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Thorens TD 203 Turntable (Red) with TP82 Tonearm and TPU 257 Pick-up Cartridge $699 Free Delivery (Was $1299) @ Audio Junction

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Thorens TD 203 Turntable (Red) with TP82 Tonearm and TPU 257 Pick-up Cartridge $699 Free Delivery (Was $1299) @ Audio Junction
Go to Deal
Pscooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:07 audiojunction.com.au (3278 clicks)
Last edited 11/05/2024 - 21:07

Hello again OzBargainers, it's time for a turntable deal.

Here we have the Thorens TD 203 turntable in a lovely red colour for $699 with $600 off from Audio Junction plus free delivery. Audio Junction have the black model but the price is $899.

Digital Cinema in Auburn NSW also have the red model for $699, although they are charging $15 for delivery, they also have the black model for $899. https://www.digitalcinema.com.au/thorens-td-203-turntable-wi…

Enjoi…

Edit : Ah crap, forgot to say thanks to OzFinder for giving me the inspiration to post this deal after seeing his/hers Thomson turntable deal, much appreciated👍🏻.

Edit 2 : Thanks to NaythT's post for noticing the black TD 203 is also $899 at Digital Cinema. If it's any consolation when I bought the black model last year from Digital Cinema I asked the sales guy if he could do a better price on the black model and he dropped it to $799.

Electrical & Electronics Thorens Turntable

Related Stores

audiojunction.com.au
audiojunction.com.au

closed Comments

  • ninnypoop on 11/05/2024 - 20:13
    +4

    Interesting dust cover!

    • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:18

      Certainly is, I've been using this turntable since September last year and it's been interesting coming from an entry level Pro-Ject turntable.

      • Sometingwong on 11/05/2024 - 20:33
        +1

        Interesting in what sense? I own an entry level pro-ject and am keen to find out more

        • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:46

          The tonearm on the Thorens is really strange at first thanks to it being uni-pivot.

  • axlfan on 11/05/2024 - 20:43
    +1

    If I didnt have two TT's I'd be all over this damm!

  • axlfan on 11/05/2024 - 20:44
    +1

    Whathifi review - https://www.whathifi.com/thorens/td-203/review

    • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:47
      +1

      Thanks for that👍🏻.

    • AustriaBargain on 11/05/2024 - 20:52
      +11

      Lacks the drive and substance of the class best

      Dang, I think it said the exact same thing on my school report cards.

      • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:54

        Nice one, lol.

      • skidexa on 11/05/2024 - 21:25

        That's what she said :(

  • NaythT on 11/05/2024 - 20:55
    +1

    It looks like the black one is $899 at Digital Cinema also. By default it hasn't selected a colour, when you click black it changes to $899.
    I do love the design of these though

    • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 20:59

      Ah crap, thanks for the heads up, I'll edit the post.

    • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 21:23
      -1

      Forgot to say, even though the dust cover isn't the usual boxed design, that tonearm is what got me. Burt coming from a Pro-Ject Essential TT to the TD 203 is like night and day as far as how you can customise the table.

      You can adjust the tension of the belt under the platter, the 33 1/3 and 45 speed is adjustable via grub screws underneath the plinth in the motor housing. The height of the tonearm can be raised if you want to change to a completely different cartridge which is taller, for example an Ortofon 2M Blue, Nagaoka MP-110 or Shelter MM-201.

      Not that i've messed with anything other than having to adjust the speeds out of the box to the correct playings speeds as I'm happy running it as is, but it is great knowing that there's room for improvement down the road if need be without having to spend $2K or more on a "mid range" model for my next table.

  • RefusdClassification on 11/05/2024 - 21:18
    +2

    I was just browsing Temu yesterday and some Vinyl cufflinks showed up. I'm not sure what the overlap is between vinylophiles and people who wear shirts with French cuffs. Charles Tyrwhitt used to have great sales on these kind of shirts, but the days of bargain brand name shirts are over (I doubt you would find generic brand French cuff shirts at Target or K-Mart).

    https://www.temu.com/au/1pair-vinyl-record-cufflinks-dj-for-…
    Currently $1.90; they are probably on Ali Express as well.

    • apey2000 on 12/05/2024 - 13:19

      Ummm… have an upvote anyway!

  • lachlantula on 11/05/2024 - 21:19
    +1

    welcome back op

    • scooba on 11/05/2024 - 21:24
      +1

      Thanks mang!

