Installed a Rega Tonearm on my Thorens

Hari Iyer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
3,822
Points
113
Location
Mumbai
I had ordered this Rega 330B tonearm 3 months ago and after a long wait received this 2 weeks ago. Later this week also received the arm board for mounting the Rega arm on the Thorens table.

Unfortunately the original Thorens arm (TP16) have a somewhat different " Effective Length" compared to the Regas and hence there could be a difference as high as 6mm. The Thorens has a pivot to spindle distance of 216mm and a overhang of 14.5mm. The Regas have 222mm and 15mm. Effectively the original Thorens armboard cannot be used for the Regas and they will not track accurately if used.


When i tried mounting the new armboard little did I realise that there was more trouble on the way. The sub-chassis was blocking the arm below and proper installation was not possible. I had to cut the sub-chassis and bend it by 5mm for the arm to be installed. After this was done was able to level the arm board and suspension. The springs on which the sub-chassis is mounted has become a bit weak over the years and might need replacement too in future.

This Rega arm tracks well and is not flimsy like the TP16 which requires a super high compliance cartridge which are difficult to source. I levelled the platter, suspension and table using a mobile bassed Accelerometer application. Now the x &y are at 0 m/s.

Thanks for looking.
 
Last edited:
Very good arm! Congratulations on the new acquisition.

Please do whatever is needed (within reason) to get correct mounting distance. This is an essential prerequisite to get correct overhang and correct null point adjustments.
 
Very good arm! Congratulations on the new acquisition.

Please do whatever is needed (within reason) to get correct mounting distance. This is an essential prerequisite to get correct overhang and correct null point adjustments.
Thanks Jls001 for your suggestion. I am still settling with this arm. I am not fully happy with the suspension bounce and would like it to be much better. I have read many articles and have seen some videos on the suspension adjustment but its a very tedious process imo to get everything right.
 
Congratulations ! a pic would be great ;)

IS the suspension bounce determines by any spring tension ?
 
Congratulations ! a pic would be great ;)

IS the suspension bounce determines by any spring tension ?
Yes, the sub-platter is resting on 3 springs which needs to resonate at the same frequency for proper balance and bounce. It requires a lot of time and patience to get them accurate though not impossible. I am getting 3 even bounce and going more can take more time and could some times even more platter wobble.

I am currently using a ortofom OM series cartridge with an aftermarket Jico elliptical OM30 stylus. I also have a vintage Dual DMS240E cartridge without stylus which needs to be purchased. Wondering which would match better with the Rega arm as I don't have the stylus for the Dual cartridgeto check outright. Any advise from FM is welcome.
 

Attachments

  • 1637995813412176068969.jpg
    1637995813412176068969.jpg
    163.5 KB · Views: 60
For some reason, a few of my Thorens user-friends who are using these suspended chassis decks (125 and 150) have removed the bottom board of the cabinet (stock box-plinth) and say that the deck sounds better that way. Some of them have put some dampening materials on the inner side of the bottom board and one of them even replace the bottom board with a thicker MDF one. One guy found fault with the stock plinth and replaced it with a SME plinth. I could not tell the difference though (in all these cases) perhaps as I did not spend long enough listening :)
 
For some reason, a few of my Thorens user-friends who are using these suspended chassis decks (125 and 150) have removed the bottom board of the cabinet (stock box-plinth) and say that the deck sounds better that way. Some of them have put some dampening materials on the inner side of the bottom board and one of them even replace the bottom board with a thicker MDF one. One guy found fault with the stock plinth and replaced it with a SME plinth. I could not tell the difference though (in all these cases) perhaps as I did not spend long enough listening :)
I have removed the bottom cardboard board long ago as it was bent. I have placed the table on a secondary board which has a salvaged spring feet from my earlier Technics SL-23 table. I am not 100% sure if this is a wise decision as Thorens need to rest on a low compliance base and making it rest on a high compliance base willl cancel out the effect of the suspended chassis. Inputs required on this from FMs
 
You will still pay 10K + 40-70% duty for this.

For around or slightly higher price the original is available with Jochen (The.German.HiFi.Connection) in bangalore which being the original will give you better peace of mind !

Not sure of the latest prices but usually his price is lower than in the US...
 
Great thanks...I will write to Jochen and enquire. Also ask for a catalogue of the items he carries.
Thanks again.
 
The Rega tonearm needs VTA adjustments so that the tonearm is in parallel to the record when spinning. I tried to align the VTA by adding another unused and damaged record on top of the original rubber mat. This though aligned the VTA but also increased the HF a little more than to my liking. This week i was experimenting by adding my leather slip mat on top of the original rubber mat and it sounds quite good with this arrangement. The sound stage has become more softer, mellower and holographic. I need to play different records to find out if the benefit is throughout or only for certain recordings. Will do this over the week and report.
 
Get the Award Winning Diamond 12.3 Floorstanding Speakers on Special Offer
Back
Top