Billed as a great Father's Day gift on the Vinyl Nirvana site, this beautiful Thorens TD-166 Mk. II turntable, complete with arm and a Grado Blue cartridge, is also the perfect starter 'table for anyone trying to get back into vinyl. Over the years I've said that $500 is the magic price for getting a vinyl rig that puts most mass-market CD players to shame. Well, this Thorens is going for just $525, and it's a plug and play solution that's perfect for vinyl newbies.
David Archimbault of Vinyl Nirvana describes the 'table this way: "Cosmetically, this table is an 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. (I’m a hard rater.) The brushed aluminum sides are in very good shape, with some light scuffing. The top plate is in very nice condition overall, lettering crisp and clear. There is a dustcover in overall fair condition, with many light to medium scratches and some light scuffing. Hinges are there and work. What makes this an extra special starter package is the inclusion of a NEW Grado Blue cartridge, all mounted and aligned for your easy set up. The Blue is my personal favorite of the under $200 Grados."
Now this Thorens won't have the same magic as a completely restored TD-124 with a massive, custom plinth--those 'tables will cost you at least a couple of grand. But if you're trying to decide between one of the cheaper new 'tables out there, this is a worthwhile alternative. Thorens are built to last forever, and some of those other 'tables aren't.
By the way, the AR turntable I blogged about last week is listed, too. I predicted it would cost more than a grand--the official price is $1695. Believe me, that's a fair price.
Once again, I'm not shlepping 'tables for David--he didn't even discover my blog until a few months ago. It's just that I dig what he's doing, and he's probably one of the best turntable restorers in the United States, if not the world. Just check out his site, click on the section for "Vintage Turntables for Sale" and start drooling.
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