Thorens TD 166 MKII Tonearm
- Thread starter Autobahn
- Start date
Mark Davis
Active Member
My TD 166 MKII'S tonearm looks totally different from what everyone has pictured.
It has a up down lever and a fishing line with a rubber weight.
I just received this any ideas what I have here?
It has a GRADO GF3 and I am looking to replace. Also I would like to replace the belt. Does anyone have the part number?
It has a up down lever and a fishing line with a rubber weight.
I just received this any ideas what I have here?
It has a GRADO GF3 and I am looking to replace. Also I would like to replace the belt. Does anyone have the part number?
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Mark Davis
Active Member
Autobahn
Active Member
I got my Belt from THAKKER on German Flea bay. http://www.ebay.de/itm/Thorens-TD-1...864150?hash=item51c618c956:g:FGkAAOSw~gRVgWkN
I don't recognize your Tonearm.
Mike
I don't recognize your Tonearm.
Mike
bang4buck
Super Member
I think that's a Magnepan Unitrac tonearm. And of course the platter mat is from Oracle. Your previous owner must have been a bit of a tinkerer!
I've never seen a Unitrac other than online, but it's well-regarded. Its effective mass is too low for most modern cartridges, but you can always add mass at the headshell. Forum member marcmorin is the guy to ask about the Grado you have on it now, quite possible that a new Grado stylus is all you need.
Thakker belts are supposed to be decent but the genuine Thorens belt is still available for $30 in the US. Q Audio in Cambridge MA and Vinylnirvana are two sources I know of.
Alakazam
New Member
Hi. Novice user here.
I have recently acquired a Thorens TD 166 and notice there is a massive imbalance on the signal strengths of the left and right channels. Right is a good volume whilst Left is very quiet in comparison. Please could someone make a suggestion as to what the problem might be. I don't think it is the anti-skate, though I am unsure how correctly to set this up. The counterweight is present and I can tell from pictures I have seen that it is fitted correctly. Altering it's position along the notched arms makes no difference to the imbalance in sound. I have metered the lines from the headshell to end of RCAs and as far as I can tell with my primitive and not entirely reliable meter, there doesn't seem to be any appreciable difference in resistance. I am going to buy a better meter to be absolutely sure and could do with a recommendation on that score too. I have little experience of setting up turntables, Though I am fairly good at anything mechanical, my knowledge of electrics and electronics is limited, and a lot of the language used in this forum is somewhat alien to me. So the simpler the better please.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Alakazam
I have recently acquired a Thorens TD 166 and notice there is a massive imbalance on the signal strengths of the left and right channels. Right is a good volume whilst Left is very quiet in comparison. Please could someone make a suggestion as to what the problem might be. I don't think it is the anti-skate, though I am unsure how correctly to set this up. The counterweight is present and I can tell from pictures I have seen that it is fitted correctly. Altering it's position along the notched arms makes no difference to the imbalance in sound. I have metered the lines from the headshell to end of RCAs and as far as I can tell with my primitive and not entirely reliable meter, there doesn't seem to be any appreciable difference in resistance. I am going to buy a better meter to be absolutely sure and could do with a recommendation on that score too. I have little experience of setting up turntables, Though I am fairly good at anything mechanical, my knowledge of electrics and electronics is limited, and a lot of the language used in this forum is somewhat alien to me. So the simpler the better please.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Alakazam
bang4buck
Super Member
Hi and welcome. You're already well on your way to solving this! So you measured from each headshell pin to the corresponding RCA connector, correct? What about measuring at the connectors, between the center pin and the shield? This should give approximately the same resistance left and right. (This is safe to do with a modern digital meter but don't try this if by some chance you have an old analog one, it might send too much current through your cartridge.)
Another easy test is to swap left and right at the amplifier input. If the problem moves to the other channel, it's somewhere in the turntable. If it remains on the same side, the TT is innocent and your amplifier is to blame. For example, your source selector switch or the volume control might need to be treated with contact cleaner. Or it could simply be a poor connection at the input.
