marksdad Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 morning boys and girls, as many of you know i recently plunged into the world of vinyl, in the process i purchased a variety of items to accomodate the vinyl. after quite a few lps, i discovered i truly liked the old format, it has a much better, truer sound in 2 channel, it is airy, and dark between notes, the presentation is, or at least seems more fluid. enough of that. after i decided to try vinyl i purchased a thorens tt, it was my first step into the new format, anyway now that i will be going full boar with the vinyl i will be selling the thorens and purchasing a new sumiko-project perspective tt. my reason for selling the thorens is that i wanted a newer, acryllic table. the throrens sounds terrific, but it does not meet with my choice for asthetics, the thorens will be sold without cartridge, as the sellor sent mine to me with an old bent pickering cartridge, so the new owner would be able to pick thier own level of cartridge, it will be sold here very reasoanably, or on ebay, my perspective will arrive very soon, so i would like to sell asap, thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksdad Posted November 16, 2003 Author Share Posted November 16, 2003 oh yeah the tt in question is a thorens td 145 mk 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 How much for the thorens marksdad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 Hey, a 145 is a pretty good TT. You would rather have a plastic one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksdad Posted November 16, 2003 Author Share Posted November 16, 2003 the 145 is very good, but i love the look of the acrylic tt's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 "SPEND IT WHERE YOU EARN IT" A first I was reminded of the old T.E. Ford classic "16 tons" but then I stopped and wondered: Do you work in Japan? Eastern Europe? Both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 See Sumiko Perspective above. I hope it does well... That table enters some VERY serious competition into the $1000 range. A few hundred more and you have a VPI Scout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 mobile, how come you are not raving about the MM-7 any more? It was a great bargain, many of us went with your previous recommendations, most here seem to be happy with it, that pic you posted doesn't really look like anything better than an MM-7. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 Good point. And the MMF-7 can still be found WITH Goldring Eroica (a $400 cartridge on its own) in the low $800 range. I still think at that price, it is one of the best NEW deals around. What happened was that many others were after the next vinyl upgrade from things like the Rega Planar/P series etc and wanted something a few steps up; they seemed to be grazing in the $1000-1200 price range. I didnt recommend the above "Perspective" table, and to be honest, it wouldnt be my first choice at that price. But I do believe the best NEW deal in the 1000 and change range is now the VPI Scout. It seems to offer the best build and tonearm, but doesnt come with a cartridge until you hit the $1500 range. But for $1200, this table is built like the proverbial tank. The table WITOUT arm is around $800. The VPI Scout w/JMW-9 Tonearm http://www.progressive-engineering.com/klipsch/vpi_scout_rev.jpg Still, the MMF-7 is a great table and for someone wanting new with an excellent cartridge, it's a great option; frankly, there is nothing that comes with a new cartridge like this at 800 or so. And despite your buddy Salvatore's angst, I still think the USED Linn LP-12 one of the best if you dont mind a more finicky table. I just get leary about recommending it to first timers without a Linn dealer in the vicinity. I still dislike the clamp on the acrylic platter. I have that mega Progressive Engineering table and run it with the Linn felt mat sans clamp (and it's one of the best clamps Ive seen). The presentation is more natural and relaxed. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 I personally don't understand the desire or need to pop $1000 for an "entry" table. A Thorens like I have produces the kind of analog magic that is utterly intoxicating. It becomes like some kind of inebriation. To think I paid under $400 for the whole shebang.... Turn on the amps, let them warm up. Not too long, just long enough to choose a good record. Leave the lights off, except maybe some incandescents. I have Xmas lights strung up all year; they make nice mood lighting. Classy. Put the record on the table, spin it up. In the three or four revolutions it takes to get up to speed, wipe the stylus. Drag a carbon fibre brush around the record a couple times, then cue up the needle. Let 'er drop. Anticipation. You have time to go to your seat, sit down, then it starts. You float away, track after track. Finally, too soon, it ends. Get up, flip it, repeat. Do this again and again. Pretty soon the night gets long. You can go to bed. Do it all over again tomorrow. Records just didn't sound that good on what I was playing before. I would wonder why, but I think I know. The rest of my stereo has matured over the years, from the headbanger type to the type that breathes finesse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted November 16, 2003 Share Posted November 16, 2003 Not mine, but looks a lot like it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tillmbil Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Hey Randy, that looks like a SCott down there. I just got my MMF-7 and I love it. Works for me. I will be changing other gear to improve the sound first. Like the modified MC240 that will be coming soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 I recently bought a MMF-7 for my brother-in-law. He was looking for a suspended TT like an Oracle or VPI HW-19 mkIV to replace a Thorens 165mkII that I had given