Excellent shock absorption & High accuracy and realism of the sound - Thorens TD-402 DD Turntable

Date:2020-08-28

This article is compiled from "HiFi Audio"
Today, the new generation of Thorens is mainly focusing in the production of entry-level turntables, tonearms, and drive motors. In the audiophile world, Thorens's top turntable TD 1601 is priced at HKD 29,800, overall it is only entry-level. The TD-402 DD in front of me is the elementary model, the price is HKD 8,000. Far from simple entry level standard Thorens TD 402 DD uses state of the art technology together with ease of use and perfect sound. Tonearm are made of carbon tonearm tube and a removable headshell. Thorens TD-402 DD has outstanding cost-effective performance in the turntables under HKD 10,000 I have contacted and listened to!

In the past, common question was hard or soft turntable? Today, many turntable designs are actually mixed with both. Thorens' turntables are no exception. The soft part of TD-402 DD lies in the four vibration-absorbing footstand and turntable pads under the main unit of the turntable. The hard part, in addition to the carbon fiber tonearm, boom, balance mound and other necessary devices, is the delicate wooden shell and aluminum of the turntable platform. The alloy platform and the aluminum alloy turntable are also soft materials among the hard materials. They have good rigidity and also have damping characteristics. Soft and hard materials are used to deal with different resonances.

My reference equipment this time is mainly simple and concise. A Micromega M-150 has already served as a streaming digital source and a integrated amplifier. In fact, it also has built-in MM and MC phono-amp modules. In the process, I tried to turn off the built-in phono amplifier circuit of TD-402 DD, and let M-150 directly used the phono amplifier and drive a pair of PMC Twenty5.26i floor speakers. This extremely simple combination of two pieces of equipment can give consideration of both digital and analog sources at the same time. It is really attractive to me who likes a simple system.

Is there any room for upgrading cheap vinyl turntables? Before, I added a Densen DP-Drive phono amplifier, and put a pair of pure copper RCA cables between the phono amplifier and M-150.

Even if you listen to pop music, the air, space, and dynamic contrast of the sound are immediately improved, the sound field is calm and wide, the dynamics of electronic music and the power of slap knotting are more solid and stable, and the changes in the vocals are more rich and realism, you can feel the charm of true feelings, especially listening to Leslie Cheung, can definitely make me listen to one song after another without stopping it at all.

The sound characteristics of TD-402 DD are that the treble performance are reached excellent cost-effective, the space is open enough to be wide and wide enough, the vocals is good, the sound is refreshing and agile, and it also has good detail discrimination. At the same price range, it is really hard to find opponent! ...

Read full acticle:  Thorens TD-402 DD

Product Specification: Thorens TD 402 DD Turntable