Thorens TD125 mods

[AuroraB]

Some months ago, I got my hands on a TD125 in good condition. The bearing seems to be fine, electronics OK, plinth OK, no arm and dust cover though....
I do happen to have an SME series II improves, though, and a V15VMX.....

Does anybody have a drawing of the plinth innards?? I thinking of making a new hardwood plinth with real a glass dust cover..
Any suggestions for other PROVEN mods ??

( And i just got a confirmation on winning an auction for 100 mint Deutshe Grammophon records and appx 80 other classical records all at appx 1€ each, - in addition to all my old ones...
better get this thing up and going real quick!!

[franksmith]

Haaaaaa thoses old thorens 124 and 125 ! I love mine.

I had very results removing the suspension (remove the springs and turn over the whites adjustable caps) and using a more heavy wood base.

This only work if you have concrete floor as I have or a very solid and heavy rack.

I did add some dynamat under the pinth and at some spots near the motor and the pivot.

Check if the speed is very stable, if not change the capacitors.

I use an heavy puck in the midle of the disk since I don't have suspension anymore. Change the mat for a carbon one.

The sme are very good but would benefit from a rewiring using thin cardas cable. I have very good sound using a dl-103 on a sme II unimproved.

[anatech]

Hi franksmith,
Now that is very pretty indeed. My table is a Thorens TD-125 MKII. Completely stock but rebuilt by myself. I'm about to install an Ortofon 540 cartridge to replace the VMS 30E MKII on there now. I use a "Platter Matter". I have found these tables to be very reliable after setup. I've repaired many for other people.

Your puck may cause excessive wear in the thrust bearing.

-Chris

[audio-kraut]

oes anybody have a drawing of the plinth innards?

What do you mean? The whole TT assembly is mounted to the plinth with just four screws. Measure the plinth inside and the position of the mounting brackets (wood).

I have a plinth made (it will have a 2" rim and will differ from the original thorens box) from 3 layers of 3/4" baltic plyood.

I would not recommend getting rid of the suspension - this is totally contrary to the thorens design goal of decoupling the thorens from footfall and other noises. The thorens therfore is even better then the transcriptors hydraulik - which I have sitting on a metal laminated mdf board sitting on an inner tube.
The thorens is excellent when it comes to noise - very quiet, no motor noise, rumble. Easy to test for yourself.

I also got rid of the bottom cover (made for my #1 TD 125 a aluminum frame instead, as I needed something to mount the cones to, that it is sitting on now.) as it increases the noise level - like an echo chamber.

Recommended - clean the bearing assembly and fill in new oil . On ebay there are also some polishing kits available for the bearing assembly.

PS - forget about the dustcover - they also act like an echochamber during playback and are just a nuisance overall.

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[AuroraB]

Thanks a lot guys...

PS - I wasn't thinking of using the cover during play, - only as DUST cover between sessions.

Any more ideas out there ???