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	Thorens TD160 S BC V with SME Series IV
	My top turntable. This is fitted with an SME Series IV using the armboard from SME themselves. The photos show the deck in use with an Audio Technica OC9MLII cartridge. After much searching I'm now using an EMT TU-2 Blue. And I've taken the bridge piece off the tonearm. Naughty, naughty! ;-) There are a number of other small tweaks that I've applied. It's this detail which is the main emphasis of the photos...
						This turntable has been fitted with Linn LP12 springs. It's a very worthwhile improvement; though not a straightforward exchange. As the Linn springs are longer than the Thorens originals the fixing studs aren't long enough to take the original nuts. The solution is to use 5mm 'Tee Nuts' and remove the retaining spikes. In the photo above the nut at the front is straight out of the packet; the one at the back has been modified.
		Using the original rubber grommets the Linn springs can then be fitted. The modified Tee Nut fits inside the bottom grommet. The only drawback is that to level the sub-chassis you've now got to turn the whole spring unit. And that means the baseplate has to come off every time..!
						Speaking of the baseplate - this is the one supplied by Clearlight for use with the TD160 family of turntables. You can clearly see the swirl of RDC material in the MDF sheet. This is a great upgrade for any Thorens 'table that has only the thin hardboard base. The baseplate comes complete with a set of three RDC 2 Cones too.
		The Cones screw into lengths of studding set into the underside of the baseplate. This shot shows the baseplate fitted and supplemented with a set of the RDC Cone Cups. I'm now using RDC Combi-Bases as well! The stand is home-brewed using Nordost Pulsar Points, a sheet of thick, tempered glass and an old turntable plinth.
						The perspex plate shown here mounting the motor is replicated under the top plate of the plinth too. Both of the plates are made from old CD boxes and serve to lower the motor in the plinth and help decouple it. The lowering of the motor improves clearance under the platter which in turn allows the platter a damping layer of cork on its underside. The pulley assembly needs turning the other way up - and you'll need to find another way to control the speed.
		One way of controlling the speed is to use an external power supply. I went for Project's excellent SpeedboxSE. This is a great improvement to any TD160 and comes with a large transformer. It offers both 240v AC and 16v AC from the one unit, so making it suitable for many turntables. The great advantage is not it's user-friendly approach but the fact that the output is quart-locked dramatically improving the sound...
						The other tweaks include the full resonance damping kit from Moth; bearing rings, motor rings, platter ring, motor thrust bearing. I've also dropped a disc of PTFE ('Teflon') into the bottom of the main bearing before it was lubricated. This results in a much lower noise floor. The arm is fitted to SME's own armboard. This requires some filing of both the top plate and the sub-chassis, but it's the best way of fitting an SME arm to this 'table.
		The cork sheet used for the platter mat comes from a model railway supplier. This is a loose fit, but there's a layer stuck to the underside of the platter with Copydex too. I also use the RDC Puck which was developed by Clearlight Audio for this family of turntables. So this view shows the turntable, lid off, ready for use.

Origin or real life as it exists / who does what: This page last updated 01/04/2005. Copyright © Steph Dale 2004,2005. All Rights Reserved. Steph Dale can be contacted through vesm_halleatyahoo.co.uk Don't forget to take out the 'at' and replace with an '@' in the email address. Sorry for the inconvenience but it should help cut out a load of spam...