Thorens TD125 mk2 Resto

I just copied the post to reference articles area.

I also added a little extra info at the start.

 

Thanks Mike.
It's locked and preserved

 

I've got the same cartridge Stanton 680 EE, which I've had for many many years. Prior to the I had a Stanton 500E which I also liked. Sweet sound cartridge, the Stanton. Though today all they make are DJ cartridges. Though sadly I do not have as nice a turntable as you.

 

So many good cartridge now gone as the companies have given up on making decent models. Very sad.
The 600 series were always popular.

Same with Shure, these days it's the average 97xE or nothing.

 

I just picked up an Ortofon VMS 30 (body only) quite cheap on ebay.

There seems to be quite a bit of interchangeability between the Ortofon MM bodies and the various styli but unfortunately the stylus from my M20 FL Super won't fit so I'll need to buy a stylus for it.

Musonic list several styli options for the VMS 30 Mk2 body:

D20E Fine line elliptical stylus (£112)
FF-15 XE mk2 Elliptical (£65)
VMS30FL Fine Line elliptical (£112)

How do I choose?

 

The VMS30FL if a genuine part looks like the correct stylus.
The VMS30 had a fine line diamond and this was it's only real advantage over the cheaper VMS20E. It should be a genuine ortofon part for £112!

The FF15 was a budget cartridge selling for around £20, so avoid that stylus.

The D20E is a nude elliptical - nice but its not a line contact tip.

 

Thanks Rob

 

Generically, the F/FF and VMS 'should' work in the same bodies I think, one way if not the other. The M20E Super and M20FL Super had a slightly different working (if I remember, the little magnet was in the body rather than the stylus assembly) so won't be compatible.

I have a 'new' M20FL Super, a well used M20E Super stylus and also a VMS30. The VMS 20 and 30 both have a 'plump warmth' of tone in the bass and a low mass arm is essential to 'control' it. The M20FL was far lower compliance and loves massier arms. Bass can have a 'thumpy' quality though, so take care with arm matching.

As for the M20E Super, I love it and one day, I hope to have a new stylus for it. Like the two VMS's mentioned above, it's a 1.2g tracker and highly compliant, but bass is nice and the mid very natural in the way of a vintage ADC XLM/Phase IV. Ortofon diamonds on these 'upper' models are superbly ground and polished I think.

 

Thanks for the great info.

A little while back I helped a friend recommission a TD124mk2 which was fitted with an SME3009 type 2 and VMS 30 mk2.

I too found the VMS 30 to have a slightly warmer, fuller, 'plump' sound than the M20FL Super. I couldn't say which I preferred, they're both very nice cartridges.

My TD125mk2 is fitted with an SME 3009 Type 2 Imp with fixed headshell. I think that qualifies as a low mass arm so ought to work well with the VMS 30.

My spare TD125 which is the original subject of the thread doesn't have an arm yet.

 

An excellent thread. I have 3 of these decks, my long base version is running very slowly - at last I can have a go at changing the relevant components.
Dave

 

Wow, I'd love a long base model, the stuff of dreams! (If you ever want to sell it )

If your TD125LB has the same speed control circuit as the MK2 then I suggest the following:

1) Replace the two big 1000uF axial power supply capacitors.
2) Re-set the motor phase voltages for both phase 1 and phase 2
3) Re-adjust the voltages for the speed control

Tip: To get accurate settings you might need to back and forth between tweaking the motor phase voltages and speed control voltages since changing one will affect the other.

I've never worked on the TD125mk1 but it's going to be a similar story.

 

I just fitted the new transistors to replace T1 and T2 which I had previously found to be faulty.

For T1 I was able to find an exact replacement. The part number is SN2218A and they are available from Farnell (order code 1653596)

The original part number for T2 is 2N2904. I couldn't find these so I used SN2905A which is the suggested replacement on the Farnell website. The Farnell order code for this is 9801286

With the new transistors and trimpots fitted setting up the motor phase voltages was a breeze. I managed to get them rock steady at exactly 3.2V, 5.0V and 6.0V as specified in the service manual. In fact I'm so impressed with the difference the new trim-pots make I think I'll treat my other TD125 to the same.

 

Just stumbled across this thread. I've just acquired a TD125 Mk2 and I am about to start restoring it - where did you get the replacement pots? Any idea where I can buy the rubber mushrooms to replace the springs? thanks.

 

Hi there,

Good to hear from another TD125 owner. Welcome to the thread.

The pots I used came from Rapid Online. They are made by Piher and are the 15mm type.

Here are the part numbers I used:
51-9093
51-9098
51-9094
51-9099

On the PCB there are two sets of holes which allow smaller or larger trim pots to be fitted. For the Piher components listed above you need to use the other set of holes (it will all be obvious when you come to do it).

They fit perfectly and I found that with the new trim pots fitted I was able to get the motor phase voltages set perfectly which makes the motor turn more smoothly.

As far as I understand the rubber mushrooms should only be fitted when heavy footfall causes the platter to bounce excessively with the standard springs (e.g. when used by a DJ in a disco). For normal domestic use the standard springs are better.

If you really want to use the rubber mushrooms I think they are available from Schopper.

 

many thanks for the part numbers! What did you use the 1k pot for (51-9094)?

 

Just noticed that the board I have is slightly different to yours. Instead of the 2 16 pin op-amp IC's on your board, the board I have has 2 8 pin devices (MC1741C) - there are a few other differences also.

 

I've answered my own question about the 1k, the drawings say R11 is 500 ohm but it's actually a 1k ohm

 

Is yours a TD125 mk1 or Mk2?

Both of mine are Mk2

 

it's a Mk2:

 

tried to post a pic but it doesn't want to let me. Anyway, it's a Mk2.

www.stuartlittlejohn.f2s.com/td125_cont.jpg