[aceinc]

First let me start by saying I am not a vinyl guy. I have a few hundred albums from before digital was available, but have fully embraced digital due to the convenience and less fickleness.

However there are many folks who believe it is wonderful and wax rapturously about its virtues. I thought I would revisit the media and try to give it a reasonable chance to convert me based on a modest budget.

First decision;

Which turntable;

Thorens TD145
Technics SL1200 MK II

has the most potential?

I have both of these TTs, purchased used with unknown provenance. They both seem a little rough around the edges, but appear to mechanically function as they're supposed to.

I purchased an Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML/H cartridge and it provided an improvement to the Technics over the Stanton cartridge in it. This TT is attached to a McIntosh MC32/2205, Klipsch Cornwall setup I listen to infrequently. The system I listen to most often is a VTA SP9/M125 (tube), Eminent Technology LFT 8b system. It has the TD145 TT which I rarely listen to, as it sounds muffled/muddy, which may be due to the old Grado cartridge/stylus.

The headshell on the SL1200 is incompatible with the tonearm on the TD145 which means I would need to swap the cartridge to use the AT. This is a minor PITA. This brings me to the reason for the question above, If the Technics would be a better overall choice, I would just swap the turntable instead. If the Thorens has more potential I will expend the effort to move the cartridge.

The second decision;

Which phono preamp (all below are built in to various preamps) should I use?

On the system where I listen most, I actually have 4 choices (3 different preamps and 1 streamer);

• McIntosh C28
• VTA SP9
• NAD 1700
• WiiM Ultra

At present I use the WiiM Ultra for most of my listening. I switch the ET LFT 8Bs between the Mac & VTA gear. However I have NAD gear available as well. All have Phono in.

[toocool4]

You have both options available to you, don’t ask people which is best everyone has a bias. Spend the time to set everything up the same, what I mean is do everything the same on where the only difference is the turntable. Let your ears be the judge, pick the one you like best and forget what anyone else has to say about it. You are the one that must live with it.

[aceinc]

You have both options available to you, don’t ask people which is best everyone has a bias. Spend the time to set everything up the same, what I mean is do everything the same on where the only difference is the turntable. Let your ears be the judge, pick the one you like best and forget what anyone else has to say about it. You are the one that must live with it.

Yes this is an option, but being lazy....

Also the time between listening with the dismounting, mounting and setup would be a few hours (at my skill level) and audio memory isn't great even after a few seconds.

[toocool4]

Just because someone else likes something, does not mean you are going to like it. So stop being lazy and just do it  , your ears are the best judge.

[/mp]

You have both options available to you, don’t ask people which is best everyone has a bias. Spend the time to set everything up the same, what I mean is do everything the same on where the only difference is the turntable. Let your ears be the judge, pick the one you like best and forget what anyone else has to say about it. You are the one that must live with it.

+1

[SET Man]

You have both options available to you, don’t ask people which is best everyone has a bias. Spend the time to set everything up the same, what I mean is do everything the same on where the only difference is the turntable. Let your ears be the judge, pick the one you like best and forget what anyone else has to say about it. You are the one that must live with it.

Hey!
 
   +2

    Consider yourself lucky that you have rooms with 2 systems and 2 turntables to try out. If your hands are steady enough and can set up carts then go for it and find out for yourself.

[Letitroll98]

Two night and day turntables with both sound and design.  The Technics is up front and insightful with rock solid pitch, the Thorens more relaxed and laid back with folks sensitive to pitch variations may have issues with solo piano.  Another term might be the Thorens is more musical and the Technics has more drive and energy.  I've owned both brands with lower down the line models, but I've heard both of these models and the characterization holds.  You can't go wrong with either, but it's definitely chocolate and vanilla.

[Jbraswell]

Belt drive vs direct drive are different sounds for sure.

The Technics convenience is really nice for switching between 45 and 33 albums.
Also a removable headshell tonearm will make life really cool to swap out carts in a matter of minutes.