  • Italkdigital on 11/05/2024 - 21:35
    +3

    Hiya audio geeks, wondering what is special about owning one of these expensive turntables (well is it expensive or norm price for turntables?), maybe better sounds, better picks, better less wear on ones LP's? fascinated to know?, cheers 🍻

    • Ceri on 11/05/2024 - 21:55

      Would like to know as well. Do you need expensive speaker connected to this?
      I'm getting a Samsung bluetooth soundbar/speaker set and seems like bluetooth vinyl is basically a lie

      • Italkdigital on 11/05/2024 - 22:20
        +1

        There are devices out there too turn ones analog devices into Bluetooth device and in both directions receiver or transmitter, either through RCA cables etc or even optic audio cable connection 🤔

      • scooba on 12/05/2024 - 18:29
        +1

        I don’t have expensive speakers connected to mine, just connected to a receiver with an external pre amp and some old Sony speakers that I like the sound of and it sounds good to me.
        As far as Bluetooth vinyl goes I wouldn’t go down that road as Bluetooth defaults to 256Kbps so you’d be better off streaming. I also know someone with a $700 Audio Technica turntable and they are using the onboard pre amp in the table plugged into a soundbar and they said it wasn’t great.
        Any table with onboard pre amp or Bluetooth aren’t generally great but if you want to keep it sort of cheap you can go that way if you still want to buy records and listen to them.

        • Ceri on 12/05/2024 - 21:24

          Thank you! I went down the rabbit hole of turntables last night and was considering Rega Planar Plus 1 since it has a pre-amp and I have an active bookshelf speaker Edifier R1700BT which is quite popular in ozbargain..
          Between the Edifier and Samsung soundbar I think I have enough speakers but a cheapo bookshelf speaker prolly doesn't justify turntables few times the price?

          • Luc on 13/05/2024 - 09:05

            @Ceri: Just remember to find out what cart your using. Is it MM(moving magnet) or MC(Moving Coil) as built in pre amps don't always give you a choice of settings for these carts and the results of not having the right settings is normally rubbish playback. Then there's LOMC carts but that's probably not going to be a problem as these types of cart can and do start at the TT starting price in some cases. MM will be the stock standard for these low priced TT's so you should be fine(but always check anyway what type of cart it comes with)

          • scooba on 13/05/2024 - 17:48

            @Ceri: No problem. I had a look at the Rega table and Edifier speakers you mentioned, the speakers look fine, but the only thing with the Planar Plus 1 is you're stuck with the onboard pre amp.
            Sure the Rega website says it's a "high specification pre amplifier" but you can't switch from the onboard pre amp to raw phono signal straight from the table which allows you to buy your own external pre amp if you're not happy with the onboard Rega amp paired with your Edifier speakers or any other speakers you might get later on.
            Some models of turntable have a switchable output, like the Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB which a family member of mine bought from JB HiFi late last year for around $550 I think?

    • fantombloo on 11/05/2024 - 21:56
      +1

      More warmth.

      • gakko on 12/05/2024 - 08:24
        +1

        Nice in winter then

    • scooba on 12/05/2024 - 18:17
      -1

      From what I can tell between owning an entry level Pro-Ject turntable and this entry level Thorens is the customisation. Sure you can change the cartridge on the entry level Pro-Ject turntable but on the Thorens you can adjust the tension of the belt under the platter, adjust the playback speeds of the motor and adjust tonearm height to cater for a wider range cartridges, these adjustments aren’t available on the entry level Pro-Ject table that I own and are fixed.

      To me it looks like the higher end manufacturers and models get you more ability to customise your table depending on what music listen to and what kind of playback you’re aiming for i.e more bass, treble, mid range etc.

    • thrillhouse on 13/05/2024 - 07:30

      Listening to LP's I'd argue as having more of an emotional and phycological connection than for reasons of pure music fidelity. Actually, if you care about the fidelity you're always going to be better off streaming proper lossless audio.

      I'm not sure if you're interested in the idea of getting a turntable or not, but just consider your use case and needs. It's an expensive hobby that, whilst can be absolutely enjoyed by a casual listener, is never going to win over the convenience of music streaming. You listen to records because you love the experience of putting an album on, and doing just that (engaged in the music).

      • scooba on 13/05/2024 - 18:16

        Sure, there's a bit of ceremony involved putting on a record, but I like records because I like music. There's a ton of analogue audiophiles that would argue all day about streaming lossless digital vs playing a UHQR pressing on a five thousand dollar table with a 5 hound dollar tube amp, not that I'm one of those people as sometimes I like listening to digital and sometimes I like to throw a few records on.

        Yes vinyl is more expensive in the scheme of paying a monthly streaming subscription, but ultimately at least you own records after buying them and some albums come with a hi res digital download card so you don't have to stream and can add these files to your own digital library and devices.

        Again, I listen to records because I like music, not just because I like putting a record on the turntable and watching it spin lol.

        • thrillhouse on 13/05/2024 - 21:38

          I think we're on the same team, mate. I was explaining to @Italkdigital why buying into LPs shouldn't be about audio quality. At least not as the goal.
          I have an extensive record collection, and love the connection I have when putting them on. But, it's not for everyone.

          • scooba on 14/05/2024 - 10:16
            -1

            @thrillhouse: Yep, same team.
            Although I would say that your statement of “buying into LP’s shouldn’t be about audio quality” isn’t completely accurate.
            Analogue can sh1t all over digital at times even though digital is supposed to be the best quality on paper.
            Yes having an album on record is really nice, even more so if the artwork and vinyl are done really well.

  • Barry off EastEnders on 11/05/2024 - 21:42

    Pro-Ject all the way!

