thorens TD 206

Is the Thorens TD 206 (with TP90 tonearm) worth your investment?

Stunning sound quality, the Thorens TD 206 is created by one of the most recognisable turntable brands and takes inspiration from the respected TD 309.

It is built using high-quality parts and materials and shares several of the technologies and features of brands more expensive models. This helps to create the turntable that is comparable to the best models in relation to replay quality. Plus, the TD 206 is skilful manufactured in Germany and packaged with the notable TP90 tone-arm to give faultless sound to the true audiophiles.

Design

The Thorens TD 206 is built with the characteristics of a typical turntable with an oversized plinth in rectangular MDF, rather fat feet and finished in a selection of high-gloss lacquer hues (white, black or red). This gives the turntable a beautiful look and is certain to make a visually pleasing feature in the living room.

It has a useful electronic switch to adjust the speed which is easy to use. On the right hand side of the table is the T90 tone-arm. This tone-arm is made of a special aluminum tube to minimize the risk of vibrations and does a very good job of damping out vibrations. This increased vibration protection gives much greater flexibility in the placement of the audio equipment.

How’s the performance?

Vinyl enthusiasts are certain to appreciate the crispness and clarity that is produced by the TD 206. The turntable makes no audible noise when it is playing or even when it starts up. This means any passages in between songs are dead quiet.

The TD 206 uses a low-voltage, low noise electric speed controlled DC motor for the most efficient noise floor and time, while also having a modifiable belt tension to give the finest performance.

It is really able to make the entire music collection sound great. There are plenty of turntables that leave about half of the vinyl sounding really pleasing and smooth, while the rest has a degree of muddiness. Even for the less than high-quality albums, the Thorens TD 206 has the ability to eek out every last ounce of information to deliver the enjoyable sound with more dynamic range and clarity.

Ease of setting up

Setup is relatively easy with the Thorens TD 206 with virtually no tweaking required to achieve the perfect audio output. But for the audiophiles that like to micromanage their setup, this turntable is built to be fully adjustable. Options include adjusting the tracking weight, leveling the table and mounting the platter. The supplied Thorens (AT95B) cartridge is very musical and likely to meet most people’s expectations with no real need to upgrade in this regard.

Whats the verdict?

Thorens TD 206 Manual Turntable - 33 or 45 rpm TP90 AT95B (High Gloss Black)

While the TD 206 may seem a little pricey for some, it does have plenty of appealing qualities that make it well worth the investment. Lows sound meaty and weighty, but on occasions there may be highs that doesn’t quite sparkle and pop. However, this is a rare event. The build quality of this turntable is no way inferior to the high-end models like the Thorens TD 309. Plus, there is a very useful belt tension for the platter and a good quality arm thats worth every penny.

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