Another easy test is to swap left and right at the amplifier input. If the problem moves to the other channel, it's somewhere in the turntable. If it remains on the same side, the TT is innocent and your amplifier is to blame. For example, your source selector switch or the volume control might need to be treated with contact cleaner. Or it could simply be a poor connection at the input.
Alakazam
New Member
Great Thankyou.
Yes I did meter out the RCAs from pin to shield and got similar readings for each one but I'm not sure I did this with the stylus in or not. I might try that. It is digital but a little irratic for some reson so I have to do the test several times. and the low channel does swap with re-plugging so the fault is definitely in the turntable itself somewhere.
bang4buck
Super Member
The stylus doesn't make a difference for this so don't bother. Are the connectors tarnished? That would also explain why you're having trouble getting a steady measurement.
Sometimes even perfectly good RCA connectors don't work well with each other. For example my AR XA turntable makes no contact at all when plugged into the Nakamichi receiver, but they are each fine when paired with other equipment.
Sometimes even perfectly good RCA connectors don't work well with each other. For example my AR XA turntable makes no contact at all when plugged into the Nakamichi receiver, but they are each fine when paired with other equipment.
Alakazam
New Member
OK Thanks for the tip. (If you'll pardon the unintentional pun)
The RCAs are, as you suggest tarnished a little. I will try replacing them with some gold plate ones I have somewhere?.
I do think the unsteady measurement is more down to the meter being well past retirement age though.
I was hoping there was going to be some hidden variable resistors I'd overlooked that I just needed to tweak to balance the signals.
But search as I may the only electronics seem to be a two components on the mains-in board I'm assuming to be resistors.
Which is perturbing as the whole circuit is so fundamentally simple.
The RCAs are, as you suggest tarnished a little. I will try replacing them with some gold plate ones I have somewhere?.
I do think the unsteady measurement is more down to the meter being well past retirement age though.
I was hoping there was going to be some hidden variable resistors I'd overlooked that I just needed to tweak to balance the signals.
But search as I may the only electronics seem to be a two components on the mains-in board I'm assuming to be resistors.
Which is perturbing as the whole circuit is so fundamentally simple.
bang4buck
Super Member
There shouldn't be any components along the signal path from the cartridge. Just cables and connectors. Each connection is a possible culprit.
It might help to know exactly which turntable and cartridge you have. Can you post pictures? I think the 166 came with three different tonearms over the years. Or different versions of the same tonearm, I should say.
It might help to know exactly which turntable and cartridge you have. Can you post pictures? I think the 166 came with three different tonearms over the years. Or different versions of the same tonearm, I should say.
drummergrl
Well-Known Member
Pictures are in the beginning of the thread
Alakazam
New Member
Hi There. I replied directly to the email with this but don't know if that actually gets to you. So my apologies for possibly repeating myself.
I plan on changing the RCAs with some gold plate ones I bought a while ago and eventually to change the tonearm for the Acos Lustre GST, though I have no idea about the various cartridges and stili available and which would be best for my needs.
My hope is to find out where the fault in the system lies before engaging in the work needed to swap out the tonearm. Thanks for helping me to sort out this conundrum.
bang4buck
Super Member
Sorry but I didn't receive any message.
Did you clean all the contacts? There are quite a few. The pins on the cartridge, the pins on the headshell (both towards the cartridge and towards the arm), four pairs of clips, and the RCA plugs. Plus the socket that the headshell plugs into, but really all one can do there is to install and remove the headshell several times and hope that it cleans the contacts that way.
Do you have another cartridge you could try, and another set of headshell wires?
Did you clean all the contacts? There are quite a few. The pins on the cartridge, the pins on the headshell (both towards the cartridge and towards the arm), four pairs of clips, and the RCA plugs. Plus the socket that the headshell plugs into, but really all one can do there is to install and remove the headshell several times and hope that it cleans the contacts that way.
Do you have another cartridge you could try, and another set of headshell wires?
Alakazam
New Member
Hi.
