thorens or emt?

apples and oranges...you would have to decide what cartridge you want to use and what music to listen to the most first....

Dream Big & get both.
Sell the one that comes in second.

1960s Ferrari GTO or 1980s 288 GTO . Both fantastic but hardly compatible:Like the 60s Ferrari the EMT was built for one purpose only,like the 288 GTO the Reference was built to obtain best possible performance,instill pride of ownership and make a statement about the company's capabilities.

I do not own a 927 but I do own a Reference and several EMT products, including a 997 on the Ref.The Ref is infinitely adjustable and can be made to sound very close to an EMT table.However it can be adjusted to go beyond and come very very close to the sound of my Studer tape machines.

If you do go for the Thorens (remember only 100 were made)pay very close attention to the type of material you choose for the armboard(s) -The stock armboards were good for the typical arms of the time but more rigid modern arms demand something else. Also run it from a PS power plant or similar. Finely adjusted the Ref can run with most of today's super tables.

Oh and do look at the bottom of the REFs platter and note the material it is damped with-modern "inventors" should blush!

Hi, please read here my comparison of Thorens Reference vs EMT 927. I preferred the Thorens, while the owner might swing a bit to EMT. 

This is his system  http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?15582-Horns-Tubes-Vinyl-and-digital-too-Listening-Room-...

This is my review  http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?20411-A-visit-to-DDk-s&p=387603&viewfull=1#post...

You you might want to pm Thuchan here on agon. He has owned both and I know he kept the 927.  You can also check out his blog. Google 'audiocirc'. Always a good read .

There is also a long thread  here from Thuchan on the EMT.  Definitely worth reading.

Norman 

Then again you could buy an EMT 930, which I believe started life as a Thorens.  Then you'd kinda have it covered.

N