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"New" Thorens 124 sounds great, but...

I have a "new" (completely refurbished by STS classic turntables). I know that there is a very heavy lower platter, and it looks like it is made of iron. There is a top platter that seems like it is made of aluminum. On top of that, I have a turntable mat that is made from carbon fiber and cork. I use a Funk Firm FX-R tonearm, and a Benz Ruby Z low output moving coil cartridge.

My tonearm is acting weird. When I lift up the cueing mechanism at the end of the record, it wants to quickly run back to the armrest. Scary fast - as if the table wasn't level, or the armboard wasn't level. But both are perfectly level. I took this tonearm and cartridge combo off of my Linn LP 12, where it acted perfectly normal. Again, it sounds great - no break up on any channel. And the down force is consistent at all points of the record.

Is there any chance that there is a magnetic force at play here? No amount of playing with the anti skate seems to matter. Curious what you folks who have this table, or others like it may think.

David
torc
noromance's avatar
noromance
1,780 posts
 
Could the lift platform be at an angle such that it pushes the arm back to the rest when you lift it?
vinny55
162 posts
 
Why would you blow your money on needless mods.
torc OP
2 posts
 
So, I used a grooveless record to see what was going on. With no grooves, the cartridge flew to the middle - until I lifted it off the record, and it flew to the outside. And I can feel the attraction of the cartridge to the platter.

That combo seems like it won't work...
noromance's avatar
noromance
1,780 posts
 
Take the top platter off and see what happens.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Thorens also made a non magnetic platter, known as the Zamac platter. It is a bit lighter than the steel platter, but has no magnetic attraction. It uses the same aluminum topper as the steel platter.

One thing that folks do is put a felt turntable mat between the steel platter and the aluminum topper, to get the cartridge further away from the platter. Of ourse, you will have to readjust VTA.

Another thing to look at is the anti-skate setting of your tonearm. Too much and it will drift back to the arm post. Good luck.
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