Thorens TD202

The TD 202 belongs to the family of manual belt-drive turntables, driven by a DC motor. It rotates at 33-1/3 and 45 rpm, with speed selection via a switch on the front panel, to the left of the platter. The high-gloss wood finish and the 300 mm diameter die-cast aluminium platter place the unit within a classic approach to analogue playback, where the mass of the platter contributes to rotational stability.

Two particular features considerably widen its scope of use. Firstly, a switchable RIAA phono preamp housed within the chassis: when engaged, it allows direct connection to a Line input on an amplifier, system or active speakers lacking a phono input; when disengaged, it hands control over to the phono stage of an amplifier or to an external preamplifier. Secondly, a USB output, which allows transfer to a Mac or PC computer and thus the archiving of records using recording software such as Audacity, with level correction along the way. The analogue connection is made via gold-plated RCA connectors.

The tonearm is a straight aluminium tube with static balance, with an effective length of 223.6 mm and an overhang of 18.6 mm, complemented by an anti-skating adjustment graduated at the base of the pivot. Its 11 g headshell accepts cartridges to the 1/2 inch standard weighing between 3.5 and 6 g, with an adjustable tracking force of 1.5 to 2.5 g, the standard value being 2 g. The supplied cartridge is an Audio-Technica AT95E, a moving-magnet type with an elliptical diamond, fitted and adjusted at the factory: output of 4 mV at 1 kHz for 5 cm/s, response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, channel separation of 20 dB at 1 kHz, recommended load of 47 kOhms and 100 to 200 pF.

On the drive performance side, speed variation is rated at +/-2%, wow and flutter at 0.2%, and the signal-to-noise ratio at 67 dB or better with A-weighting (LPF 20 kHz), 60 dB or better unweighted. Power consumption remains modest at 1.5 W, under 0.5 W in standby, with a universal 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz power supply. The unit measures 420 x 355 x 121 mm and weighs 3.9 kg.

This configuration is aimed at anyone wanting a turntable that's ready to play without piling up additional components: the built-in preamp allows pairing with a modern system lacking a phono input, while the ability to disengage it leaves room to move up to a more refined phono stage later on. The 1/2 inch standard headshell opens the door to a future cartridge change, within the stated weight range. The USB output will also appeal to those wishing to keep a digital copy of a record collection.

When buying this type of turntable second-hand, a few points deserve particular attention:

• the condition of the belt, which stretches and hardens over time and can then cause speed drift beyond the stated +/-2%;
• wear on the AT95E's elliptical diamond, a consumable item by nature, and the cleanliness of the cartridge;
• the operation of the front-panel speed switch and of the phono preamp's on/off selector;
• the flexibility of the tonearm pivot, and the proper functioning of the counterweight and graduated anti-skating;
• the condition of the aluminium platter and its spindle, as well as that of the gold-plated RCA terminals and the USB socket, which see frequent use.

A speed check with a stroboscope and careful listening for hum or motor noise usefully round off the inspection before putting the unit into service.