Thorens TD-320

 The TD 320 is the logical conclusion of the realisation of the experience that Thorens have made with the development of the world ackowledged "Reference" and "Prestige" turntables, combined with more than 100 years of tradition in the reproduction of music. The Thorens TD 320, a concept with future.

Features

Servo controlled electronic Thorens belt drive

Resonance absorbing MDF chassis

Clean and uncoloured sound

Professional TP 16 MkII tone arm

Friction-free velocity-sensing electronic shut-off

Design of lasting elegance

 The Thorens belt-drive

The Thorens motor drives the turntable platter by means of a rubber belt. The natural elasticity of the belt prevents most motor vibrations from reaching the platter and therefore, the pick-up stylus, in more than 20 years of continouous development, Thorens has reduced the very few disadvantages of belt drive to an absolute minimum and has brought it to level of technical perfection which is not approached by any other system known today.

A particular development is the Thorens acceleration clutch, which prevents the belt from stretching, thus reducing the starting time and eliminating chassis vibration.

Because of the high performance required by descerning listeners, Thorens has decided to retain its own unique belt drive system as long as no better drive system is developed in Thorens laboratories or elsewhere.

 The Thorens floating suspension

Every turntable must be damped by a suspension system to prevent the sensitive pick-up from environmental vibration and from acoustic feedback. If the springs are placed between motor and turntable platter, they than fulfill the additional requirement of decoupling motor vibrations almost completely from the turntable and the pick-up system.

Chassis  1 carries the motor and controls. Chassis 2 which is isolated by three easily adjustable leaf springs carries the platter and tone arm. The chassis of the 320 is made of amedite material which absorbs resonances resulting in cleaner and more precise sound.

Specifications mean very little to how good a turntable sounds.

The selection of the appropriate materials, the individual tuning, and the harmonisation of all the components are decisive in determining the sound quality.

Thorens have been involved in the production of turntables since the existance of records.

 Friction-free velocity-sensing electronic shut-off

As the lead-out grooves of records show a higher pitch - i.e. the grooves are further apart from one another - the tone arm motional speed increases towards the center of the platter. An electronic circuit picks up the signal produced by the change in the tone arm velocity and commands the motor to stop and the tone arm to raise.

The precision associated with Thorens turntables is further emphasised her, since the activation of the auto stop process is not position sensitive, but fully electronic and friction-free.

The Thorens automatic stopsystem also enables the operator to cue with studio precision at any point on a disc, even at the operator to cue with studio precision at any point on a disc, even at the very centre.

Another circuit prevents the activation of the auto stop process when the tone arm is moved by hand over the disc surface.

Specifications TD 320

Drive System:  1 speed belt drive

Motor:  Low voltage 16 pole synchronous motor, with slip cloutch for instantaneous start.

Speeds:  33⅓ and 45 RPM, electronic speed selection

Motor Speed Control:  2 phase generator for synchronous control

Turntable Platter:  3,1 kg zinc alloy, dynamically balanced

Platter Diameter:  300 mm (12")

Wow and Flutter (DIN 45507):  ≤ 0,035%

Rumble unweighted (DIN 45539):  > 52 dB

Rumble weighted (DIN 455539):  > 72 dB

Power Requirements:  17 V max. 140 mA

Mains Voltage:  may be connected to any line voltage and frequency using the appropiate Thorens AC adapter

Power Consumption:  5 Watt

Dimensions (W x H x D):  440 x 170 x 350 mm (cover closed)

Height with cover open:  430 mm

Weight:  11 kg