This is a cut and paste of the email I set to a 'Grumpy @ audio karma' -
I have re-soldered all of the contacts on the small board in the body of the machine that takes the tails from the tonearm and distributes to the RCAs as I thought these are likely to be the problem in the first place.
I took the cartridge shell and stylus from another machine to test the signal from that, and though I can't play a record with it due to head angle being incorrect, I experienced the same problem with it signal wise, by brushing the stylus.
My feelings are that I may have to disassemble the tone arm and pull out all the leads and check them over.
I have a plan to change the tonearm in the future anyway, but I wanted to check the problem didn't lie elsewhere first.
Many thanks for all you trouble so far. very much appreciated.
Further to that mail.-
I will do as you suggest and clean as many contacts as I can find.
I am a little wary of pulling the wires out of the back of the head shell to clean the pins and plugs as the wires are so fine and I don't want to run the risk if breaking them.
Have you any suggestions for doing this safely?
Thanks again.
This is a cut and paste of the email I set to a 'Grumpy @ audio karma' -
I have re-soldered all of the contacts on the small board in the body of the machine that takes the tails from the tonearm and distributes to the RCAs as I thought these are likely to be the problem in the first place.
I took the cartridge shell and stylus from another machine to test the signal from that, and though I can't play a record with it due to head angle being incorrect, I experienced the same problem with it signal wise, by brushing the stylus.
My feelings are that I may have to disassemble the tone arm and pull out all the leads and check them over.
I have a plan to change the tonearm in the future anyway, but I wanted to check the problem didn't lie elsewhere first.
Many thanks for all you trouble so far. very much appreciated.
Further to that mail.-
I will do as you suggest and clean as many contacts as I can find.
I am a little wary of pulling the wires out of the back of the head shell to clean the pins and plugs as the wires are so fine and I don't want to run the risk if breaking them.
Have you any suggestions for doing this safely?
Thanks again.
bang4buck
Super Member
Ah. Well, Grumpy is actually the owner of this site 
If you want to contact a forum member directly, you should send what's known as a PM (for private/personal message). Two ways to do that: 1) You can click on their screen name, click the "Information" tab, and use the "Start a Conversation" link at the bottom; 2) Click on "Inbox" next to your own name at the top of the screen and there will be a "Start a New Conversation" link. Then you type or paste the member's screen name into the "Participants" box.
Yes, those headshell wires are delicate, but you will need to work with them. They are replaceable in any case, and a basic set should only cost a few bucks. As with any cable, avoid pulling on the wire. Pull on the clip instead. Many people use needlenose pliers but I prefer tweezers. They should be snug on the pins but they will come off if you pull straight. Take pictures/notes or do them one by one so you don't mix up the color code.
If you want to contact a forum member directly, you should send what's known as a PM (for private/personal message). Two ways to do that: 1) You can click on their screen name, click the "Information" tab, and use the "Start a Conversation" link at the bottom; 2) Click on "Inbox" next to your own name at the top of the screen and there will be a "Start a New Conversation" link. Then you type or paste the member's screen name into the "Participants" box.
Yes, those headshell wires are delicate, but you will need to work with them. They are replaceable in any case, and a basic set should only cost a few bucks. As with any cable, avoid pulling on the wire. Pull on the clip instead. Many people use needlenose pliers but I prefer tweezers. They should be snug on the pins but they will come off if you pull straight. Take pictures/notes or do them one by one so you don't mix up the color code.
operaman
Super Member
Can I please *bump* this thread? I recently came into possession of a Thorens TD166mkii in great shape. It has the TP11 tonearm with the long cart-arm. I can't find any similar cart arms to buy that would work with it, but I was hoping to be able to mount multiple carts on a couple of different headshells for easy swapping-out. What do I do? Is there a source that I could buy the long TP11mkii (pic below) headshell -- used or NOS -- without spending a fortune?
Any other suggestions for this table appreciated. By the way I am attempting to mount a Shure V15iiiHE with a Jico SAS stylus.
Any other suggestions for this table appreciated. By the way I am attempting to mount a Shure V15iiiHE with a Jico SAS stylus.