    • TheGman101 on 11/05/2024 - 21:45

      What models though?

      • Barry off EastEnders on 11/05/2024 - 21:49
        +2

        The 'Debut Line' is excellent quality for value - head and shoulders above any other manufacturer.

        https://www.project-audio.com/en/turntables/

        • scooba on 12/05/2024 - 18:21

          My Pro-Ject Essential has been very good to me for just over a decade and I can’t get rid of it so I upgraded the stylus so it can keep on keeping on.
          Nearly bought a Debut for just over a grand but saw this Thorens late last year and couldn’t resist.

  • FutureTech on 11/05/2024 - 21:54
    +8

    How the turntables…

    • ChatCPT on 12/05/2024 - 00:56
      +1

      only because we allowed it to
      people are weird

  • as01 on 11/05/2024 - 23:31

    How does this compare to a Rega Planar 1?

    • darkmoss on 12/05/2024 - 14:43

      the Rega is far superior

    • scooba on 12/05/2024 - 19:51

      When I was researching this model of Thorens, I noticed people were comparing it to the Rega P3. No idea about the Rega tables, I’ve never looked into them myself???

      • thrillhouse on 13/05/2024 - 07:40
        +2

        I have a Rega P3 with an Exact cartridge, before that a Pro-Ject essentials (with whatever cart that came with, I don't remember).

        The biggest difference between the P1 and the P3 are the plinth (MDF), the platter (glass) and the tonearm (one piece). The P1 has limited upgradeability, but serves as a fine starter turntable. That's about all I know.

        • scooba on 13/05/2024 - 18:00

          Thanks for the info👍🏻.

  • freddofrog42 on 12/05/2024 - 00:05
    +1

    Serious question - I have an Ariston RD80SL, with a Linn Basik arm and a choice of cartridges, one of which is a Rega, but there's also a Shure and a couple of others.

    The RD80 is essentially an Linn LP12 clone, belt drive, springs, remove platter for 33/45 speeds etc.

    I auditioned this so many years ago against the Rega Planer 1/2 and Linn LP12 and decided this delivered 95% of the Linn experience.

    I doubt I'll ever use it again due to my age etc - 60, need to downsize. It's 100% perfect.

    Where's a good place to sell this in Aus?

    • CheapandUsed on 12/05/2024 - 08:10
      +2

      You could give the Stereonet forum a try.

      They tend to know what they are looking for / at.

      • freddofrog42 on 12/05/2024 - 19:22

        Thanks - good info.

        I also have a Yamaha DSP-A1 so that be a good place to list as well.

    • avtek on 12/05/2024 - 11:26
      +1

      ariston made some seriously good decks - have a look here to get an idea of what they sell for - depending on the arm/cart https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=ariston+rd80
      you could also list on ebay but dont start at a low price and dont get sucked in to posting it - very hard/time consuming to pack turntables properly - else the platter will come loose and smash the arm and lid in transit - ps stereonet will ask for a donation to sell on there

      • freddofrog42 on 12/05/2024 - 19:20
        +1

        Thanks - good info.

        The platter has been off the springs for years now but it still sits square when actually mounted.

        I also have a Yamaha DSP-A1 so that might be a good place as well.

  • evasive on 12/05/2024 - 00:47
    +3

    https://theartofsound.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-61269.ht…

    Sounds pretty awful. Will stick with my pro-ject or save for a Rega

    • scooba on 13/05/2024 - 17:57

      I still love my Pro-Ject table and that uni-pivot tonearm on the Thorens took some getting used to after using the tonearm on my Pro-Ject.
      Most entry level tables aren't endowed with a uni-pivot design tonearm until you start getting into the mid range tables in some manufacturers that use it from what I've read.

  • grackfight420 on 12/05/2024 - 01:32
    +1

    Reckon something like this, shoppping around for a used low-end Technics, or a new turntable from TGG commercial?
    Right now TGGC has:

    • LP60X $179 / LP60XBT $241
    • Sony PSLX310BT $284
    • LP120X $432

    My only real requirements so far is adjustable tonearm, preamp, doesn't destroy records and sounds half decent on powered speakers

    • ninnypoop on 12/05/2024 - 09:11
      -1

      I purchased the audiotecnhica lpw40wn. It has the features you mention and I'm very happy with it. Picked up about 6 months ago for around $430 with discounted gift cards and price marching at JB.

      If I had my time again, I wouldn't prioritise an inbuilt preamp. You can buy much better ones for pretty cheap from China. Look at fosi audio for example. I now bypass the inbuilt on my lpw40 and use a fosi tube preamp.

  • drprox on 12/05/2024 - 07:10

    Why are there no good ones that are automatic :(
    I really can't be bothered managing this

    • scooba on 12/05/2024 - 19:56

      You can get a tonearm lifter that you mount on the plinth of the table to automatically lift the tonearm at the end of the record.
      Personally I prefer a manual table as some of my records end with locked grooves.

  • danvrev9 on 12/05/2024 - 12:34
    +1

    This will go great with this deal! https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/845474

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