him but didn't want to spend that kind of $. I wasn't considering a non-suspended design but found the MM-7 in the local classifieds at too good a price to pass up so I bought it and took it down to his house. We replaced the Thorens/Sumiko BPS combo with the new TT and were both very impressed with the sound. Very full and detailed with lots of bass. I told him to listen to this combo for a while and then put the BPS in as I think it may be the better cart. I was so impressed that I'm looking for a non-suspended TT to compare with my Oracle. From what I gather, its really a matter of system and room synergy as to which design works best. Generally, the suspended TTs offer more detail, air and maybe a slightly better image while the NS TTs give rock solid bass and are much easier to set up. A concern with NS TTs is that they must be carefully isolated from vibration or the sound gets blurred. Some folks suggest putting the TT in another room but that sounds a bit overkill to me. Have fun -Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksdad Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 this is the 1 item i have not been able to audition, i went entirely on specks, used reviews, and so called audiophile reviews. it reviewed extremly favorablt, especially when compared with linn, that is what drove my purchase, it will take me to the next level of detail and darkness that i love, so, if there are no takers on the 145 i will be takling it to ebay, thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Marksdad, The perspective is a nice table and a perfectly reasonable choice - I dont think you will be disappointed. I too, love the looks of the thing - it resembles the Clearaudio Champion which to my eyes is a benchmark for beauty in a TT. Elegant and simple. (Interesting note - seems we are not alone - the Project 9 has just been changed so that the old bass has been replaced with a perspex type. Looks simply gorgeous!! Sadly the price has been hiked a bit.) Funnily enough I have just bought the rubber band from a perspective (see other post - inveterate player). You table will certainly look a whole lot better than mine does currently!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tillmbil Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 JBryan, I did not quite follow what you felt about the MMf-7. Were you saying you liked it or that a suspended TT would sound better than the MMF-7? I just purchased one and felt the bass had a lot more punch than my Technics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Tillmbil, Yes. I still prefer the sound of my suspended TT to the NS MMF-7 but the Oracle Delphi is a more expensive table so its not really an apples to apples comparison. I was terribly impressed with the MMF-7 and feel its an extremely nice TT for the $. It was a breeze to set up - the most imporatnt step is to have the plinth perfectly balanced on the rack. Once we accomplished that, the TT needed very little adjustment and it was ready to go. We put on the HFN&RR test LP (Hi FI News & Record Review) and most of the adjustments that took me hours if not days to accomplish on the Oracle, were pretty much spot on. Its one of the benefits of having a ready-made tonearm for the table. I think all tolled, it took a little over an hour from box to spinning LPs - very nice! The MMF-7 couldn't handle all the tracks on the test record but then, few table/arm combos in the $1K price range can. After a few sides, I re-adjusted the VTF and VTA but really minor stuff and mostly for my ears - my brother-in-law was delighted from the get-go. Compared to the Thorens/BPS combo that was replaced, the MMF-7 was more detailed and offered a wider soundstage. The image was very well defined, the bass was tight and clean and the background was very quiet. The Thorens/BPS may have had a bit more spacing in the soundstage, a little more air and wasn't as rolled off in the highs but I might attribute the difference to the MMF-7's Eroica cart which I know nothing about and that's why I suggested that after a few months he switch to the BPS and try that one for a while. All-in-all, the MMF-7 was a much more refined TT than the Thorens to my ears. Of course, I paid $20 for the Thorens at a garage sale and just cleaned the belt and motor and lubed the bearing assembly and arm so I'm not certain its a fair comparison either. The BPS cost @$300 while the Eroica suppossedly costs over $400 but I suspect that they are very comparable cartridges and I'd be very interested in hearing the BPS on the MMF-7. I hadn't spent a lot of time with NS TTs but the brief encounter with the MMF-7 has peaked my curiosity and I've just ordered a TT designed and built after the Scheu/Eurolab Premiere to try out. I'll set it up and listen for a while and determine how it stacks up against the suspended Oracle. Anyone out there have a nice Shelter cartridge they want to unload? Have fun -Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 marksdad, Put me on the list for that Thorens when you decide to sell it ! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurdy_gurdyman Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 A comment on old Thorens Tables. I've owned a couple of these (still using my TD-160). It seems most of these could use a tonearm bearing adjustment to really get it's full potential. The tables I've had had somewhat sloppy bearings. I tightened them up (don't overtighten!) and everything improved noticably. Before making a comparison with a newer table, be sure the Thorens in in tip top shape by taking the slop out of the tonearm bearings. It's very worthwhile! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Marksdad, Well, I didn't really need you to tell me that TT's improve on sounds. But now I can at least say that you made me do it if I get curious enough to find out myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.