Arm choices for Thorens TD 150 MKll AB

"Steve has an interesting solution at The Thorens Department, where the springs are replaced with lengths of garden hose. Don't laugh,...."

er...um... Steve here from The Analog Dept. I just felt a need to offer one small edit to the above quote. Not garden hose. Too flimsy. Automotive heater hose is what I used. Much more robust.

-Otherwise, please carry on....

-Steve

Another low cost option: Jelco.
Last I checked there was an ebay seller pushing nos SA-370H models for ~$300.00

I put together a TD150 using one of these. Very good. The arm is versatile. Medium mass. Could be used with either MM or MC cart of choice. The wiring harness on it looked pretty decent. Add to that a Sumiko HS-12 headshell to complete it.

-Steve

One thing I've noticed about the TD150 players I've had over here is that they have the lightest/shortest of the Thorens suspension springs in that era. This in comparison to the TD160, its successor and the TD125 which has a very different spring rate. Sorry I can't give precise spring rate data between the three models but when compared side by side, the difference is apparent.

Also, the Td125 uses a much more solid and heavier sub-chassis than does the TD150. So That model should accommodate heavier arms better than will the TD150.

Even the SME 3009 SII improved is a heavier tonearm than is any of those Thorens tonearms. On the Td150, with its suspension designed to carry a TP13/TP13a, any other arm one can think of will likely be heavier than the stock unit.

-Steve