To venture back into vinyl or not,...that is the question.

I’d get the 579 dollar (down from $1000) thorens td 203 with uni-pivot tonearm. All the European reviews seem to love it. What hifi 4 stars, and audiophiliac likes it. Yes it comes with a thorens tas 257 mm cartridge, but seemingly it’s a good match for the tonearm. Of course, you can always upgrade cartridge. Imo it’s a steal at $579 from rutherford audio. The tonearm is better than anything on any other comparable turntable, plus it has electronic speed control and a dust cover. Might grab it myself just because....


Here's a few reviews...

The Thorens TD 203 was tested in the Stereo issue 1/2015 on pages 84 and 85

Test extract:

"... after a few pages of the record we thought the TD 203, which was delivered with a dust cover made of acrylic, was ready for" interrogation ". It immediately appealed to us with its fresh, carefree manner. Whatever we put on - the Thorens kicked off easily and smoothly. There was no handbrake on in the timing and no hollow cheeked pallor in the timbres, but full-bodied guitars and lively plucking dynamics. Moto: Oops, now I'm coming!

It sounded sympathetic and appealing, but also a bit sleek and tough. If you want to find out what the flat turner can do, you have to allow it at least 15 hours of break-in time. Then its spatial spectrum widens, the slight roughness in the high frequency decreases, and the TD 203 moves closer to the TD 209 tested in issue 1/14, which was also used as a comparison device. At 1000 euros, it costs significantly more and the smaller model just kept up with its more harmonious mids and somewhat more serene, nuance-more precise way of playing.

But the law of action lay with the TD 203, who dedicates himself to the various titles of the STEREO hearing test LP with sensitivity, but above all with courageous commitment. Whether the cally dynamics of Antonio Forcione's "Attempo" or the gentle chorus in "Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker", whether the graceful rhythm in Louis Capart's "Marie-Jeanne-Gabrielle" or the driving percussion in Amber Rubarth's dummy head recording "Good Mystery" - the Thorens always found the right approach to music.

Even with Respighi's orchestra, which was pressed into the difficult-to-palpable inner grooves and started brilliantly, which is certainly not one of the novice's favorite pieces, the newcomer did not show any nakedness, but at least managed to keep track of things despite the vehement rush.

In the end we had really enjoyed listening to music with the TD 203. You don't even have to add the 300 euros to the TD 209. The more modestly priced model plays on low-priced systems, which in any case have more of a hit than the audiophile facets, just as sympathetically, sometimes even more appropriate. Anyone looking around in the upscale entry-level area of ​​the analog range can actually consider Thorens' new turner with the big musical heart as a kind of "small reference". ... "

Sound level: 58%

Price / performance: excellent

And another much abbreviated review..

Three turntables were tested in stereoplay issue 4/2015 on pages 42 to 49

Test extract:

"... with the preassembled MM scanner (a Thorens TAS 257), which requires a tracking force of 23 millinewtons, the tonearm, which is still damped with a ring in the middle of the tube, can be heard well coped : namely sharply outlined, precisely slim and with a lot of depth Apart from that, the small turntable gets to work vehemently, resiliently and expressively.

The Thorens ensemble "smells" very strongly of insider tip status, especially since the astonishingly small tonearm should certainly improve again with very high-quality pickups. ... "

Conclusion:

Sensibly designed single-lever offer with an astonishingly grown-up tonearm and the highest tuning potential. Wonderfully relaxed, yet never boring sound with no flaws worth mentioning. Insider tip status!

Sound: top class

Overall rating: good

Price / performance: outstanding

😁

Why ever leave in first place? I’ve been spinning vinyl since 12 or 13 and do to this day.....I’ve never been without a turntable. To me it is the best format, better than cd, better than streaming. The tactile feel of the record, the cleaning, the placement onto the platter, watching it spin, the art work, the labels, the tweaks and upgrades etc etc...it never gets old to me. It’s a form of escape for me. Plus the search for that elusive record and the fact that no 2 pressings sound the same is alluring. Just the fact that those tiny grooves when traced by a quality cartridge/stylus can produce that magical sometimes "tubey magical" sound is simply amazing. This is coming from someone who still has his 1983 Aiwa f770 3 head cassette deck, mint, and uses it to this day! Analog is where it’s at, you can have your digital. CD and streaming is something I use when I’m lazy or want mostly back ground music. Of course, its just my opinion and my ears.
To me, the Thorens TD 203 should be sought out before it’s no longer available. It has been reduced in price by rutherford audio due to the fact they are no longer the sole distributor. They are letting a $1000 turntable out the door for $579. It has a high end uni-pivot arm seldom if ever seen at this price point. All the European hifi mags have raved about it. Some usa based mags have taken notice as well. In fact they have gone as far to say that buying the td 203 over the higher priced td 206 or 209 is advisable as it is just as good for a much lower price. It is the entry level tier to the high-end. Believe it or not, all the reviews and listening tests were done using the lowly Thorens TAS 257 cartridge! This cartridge is equivalent to the Audio Technica AT 3600 that has been around forever and can be found on many many a turntable disguised under whatever brand the turntable happens to be...regal carbon for instance. Somehow someway it just creates magic when combined with the uni-pivot arm of the td 203. It is a conical stylus. In fact, so is the venerable Denon DL 103. I got one on order in black, can’t wait!