Links (analog style) and downloads
Thorens Reference MK I
First introduced in 1979
An experiment. Build the best sounding turntable regardless of cost. Put to use all of the knowledge gained in years of research and development. The result was The Thorens Reference.
Features:
THORENS belt drive
three phase motor with clutch pulley electronic motor regulation three speeds: 33 -1/3, 45 and 78 rpm pitch control ± 6% illuminated stroboscope at the outer turntable rim heavy basic chassis and heavy floating chassis, both aluminum castings. The specially calculated chambers in the floating chassis are filled with grained iron for optimum damping vibration and shock-proof 4-point suspension with gold-plated housings. Each suspension point is individually adjustable bubble level the resonance of the floating chassis can be adjusted (1-5 Hz) for exact matching with the tone arm and cartridge combination specially damped turntable platter of 6.6 kg weight and 30.3 cm diameter new and expensive main bearing construction for the world's best rumble figure. The high precision ground steel shaft rotates in oil bathed hard material bearings record stabilizer, gold-plated 3-tone arm platforms of various sizes 2 electric motor lifts (optional) gold-plated control boards, mounted on the main chassis large dust cover Wow and flutter according to DIN 45507: < 0.02% rumble un-weighted, measured with Rumpelmesskoppler* according to DIN A, better than 82 dB weight: approx. 90 kgs dimensions: 620x360x510 mm
Every REFERENCE turntable was individually manufactured by hand. This made it possible to comply with customer special requests regarding color, tone arms and motor lifts.
Officially, 100 units were built and sold.
Data taken from the Thorens company history pamphlet titled: "Thorens, The fascination of a living legend. Milestones in the development of appliances for music reproduction"
Link to Thorens Reference MK 1 Serial No. 22 currently being restored by Rolf
Kelch
* Rumpelmesskoppler: a device for closely evaluating rumble noises of record players. Developed by Thorens in 1978.
comments to: user510@earthlink.net