Thorens TD150 Turntable / SME 3009 Tonearm

Here we have a vintage TD 150 turntable from Thorens, that is fitted with an SME 3009 Series II Improved tonearm. They are in working condition but cosmetically they need rather a lot of TLC, and so they would be the ideal candidates for a full restoration. They will be professionally packaged.
Thorens Say….
Experts say this is the best integrated turntable in the world, too bad everybody doesn’t know that.
In the Thorens TD 150 AB, the tonearm and turntable have a unified suspension, minimizing vibration and acoustic feedback. Speeds of 33 ⅓ and 45 rpm are derived from a Thorens double motor on a single rotor shaft, turning at the unusually low speed of only 425 rpm.
The result is completely silent and absolutely precise operation. Such factors as rumble and wow are virtually eliminated. An exclusive low mass, plug-In shell, adjustable vertical tracking angle, pneumatic tonearm cueing or lowering device, a handsome slim line chassis are among the many features that make this instrument a proud possession for any enthusiast.
In 1965, the TD 150 model, equipped with a subchassis suspended on conical springs to decouple the engine from the ground, was developed and, after production had been transferred from Ste Croix to Lahr in Germany, the first Thorens model was produced there in 1966. The plant in Lahr is operated together with EMT. At that time it is not yet foreseeable what influence the small and inconspicuous TD 150 will have on the worldwide development of turntables to this day.
The Thorens TD 150, an inconspicuous small turntable that was manufactured for the first time in Germany and was offered much cheaper than the TD 124, was the origin of a technical revolution in turntable construction. For the first time, a suspended subchassis using cone springs with an inner platter driven by a flat belt was used in a high-volume machine. The principle has proven to be very successful and has found many imitators in the years since. The TD 150 came as standard with the tonearm TP 13, from 1969 the TD 150 Mk II with the TP 13a, also known as “ball arm”. Countless variants with other tonearms were added and still exist in large numbers. All subsequent models until the mid-1980s kept the principle of the suspended subchassis with conical springs, which was used here for the first time.
Specifications:
Description: Two-speed synchronous turntable with base and integral arm
Drive method: Belt drive
Speeds: 33 and 45 rpm
Motor: 16-pole synchronous motor
Platter: 12″, aluminium, 7.5 lb. precision balanced
Tonearm: Tubular aluminium with perforated aluminium plug-in shell, balanced horizontally and vertically
Dimensions: 15 (W) x 22 (D) x 5 (H) inches overall.

SME Said….
SME Model 3009 Series II Improved precision pick-up arms combine latest design features with the same high quality engineering and finish that made their predecessors famous for more than a decade. Each arm is meticulously built and tested and will meet its specification reliably through many years of service. Skilful design and choice of materials combine high mechanical strength with low inertia and friction ensuring full suitability for professional as well as domestic application. Technically correct and aesthetically satisfying the SME has been called “The best pick-up arm in the world” and we believe you will find this to be true.
Sensitivity and strength combine with versatility to ensure the continuing popularity of the Series II Improved design which is available In two versions.
Model 3009/S2 is the standard arm having a typical pivot to stylus distance of 231.2 mm. Average effective mass is 12.5 grams. It is the one most frequently used and has a detachable headshell, S2, which is interchangeable with others of similar pattern.
Model 3009 is generally similar, but the headshell is non-detachable, saving weight and reducing the average effective mass to 9.5 grams. This can provide better matching for high compliance cartridges by raising the system resonance above the critical 5 – 8 Hz region in which excitation by record warp occurs.
Both models have a polished bright-anodised aluminium tone arm 9.5 mm diameter with a wall thickness of 0.56 mm. A fibrous lining assists the dissipation of acoustic information.
The S2 headshell is pressed from aluminium alloy, rationally perforated for lightness and strength.
Series II Improved arms are compact and easily adjustable. Their balance range can be widened if desired with one or another of the accessory weights offered for the purpose.
Straightforward design makes them a popular choice with enthusiasts and professional users throughout the world. Each arm is meticulously built and tested and will meet its specification reliably for many years.
Features & Specifications:
Low friction pivots. Vertical axis: high-precision, fully protected ballraces. Horizontal axis: 0.005” radius knife-edges rolling in planished chrome seating’s. Less than 0.02 gram applied at the stylus will deflect the arm
Low inertia. Fixed elements of the balance system are light. Movable elements are heavy and close to the fulcrum
Precise tracking force up to 1.5 grams applied without a tracking force gauge
Bias adjustable to correspond with tracking force
Base slides on bedplate for tracking adjustment with protractor
Fluid damped lowering and raising control.
Audio Cable: 1.22 m RCA Phono plugs
Dimensions:
Nominal Length: 231.2 mm (pivot to stylus)
Distance From Bedplate Centre To Turntable Centre: 215.4 mm
Tracking adjustment: ± 12.7 mm
Overall Height: 60.3 – 79.3 mm