Thorens TD-160 Super Turntable / SME III Series Tonearm

A good example of this TD160 Super – the best version of the TD160 turntable which Thorens produced over a period of many years.
Good working order, OK cosmetic condition, noting marks to edges and lid. Many people polish the platter – not done here but would immediately give it a lift.
Three months warranty (not including cartridge which is working but wear unknown). The deck will be partly disassembled for safety transit so will need to be reassembled by someone who knows what they are doing.
Thorens Said….
The Thorens motor drives the turntable platter by means of a rubber belt. The natural elasticity of the belt prevents most motor vibrations from reaching the platter and, therefore, the pick-up stylus. In more than 20 years of continuous development, Thorens has reduced the very few disadvantages of belt drive to an absolute minimum and has brought it to a level of technical perfection which is not approached by any other system known today.
A particular development is the Thorens acceleration clutch, which prevents the belt from stretching, thus reducing the starting time and eliminating chassis vibration.
Because of the high performance required by discerning listeners. Thorens has decided to retain its own unique belt drive system as long as no better drive system is developed in Thorens laboratories or elsewhere.
Every turntable must be damped by a suspension system to prevent the sensitive pick-up from environmental vibration and from acoustic feedback. If the springs are placed between motor and turntable platter, they then fulfil the additional requirement of decoupling motor vibrations almost completely from the turntable and the pick-up system.
The TD160 Super has such a double chassis system. The seven pound turntable platter and the tonearm are both mounted on a secondary chassis which is resiliently suspended from the main chassis carrying the motor.
The TD160 Super is driven by a 16 pole two-phase synchronous motor. This motor has two identical stators which work on the rotor at an angle of precisely 90°, thus creating a perfectly circular rotating field and resulting in optimum wow and flutter and rumble figures.
This construction also assists in reducing the magnetic stray flux to a minimum, thus preventing any disturbing hum induction on very sensitive pick-up cartridges.
As is the case of any synchronous motor, the speed of rotation is determined by the power frequency and by the number of poles used and, therefore, this will always remain constant regardless of aging, dirt or climatic conditions.
At a mains frequency of 50 Hz the motor rotates at a speed of only 375 rpm, with a speed of 450 rpm at 60 Hz, and because of this low speed, both the motor rumble figure and bearing wear are reduced to the absolute minimum.
Quiet synchronous motors have been proved in over one million Thorens turntables.
The motor is controlled by the mains frequency, thus achieving a speed constant which may be compared with the precision of an electric clock.
Features:
Thicker bearing
Specially damped floating chassis
Larger and heavier base
Resonance absorbing mat
Friction lid hinge
Specifications:
Drive System: 1 step belt-drive
Motor: 16 pole two phase synchronous motor with slip clutch for instantaneous start
Speeds: 33.3 and 45 rpm mechanical speed selection
Motor Speed Control: Synchronized by mains frequency
Turntable Platter: 3.2 kg, zinc alloy dynamically balanced
Platter Diameter: 300 mm
Wow And Flutter: < 0.04%
Rumble: > 52 dB unweighted; 72 dB weighted
Mains Voltage: 110 – 125 V, 210 – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Power Consumption: 2.5 Watt
Dimensions: 445 (W) x 360 (D) x 170 (H) mm; 445 (W) x 445 (D) x 430 (H) mm (Cover Open)
Weight: 11.0 kg