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Thorens TD-125

D

Dan56

Because it's fun
I picked up a TD-125 turntable. What I find interesting is; it has, what I believe is a Ortofon RS-212 tonearm. There are no markings on it but by looking at pictures online I concluded this. It also as a metal plinth, I guess, it may have been recessed into something? Did the early TD125 come with this tonearm? why the metal plinth. Does this combo have any value?

Thanks for any information.
Dan
 

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Dan56 said:
Did the early TD125 come with this tonearm? why the metal plinth. Does this combo have any value?
Click to expand...
Hi Dan. The early TD-125 came stock with a TP-16 tonearm and other configuration came w/o a tonearm at all. It has a great value because it's a superb turntable and the RS-212 is one of those great vintage Ortofon tonearms from a bygone eon that's actually suitable for hefty SPU's and Denon DL-103 low compliance carts. The metal (is it metal?) plinth looks DIY to me. It also looks like an attempt to preserve the original iconic look. I'm guessing it was made to fit in a DJ or studio console box. Very nice!!
 
Hi Mark,
It does not have a wires from the cartridge through the tonearm. I picked it for 20 bucks and think it would be fun to try and bring it back to life. I have turned it on and it spins just fine. I was trying to figure out what this combination was about. I thinks Tom's thought, maybe a studio unit.

Dan
 
For $20 you got a deal, no question.

The tonearm can be rewired and a new plinth (one more aesthetically pleasing) is not too complicated.

The table itself is not too complicated and once you have it sorted the unit will be in the $1,000 range. That a 50 times ROI so take a bow and enjoy it...because it will be quite a while before the audio stars align like that for you again.

Nice find.
 
Wow, 20 bucks is unreal. I'd really like one of these, but they don't come up that often, at least locally and they aren't 20 or even 200 bucks.
 
tnsilver said:
Hi Dan. The early TD-125 came stock with a TP-16 tonearm and other configuration came w/o a tonearm at all. It has a great value because it's a superb turntable and the RS-212 is one of those great vintage Ortofon tonearms from a bygone eon that's actually suitable for hefty SPU's and Denon DL-103 low compliance carts. The metal (is it metal?) plinth looks DIY to me. It also looks like an attempt to preserve the original iconic look. I'm guessing it was made to fit in a DJ or studio console box. Very nice!!
Click to expand...

One small point is that the early TD-125s (like this one) came with the TP-25 tonearm (similar to the TP-14), rather than the TP-16.

Four or five years later both the TD-125 Mk II and the TD-160 came out with the new TP-16 as their stock tonearm.

The only reason I know this is because I recently acquired what I thought was a TP-14, which turned out to be a TP-25, and I looked into the history.

@Dan56 great find! The 125 is capable of tremendous performance
 
Last edited:
Nice find. Because it doesn't have the cue slider, we know that it was delivered from the factory without a tonearm. Fwiw this configuration would be my preference when searching for a TD125. The Ortofon needs service. You can tell because the counterweight is tilting downward. There is a rubber isolator sleeve within the rear tubing that needs replacement. This is a common condition on most tonearms from this era. For example SME's suffer the same malady.

I can't comment on that plinth but it isn't the first I've seen in that style. Perhaps, if you're so inclined, this gives an excuse to re-plinth it.
-Steve


.
 
Hi Dan, to answer your question, Yes it is a ortofon rs-212 and you had the option to buy with the rs-212. I have a pamphlet with the td-125 and rs-212 and the prices. Also the dust cover was a add on. I myself came across a td-125 with a ortofon rs-212 tonearm and mine came with paperwork/pamphlets. Unfortunately mine took a spill last year and ended on the floor and the tonearm broke. Im not sure if yours has the extra tonearm weight that screws on the rear end of the tonearm. That weight is for using heavy cartridges. Grear tonearm, great setup, great find.
 
In 1970 I purchased the TD125 in with the RS212 preinstalled . Here are some photos from the sales pamphlet, the instruction manual and the Ortofon manual. Also at that time I installed the TD125 in a Barzilay cabinet which kept the 125 in like new condition. No one seems to comment on the non tarnishing gold contacts on the switches. After over 50 years, they still work flawlessly, as does the entire unit. I hope your restoration went well!
100_1966.JPG 100_1967.JPG 100_1968.JPG 100_1970.JPG 100_1971.JPG 100_1966.JPG 100_1967.JPG 100_1968.JPG 100_1970.JPG 100_1971.JPG
 
That is interesting. I've never had the unit apart, but the sales pamphlet refers to the gold plated slide switch which controls the step changes in the oscillator (speed?). Here's a photo in the sales info. Hope it's legible.100_1973.JPG
 
I can't argue with the marketing pamphlet but the tips of those reeds sure look like silver to me. I've never seen this pamphlet before. It is interesting! Could one precious metal be swapped for another in translation? Who knows...
 
You never know for sure with sales info, but whatever it is, they still work after 52 years. I guess I don't regret spending the "big bucks" back then!
 
IMG_2117.jpeg I have enjoyed mine for almost 50 years. People who suffer with acoustic feed back find the TD 125 and 126 tables to be life savors. I used mine starting out with a Grado Arm and then followed by three different SME arms and then for the last 40+ years a Rabco SL-8E linear arm. The tables do fairly well where the floors are suspended, too. They work better with linear arms because foot traffic and pounding bass has very little effect as it would on a pivoting arm using anti skating.
 
The 125 with the Rabco arm had to be the ultimate. I am interested to hear what your experiences were with the Grado and SME's. Great set up with the McIntosh components!
 
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