Thorens TP160 OEM 9" Tonearm

The Thorens TP160 OEM 9" Tonearm is a nine-inch radial tonearm designed in the medium weight class for demanding analogue systems. Its carefully considered mass distribution and exceptional structural rigidity make it an ideal partner for high-quality moving magnet and moving coil cartridges.

The tonearm is supplied with a newly designed original headshell, but it also accepts any SME bayonet-compatible headshell, as well as integrated cartridges such as the Ortofon SPU. To ensure precise alignment regardless of cartridge design, the TP160 allows axial adjustment of the arm tube. This guarantees accurate overhang and geometry at all times, providing a stable mechanical foundation for precise tracking and musically coherent vinyl playback.

Knife Edge Bearing by Helmut Thiele

Designed by Thorens engineer Helmut Thiele, the TP160 OEM 9" Tonearm combines timeless aesthetics with advanced bearing technology. Horizontal movement is handled by high-quality Japanese ball bearings that are finely adjusted for smooth motion and complete freedom from play, even after prolonged use. Vertical movement is achieved through a newly developed knife-edge bearing system that blends gravity, magnetism, and precision engineering.

This design delivers defined, frictionless mobility with no breakaway torque. The bearing is self-centring, maintenance-free, and exceptionally robust, allowing the tonearm to respond instantly and accurately to groove modulations while maintaining long term mechanical stability.

Magnetic Guided Knife Edge Precision

At the heart of the TP160 lies Thorens’ refined knife-edge bearing architecture. A hardened steel edge rests within a two-part bearing shell, creating near-linear contact with no axial play. Traditional knife-edge designs can suffer from poorly defined lateral guidance, but Thorens has addressed this with an innovative magnetic centering system.

This magnetic lateral guidance keeps the knife edge perfectly aligned in its bearing shell without physical contact or added friction. High-performance moving coil cartridges benefit directly from this precision, responding with improved tracking ability, reduced mechanical stress, and a relaxed, natural sonic presentation that preserves fine detail and dynamic nuance across the entire record surface.

Extensive and Accurate Adjustment Options

The Thorens TP160 OEM 9" Tonearm offers a wide range of precise and repeatable adjustment options to suit virtually any cartridge and turntable combination. Vertical tracking angle adjustment is secure and finely controlled via a lockable threaded mechanism at the tonearm base. Skating force compensation is achieved through a closed, calibrated spring system that allows continuous adjustment.

Azimuth adjustment is provided by a rotatable headshell, which is factory set for accurate parallel alignment and typically requires no correction. Tracking force is set using traditional static balance, and the two-part counterweight design ensures excellent compatibility with both light and heavy cartridges and headshells.

Resonance Control and Musical Authority

With its solid aluminium headshell, the TP160 sits in the medium to heavy effective mass range, making it particularly well-suited to high-quality moving coil cartridges. Effective mass can be fine-tuned through alternative headshell choices, allowing further system optimisation. The large diameter, resonance-optimised arm tube provides exceptional stiffness, while the energy-dissipating bearing construction prevents unwanted vibrations from reaching the cartridge.

As a result, the TP160 OEM 9" Tonearm delivers authoritative bass control, stable imaging, and refined detail even with mechanically demanding cartridges. It is a tonearm built for serious analogue listening, combining engineering precision, flexibility, and musical confidence in equal measure.