[aceinc]

Two night and day turntables with both sound and design.  The Technics is up front and insightful with rock solid pitch, the Thorens more relaxed and laid back with folks sensitive to pitch variations may have issues with solo piano.  Another term might be the Thorens is more musical and the Technics has more drive and energy.  I've owned both brands with lower down the line models, but I've heard both of these models and the characterization holds.  You can't go wrong with either, but it's definitely chocolate and vanilla.

Thanks for providing your personal experience with these turntables.

[S Clark]

I've had a Technics SP 10 MKII for years.. sort of a big brother o the 1200.  And a friend loaned my his 145 to evaluated for a couple of weeks.  Both are excellent. 
Letitroll's chocolate and vanilla is spot on.   They will both sing with a quality cartridge.  I haven't heard that AT, but my experience is that there are gains to be made by moving up most lines.   You sort of get what you pay for, but we all understand diminishing returns in this hobby.   

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I haven't heard that model of Technics but I do have a Thorens TD-145.  The Thorens sounds great.  I pared mine with a Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge and it was a match made in heaven.  It gave me a nice warm, detailed and dynamic sound with a glorious midrange. 

I just replaced the Thorens with a brand new Pro-ject Classic Evo TT which retails for 2295 and I got it for 1895.  It looks exactly like the Thorens but sounds HiFi in comparison to the Thorens.  The difference was night and day with the Classic sounding so much better.

One thing to consider is the phono preamp.  I was using a Vista Audio Phono 2 which is a 500 dollar preamp and it sounds great.  However I bought a Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp which sells for 2200.  I tried it with the Thorens and it made the Thorens sound fabulous. 

I am throwing this out there because if you do go with either of these TTs a high end phono preamp can take an average  TT to new sonic heights.  I am not suggesting that you spend 2K on a phono preamp however.

[Digi-G]

Another digital guy who revisited vinyl a few years back.  Especially after reading so much about it on forums like this.

I realize that digital isn't perfect, either, but it seems I'm more forgiving of those flaws than the vinyl flaws.  It'll be interesting to hear what you have to say.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Another digital guy who revisited vinyl a few years back.  Especially after reading so much about it on forums like this.

I realize that digital isn't perfect, either, but it seems I'm more forgiving of those flaws than the vinyl flaws.  It'll be interesting to hear what you have to say.

I am highly into digital and have 9 TB's of music.  I love digital for the sound and convenience. But there is something about vinyl that I find more pleasing.  It is certainly smoother sounding and less fatiguing, not that my digital is fatiguing.  I would have called my vinyl mid fi until I just upgraded to a new TT and phono preamp.  On good recordings, I can say that vinyl can compete with digital but the outlay in cost is much higher for good vinyl than good digital.  And my digital is no slouch with a Luxman DA-06 DAC and a custom server that I built. 

[aceinc]

I had the opportunity to communicate with a highly respected vinyl-ophile. His comments were;

The Thorens has a pile of mechanical issues that can only be ameliorated with a large chunk of cash.  Great table but highly overrated in unchanged version.
Technics has lower noise, better speed stability but could use a better arm wiring regimen.  Probably three solder joints in the arm before you hear it plus the head shell.
Tough call but I would go Technics in my system.

Based on his input and other comments here I will be migrating the Technics to the system I use more frequently and do my best to set it up properly.

Now I just need to figure out which of the preamps work best.

Once I squeeze all the juice out of the Technics I will see how I feel about vinyl.

[nlitworld]

I have an SP9 with the PH12 phono input. Honestly you can do better than that without much effort to really up your vinyl game. It is super convenient to use an internal phono stage but since it shares power with the preamp and is a basic circuit design it will always be kind of an afterthought and limited in quality. If you really want to bring up your vinyl playback, look at a PH16 phono stage or even a PH14 or something equivalent cost/quality. I splurged to build out a PH16 2 years ago and am still blown away by it. Just my $0.02.