[averydonovan]

Today my Thorens TD 166 Mk II arrived but I am not happy at all. The condition was described as 8/10 on Audiogon but the player is very obviously used and looks a bit worn. I tried playing an LP on it but the pitch is too high and there is no obvious way to adjust the speed. Also, on the back of the tonarm there are two small metal bars with some grooves in them and one has a string tied to it and was just loosely hanging over the other bar. I am guessing this was the anti-skating device, but it seems completely non functional and the tonearm doesn't seem to have any force against it when I move it over an LP. I am thinking I should contact the seller about sending it back because the ad said that I would be getting a working unit and this unit is most definately not working and would require some repair to get it going again. The picture on Audiogon was a bit on the small side but looked great and the seller said the unit was in great shape and worked fine. I need some advice on what to do, I've never had this happen on an item this expensive

 

[ampgalore]

Return the item, ask for a refund.

 

[Gopher]

sorry to hear about your unlucky purchase--I know what it's like to get screwed by sellers/freight companies and it is never fun.

Definetely try to return it, or atleast see if the seller will adjust the price to reflect it's true condition. Perhaps a couple bucks thrown at it will allow you to bring it back to tip top, and maybe begin to rejuvinate your cash flow.

 

[averydonovan]

Thanks for the responses. With shipping this unit came to $175 ($150 before shipping) and I don't know enough about these things to really know how to get it fully working again. My main peeve is that it is most definately not as described, not an 8/10 for sure. I'm sure the seller would be better able to get it going than I would. I am going to send an email to the seller asking if I can go ahead and return it to him for a refund. I really hate to ask for refunds on stuff, and this will be the first time I've ever had to do so on an internet transaction. The seller has good feedback and I am hoping that it will all go well, and I will leave positive feedback for him if it all gets resolved.

 

[Anders]

Sorry I saw this maybe too late. There may be nothing wrong with the turntable. This Mk II model should be over twenty years old, but will probaly work for twenty years more. Mk VI was reviewed 1998 in Steroplay. No surprise that is obviously used. But it is of similar quality as the new entry level turntables.
You switch between 33 and 45 rpm by moving the belt from one ring (cylinder) to the other. Yours seem to have been set to 45 rpm.
I can tell you a little more if you decide to keep it.

 

[averydonovan]

The switch for 33 and 45 RPM moves the belt itself. The issue I have is that it is not as described, most definately not an 8/10 like it was rated. It is unusable as is since the tonearm has no anti-skating. The speed is also off and there is no obvious way to change it. I was suppossed to have gotten a fully working unit in great condition and this simply seems to not be the case. The picture on Audiogon showed a very nice looking unit that looks different from the one that I got, same model but can't be the same unit.

I have not gotten a response from the seller yet. I don't know how long I should wait, but I am guessing not very long. Unfortunately I did not print the ad from Audiogon so I may be SOL if I have to dispute this with PayPal and/or Discover Card. What should I do if I don't hear back from the seller within the next day or two? The seller previously responded very fast to emails and I'm surprised that he hasn't responded to my latest one yet. I have never had an internet transaction that I've had to ask for a return and refund for, so I haven't had to go through this before. All I know is that I won't be buying anything on Audiogon again. Allowing FS ads to dissapear so quickly after a transaction is not a good practice at all.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hajime]

Donovan,

Audiogon stores adds in their system for three or four days after they've expired. Email them, explain the situation and ask for a copy of the add.

 

[averydonovan]

I got a response from the seller tonight and he said to go ahead and return it. So hopefully everything will go okay. *crosses fingers*

 

[Anders]

Things like TD 166 are difficult to handle without a manual and that should be included. The anti-skating is simple and only a little weight that is attatched to a string and hangs on the tonearm. There should also be a kit with small part for mounting different cartridges. But of course, it should be working also. Good luck with the return!

 

[00940]

the manual is available somewhere online, I'll try to find the pdf that's somewhere on my other pc.

 

[lini]

TD166MkII manual? Well, that one could help: http://home.hiwaay.net/~rgs/thorens/...i/default.html

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[averydonovan]

I downloaded a manual before I got the table. The only thing that came with the table is a pre-mounted Empire cartridge and needle, and it looks like a universal-mount one (P-mount with adapter). Before I send it back, would this thing be worth trying to fix up if I ask the seller for a price adjustment reflecting what it is really worth? And how much is a Thorens TD 166 Mk II with a TP21 tonearm worth in rather worn condition without any extra parts and in need of a new weight and string and in need of a speed adjustment (seems to be non-trivial on this table)? I'm listening to the table and it seems to sound pretty good despite the issues it has. I probably won't be able to send it out until tomorrow anyway, so I might as well look into alternatives.

 

[Anders]

It is easy to make a replacement for the anti-skating. Just take a thin and flexible platic string or a sewing-thread, make a loop in one end and attach a small nut in the other end. The problem is to find the right weight. Some experimentation may be needed, but the predefined settings according to needle pressure was not always the best (but not very far from).
The mounting accessories can probably be replaced by small bricks and cut outs of plastic board, as I remember it.

If the belt is mounted correctly and it still doesn't hold correct speed, I would definitely send it back. It is easy to count the number of rotations per minute, rather than listening to pitch. Although, a replecement belt could be good if the current is too loose. Price, maybe the half?

 

[averydonovan]

Thanks for the tips, Anders. I can tell the speed is off just by pitch. It is only a few RPMs too high by the sound of it. The Pioneer turntable I had before had an easy pitch adjustment and I verified it against the CD of the same album and it was pitch-perfect when adjusted right. When counting the revolutions, 33 1/3 revolutions passed in 55 seconds, 45 revolutions in 56 seconds and the pitch for the LP I tried bears that out. The belt looks to be mounted correctly.

 

[Anders]

That is a speed deviation of nearly 10 percent and this is definitely too much, and should be easy to hear. There is no speed adjustment on it, so I am afraid that service or exchange of the motor is required. The motor adjusts to the AC frequency of 60 Hz and this is usually stable. I rather suspected that the speed was a little slow because the belt could have become loose.
I would send it back!
I don't know what the Audiogon rating is for a component with missing parts and defective function, although going. But much lower than 8/10.

I had a TD 166 and I could not hear or measure any speed deviation by counting.