Long ago I bought a Sony linear tracking turntable as a present for my buddy Denro, fitted with a Grado P-Mount cartridge. Plugged into his Sony stereo receiver, that was one of the few times I heard a phono setup with no hum at all, when the volume was turned all the way up while not playing a record.
At that time my primary turntable was the Thorens TD-166 MKII, and it continues to be my main table. I have done some minor servicing on it with parts purchased from Dave Archambault at Vinyl Nirvana, up in New Hampshire.
Although I never owned a linear tracking turntable, their potential for zero geometry tracking error has always intrigued me. This setup — which is not P-Mount — looks and sounds very good.
Other than linear tracking, the smallest potential geometry error is with a properly mounted 12-inch tonearm, as seen in this video, playing the other side of the same record.
Dave at Vinyl Nirvana recently offered six high-end vintage Thorens turntables, each with a new 12-inch tonearm. There is only one left, available for more than $4000 with cartridge options starting at a grand.
That’s the way to go for those who insist on the absolute best, and can afford it. I’m doing okay with my Thorens, purchased 40 years ago next Spring.
