Thorens TD 165 lacking tonearm - is trade for this a good deal?

pglbook

Someone local offered to trade me a Thorens 165 turntable + $50 for my vintage Onkyo TX 4500 MK II receiver. The turnrtable works and looks fine but the problem is it lacks the tonearm and headshell and dustcover. I have been looking to move my old Onkyo TX 4500 MK II receiver as I no longer use it and I also have been looking for a Thorens turntable.

However, I do not know anything about the Thorens TD 165 model.
I also do not know how much of a problem, and how expensive, it would be to get a tonearm for it.

Please let me know if you have any info on this tt and tonearm and also what you think of this deal.
Is it worth it?

Thanks.

pglbook

Just wondering if anyone knows anything about the Thorens TD 165 tt and how much a replacement tonearm might cost me.

Thanks.

boston1450

I'll be honest with ya. If your like me and dont know !! Id pass !! It may cost you more in repairs--how much is a working one worth ? Do you do plan on using turntables ? To adjust one is KNOWLEDGE let alone repair/replace. There are alot of beginner models such as Audio Technica for 71.00 new to your doorstep online..dont like it. Sell it for 50.00 and your 20.00 experience inst going to kill ya wallet....just my opinion---GOOD LUCK Randy

boston1450

I would think to replace all those items above would cost you a little unless you know where there is one for parts----i got a decent one working complete at local Goodwill for 7.99 used it for 6 months-got another nicer one-flipped the Goodwill one n 20.00 doubled+ my money......

pglbook

Thanks, boston. I was kind of thinking the same thing but was not sure - in terms of it being costly to get a tonearm and cartridge, and probably not worth it. Mods/repairs/replacement parts do add up so what my look like a good deal initially may end up costing one more in the long run. I also did some online research yesterday and the TD 165 model seems to be a basic, lower end Thorens model - still a Thorens and a very good tt, by all accounts - but, from what I have read, there are a lot of other "better" Thorens models like the TD 160, 124, 125, 150, etc. I will pass. Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it!

mhardy6647

It is a very good turntable - the Devil's in the details; what kind of shape is it in?

A good arm would not be wasted on a TD-165 IMO.

The 4500(II) is a nice receiver (actually very nice, 'specially the tuner section) but it (and other Onkyo receivers) is somewhat "undervalued" on the current market relative to (e.g.) Sansui, Marantz, Pioneer, and even Kenwood.


Maybe an even swap is about right... were it me, I'd hate to turn down a bona fide chance to pick up a classic Thorens (if it is in generally good shape). I'd put an SME 3009 arm or a Formula 4 or something like that on it (or retrofit it with its proper Thorens arm - which was also pretty good).

TD-165 manuals at http://www.vinylengine.com/library/thorens/td165.shtml

pglbook

Thanks for the input.

DSkip, yes, I was looking to get $100 cash for the Onkyo receiver. That was what I paid for it over a year ago and it has served me well, doing a great job driving my Polk Monitor 7Bs in my shop.

The Onkyo is a really nice receiver and a sleeper compared to the vintage Yamaha, Pioneer, Marantz, etc, receivers of that era.
I was not familiar with vintage Onkyo receivers and took a chance when I bought it locally last year and I was extremely impressed with its sound and power (and it looks nice too). I just do not need it anymore as I now have 3 other vintage receivers (Yamaha CR 2020, CR 2040, etc) and a power amp (Parasound).

So basically I would get the Thorens TD 165 turntable (without tonearm, headshell or dustcover but otherwise working fine) and $50 cash in exchange for my Onkyo TX 4500 MK II receiver.

mhardy, How much would it cost me to get a SME tonearm for the Thorens TD 165?

mhardy6647

I am sorry - I misread the first post. I'd think a TD-165 in good shape (even sans arm) and fiddy smackers would be a good deal for a TX-4500II if the latter's truly surplus to you (i.e., and you want a good tt).

No idea what a used 3009 is goin' for; not cheap, but still a very good arm. A current production Rega arm would be dandy, too (not sure what the current models or prices are).