I have recently bought a used TD160 mkii. Initially it was working fine, but last few days it is making hum, not very loud but audible from my listening position that is around 3 meters. I found that the tonearm is the issue. The clamp that is joining the wand is free moving it cannot be tightened properly. Sometimes when it is fixed properly the hum disappeares (not completely) but after sometimes it gets loose. My speaker is a DIY speaker with a active woofer attached with each speaker. I dont get any noise when the source is selected to CD or DAC. I am using first watt M2 with a DIY tube pre. The phono stage is also DIY, I don't think there is any problem with phono, because with my previous turntable pioneer SL 300 there was no problem. Can someone please help me. How to fix
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Sounds like a ground wire problem
It may be sense the arm will not fully get tight and that’s is what’s Causing the home need to figure out a way to get that order in to tighten up can you take pictures of the area where it gets loose and maybe take it loose all the way so we can see how it attaches
It may be sense the arm will not fully get tight and that’s is what’s Causing the home need to figure out a way to get that order in to tighten up can you take pictures of the area where it gets loose and maybe take it loose all the way so we can see how it attaches
Thanks for your suggestions, attaching some picture of the coller joint. I tried to get one coller from ebay but failed to find one. I don't want to buy and replace the tonearm now. Any suggestion.
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The collar joint looks like it has ample area to make contact. If the wand (Black) is the metal problem may be down the line of contacts. Some separate contact inside the turntable to make wand connect with ground wire probably ?
I checked the pictures of TD-160 on internet. There is a ground wire connected to the suspended chassis. Which I presume will be having some contact with tonearm metal body.
regards
regards
The arm may be grounded at the base
Use a meter and start checking the grounds
Move the head shell and see if that makes and movement on the meter. If so then it’s the ground at the point where the arm screws onto it
Use a meter and start checking the grounds
Move the head shell and see if that makes and movement on the meter. If so then it’s the ground at the point where the arm screws onto it
Sounds like a mechanical problem. I hope that the locking collar isn't worn internally.
Here's some suggestions based on what I've encountered by looking at other tonearm plug-in arrangements.
Have you checked that the assembly carrying the 'female' pins inside the tonearm stub hasn't worked loose?
If the internal contact pins are spring loaded, they can become stuck in the depressed position - resulting in a loose connection. You could probe them with a fine screwdriver to check if they are moving in & out properly.
Good luck! 🙂
Thorens relies on the taper between the arm tube halves for a good ground, the collar should press the two tapers together to create the ground connection. It does NOT have to be that tight. Since the hum just started, it sounds like the connection was lost at the two tapers.
The pics show discoloration on the taper surfaces, they need to be cleaned. Deoxit and Blue 3M scotchbrite will clean it without damage to the surface coating.
The pics show discoloration on the taper surfaces, they need to be cleaned. Deoxit and Blue 3M scotchbrite will clean it without damage to the surface coating.
Thanks all for your kind suggestions. I will try those. As I understood, yhe coller is worn out as it moves freely. Is there any tutorial as to how to disassemble the tonearm coller. Regards
There is a steel pin which retains the silver sleeve to the black arm tube mount. Remove the pin and hope the sleeve will slide off the arm tube to replace the collar. I would try to remove the pin before buying any parts, if it won't budge, your not out anything. Try flush type wire cutters to grip and lever out the pin. Protect the tonearm or sleeve where the wire cutter will lever against to prevent a mark.
GOOD LUCK! Look at vinyl engine for any service info on your tonearm.
NOS parts are available from Switzerland on ebay, I have purchased from them for my TD 320 MK3 w/TP90 tonearm.
My two other Thorens turntables use SME arms (TD 125 MK2, TD 321).
GOOD LUCK! Look at vinyl engine for any service info on your tonearm.
NOS parts are available from Switzerland on ebay, I have purchased from them for my TD 320 MK3 w/TP90 tonearm.
My two other Thorens turntables use SME arms (TD 125 MK2, TD 321).
I am afraid whether I can do it right or no. If I fail and damage the arm in that case I will have to change and buy another one. Need your expert suggestions as I have no experience with this kind of gears. My wand is tp62 (I think, no where it is written). Picture attached, now if I buy tp16 tonearm with tp63 want will there be any problem. The one I found does not have the base plate , will it fit in my td160 table.
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I opened the coller and fixed the looseness of the coller, but no improvement. Now the wand is fixed properly. This hum and buzz sound was not there earlier, but now it is prominent, may not be loud. What can be the cause? I am novice here, not much knowledge on electronics, though very successfully made DIY speaker, Amp, R2R DAC and preamp with the help of this forum. Can someone please guide me. Regsrds
First, the TD160 came with the TP16 tonearm, there is no TP60 tonearm.
Good to hear you were able to tighten the collar, did you clean the mating surfaces between the two halves of the tone arm tube?
Good to hear you were able to tighten the collar, did you clean the mating surfaces between the two halves of the tone arm tube?
Make sure it is not your phono pre causing the hum, disconnect the tonearm leads from the phono pre and turn on your system, phono pre first, preamp second, then the amp. Since you have a M2X, wait 30 minutes before testing, that's how long it takes my M2X to stabilize.
Hum problems from tone arms is always because of ground wire issues. Take a wire from the turntable ground connection, strip the insulation back and touch the wire to your tone arm tube, any change?
Don't forget, this is a turntable that is almost 50 years old, TLC is required to keep these things going.
Hum problems from tone arms is always because of ground wire issues. Take a wire from the turntable ground connection, strip the insulation back and touch the wire to your tone arm tube, any change?
Don't forget, this is a turntable that is almost 50 years old, TLC is required to keep these things going.
!! Your right, it is my phono stage that is making the hum. I opened the turntable output cord from phono stage, then turned on phono stage , pre and power as said, and the hum is very loud. My phono stage is a muffsy DIY phono kit, (https://www.muffsy.com/mobile/). 🙁. Is it the problem of the phono stage? The speaker is absolutely silent when I use DAC of my Marantz CD player, even at the highest volume.
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As above bits 'can' be had from Ebay/ Switzerland.
But the Rascal puts new meaning to the term 'Greedy'.
Likely far better to lose that goofy arm.. It wasn't one of Thorens' brightest moments
But the Rascal puts new meaning to the term 'Greedy'.
Likely far better to lose that goofy arm.. It wasn't one of Thorens' brightest moments
It's good to know the turntable and wiring are good, you should probably open a new thread for the phono stage hum problem. Since the amp is quiet using the DAC, and hum happens when the phono pre is hooked up, I would think the phono pre is the issue.
Thanks for all the help that you rendered. This is a great community with so many learned people.
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