Thorens TD124/SPU124 140th Anniversary Turntable

The Thorens TD124/SPU124 140th Anniversary Turntable is an upgrade on the previous TD124 DD. The TD124 DD was released in 2020 and was inspired by the iconic Thorens TD124 of the 1960s vintage.

The original turntable was renowned for its durability and sound quality. Thorens spent years developing a new unit that has the same design aesthetic but uses modern components.

The new version features the same musicality and future-proofness. Moreover, this unit had a new arm with the TP124. Now comes the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Edition Turntable. This edition has had several upgrades and comes as a package with the upgraded SPU 124 Ortofon cartridge.

Two-layer platter

One of the most visible upgrades is the copper-topped dual-layer platter. The already heavy platter has a new 5mm thick layer of solid copper. This is mounted on top of the existing aluminum platter. The result is more mass to reduce speed variations. Additionally, the two dissimilar materials are designed to cancel out resonances. Notably, the platter bearing and drive were already designed to take this weight.

Upgraded SPU 124 cartridge with silver coils

Two other upgrades have been implemented, with the tonearm and Ortofon-designed SPU 124 cartridge. The Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable now has high-purity silver wiring from the cartridge to the outputs. This is particularly useful with low-output moving coil cartridges.

The third upgrade involves the SPU 124. A special version has been developed that has coils made of silver wire. The cartridge is made by Ortofon and also now has a Bakelite body, similar to the iconic 1960s cartridge. Additionally, this cartridge is only available with the anniversary edition turntable.

Reference class direct drive

The Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable has a reference class direct drive motor. This high-quality unit guarantees long-term and quiet operation. It is also maintenance-free. Additionally, the torsion-resistant arm tube is coupled with outstanding bearing quality. There is also an SME headshell coupling.

Upgraded anniversary finish

The finish of the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable has been enhanced with beautiful real wood veneer. This precious rarity of a deck gives a harmonious impression with its polished wooden arm board and base. The compact dimensions make for an elegant and refined design of uncompromising quality. Moreover, only 140 have been produced.

Connectivity

The output of the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable is via a pair of gold-plated RCA connectors. There are also two XLR balanced outputs. Lastly, the unit has an external high-quality power supply unit that keeps any source of interference well away from the turntable.

Cartridge types

The most refined type of cartridge is the moving coil type. The SPU 124 cartridge that comes with the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable package is of this type. There are two types of magnetic cartridges and the moving coil type provides the most accurate tracking at high frequencies.

This is due to the lower mass of the stylus/cantilever assembly. The cantilever has two tiny coils mounted onto it. These generate the audio signal. However, the output is small.

Hence the anniversary edition SPU 124 cartridge has coils made of silver wire. This has less resistance than copper. The tonearm wiring is also made of silver. However, the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable has a standard SME connector on the arm. So it is possible to mount another headshell with a different cartridge.

What is a Balanced output?

Another issue with moving coil cartridges is the low output. The preamp gain needs to be high and this can lead to interference and hum pickup on the leads. As a result, the Thorens TD124/SPU124 DD 140th Anniversary Turntable has a pair of balanced outputs. These can be used with a suitable phono preamp to reduce noise pickup.