Hi Chris, the TD-124 is actually a quasi-idler-wheel drive, being an idler driven by a belt. It is immeasurably better than a TD-125 once mounted to a solid plinth, and can indeed duke it out with some very serious belt-drives. The MKI has an iron platter, which is heavier, and I believe sounds better too, as it has more momentum, and I think iron has some very interesting sonic properties (which I believe accounts for the phenomenal detail it extracted when I set mine up with a glass mat), which I will investigate further down the road. If you want further details of problems to overcome and extracting the best from a TD-124 Ihcho, then fire me an e-mail. My Thorens project is posted and viewable by clicking on my "system".
Thorens 124/125/126 vs Rega P3/MMF-5
It looks like 40~30 years old Thorens 124/125/126 models are still very popular. How are they compared to today's most popular models at under $1000, like P3 and MMF-5?
Showing 2 responses by johnnantais
Pauly, if you haven't heard any "antique 'tables" which can rate, then you haven't heard any which are properly set-up. As for the TD-124, either you hadn't the knowledge to properly set it up, or the skill, or were too prejudiced to give it a serious go, take your pick. As Topox above wrote, who seems to have a very serious rig up there and so good context, properly set-up the TD-124 and other "antiques" should be taken very seriously, try some swabbies in your ears. HW-19? Puh-Lease. Try a VPI TNT vs an antique: Egad!. Regards, Jean |