thorens 160

Pray. No seriously, gently lower the platter into the bearing and gently spin it without the belt in place. If there is any binding or eccentricity there is a problem, although a modicum of "swim" would probably be acceptable in a moderatly priced table. It should continue turning for a good bit of time. Lay the belt on a white piece of paper. I use gloves as the oils in your skin can have an adverse effect on the rubber. If the belt will not hold a round shape and keeps coming back to oval it has been left in one position too long and should be replaced. Also check it for cracks and other signs of wear. Very gently twist the arm around it's axis, to test for loose bearings, if you encounter any resistance stop. You are just trying to feel if there is any play; too much force here can do damage by brinelling, or flat spotting the bearings, so skip this bit if you are uncertain. A certain amount of looseness or slop in the bearing will be acceptable but any wobbleing or binding is a source of problems. The arm should move freely and easily both in the vertical and horizontal directions. The power cord and arm cable should also be checked for cracks and replaced as needed. Once the platter is in place, check the suspension by gently bouncing the platter. Again, no binding or obstructions should be evident. Good luck. If you have any specific problems please post them in this thread.

You can check this web site.

http://www.theanalogdept.com/

or http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/bbs.html

for more information.

Ryan

The Thorens is a pretty good turntable. The weakest point is the tonearm. Viridian gives good advice above. I would add that you should use a med-high compliance cartridge with it, since the tonearm bearings are not the greatest. Medium to high compliance cartridges will not stress this weakness in the arm and sound better overall in that package. Vinyl rules!