-electronically triggered end switch helps preserve the stylus as it stops the platter and lifts the arm when the needle has reached the runout groove.

TD 1600 Overview

The conical springs for sub chassis are not mounted on top board any longer but standing on the bottom. Additionally, a small but strong tightened thread made of steel connects sub chassis with a steel pin on the bottom and so prevents sub chassis from staggering and allows only vertical movement. A powerful control unit takes care of motor speed.

Sub-chassis

TD 610 employed three preloaded and adjustable conical springs to support the heavy sub-chassis. TD 1601 has springs that stand on the base plate which the sub-chassis rests on instead of being hung as in the past.

The synchronous motor which is completely decoupled from the sub-chassis drives the heavy inner plate and outer plate, which is made of solid aluminium and fitted exactly on top with a special polished belt to drive the platter. The tonearm rests on a special tonearm base.

Precise Playback

The record and tonearm are isolated from their surroundings as far as possible during playback, so that no vibrations transmitted from outside interfere with the intricate tracking of the groove. Thus the needle can pick up every nuance of the groove’s flank, and precisely render every precious detail of the music.

Tech Innovations

It elevates the principle of the sub-chassis to a whole new level thanks to various technical innovations. For example, the conical springs on which the sub-chassis rests are filled with a resonance-absorbing foam to quickly soothe any vibration. The bearings for the platter and tonearm are mounted on a solid aluminium plate, which provides great stability to the entire construction.

Platter Bearing

The platter bearing itself is braced against the base plate with a thin steel thread via a guide, in exact extension of the axis between motor pulley and platter axle. In this way, even the slightest wobble of the sub-chassis caused by the motor’s driving forces acting on the platter is eliminated.

It can only move up and down in a piston-like manner - a direction of motion that does not disturb the tonearm when it senses the intricate musical details in the record groove. Especially when using an MC pick-up, the balanced XLR output, with which both models are equipped, can then bring its advantages to bear

Intelligent Electronics

Intelligent electronics control the motor and ensure that the selected platter speed is precisely maintained at all times. In order to be able to provide the motor with sufficient power whenever needed, we have developed an elaborate 16V power supply using a large toroidal transformer; and outsourced it to an external enclosure to get the maximum sound performance out of the new turntables.

TP92 Tonearm

TD 1601 is equipped with the tried and tested TP92. This classic 9-incher is made from a highly precise and internally dampened aluminium tube. An anti-resonance ring mounted on the outside of the tube in a carefully calculated position additionally quietens the tonearm tube. TP92 is ideal for use with all kinds of high-quality pickups; the scaled counterweight makes it easy to precisely set the required tracking force.

Key Features

- Stabilised sub chassis on three conical springs
- Polished precision belt
- Two part platter
- Adjustable belt tension
- Electronical controlled motor
- Balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) output
- Thorens precision tonearm TP 92 9“