Thorens TD 1601 Sub-Chassis Belt-Drive Turntable

Thorens TD 1601 Sub-Chassis Belt-Drive Turntable With TP 160 Tonearm

Everything the TD 1600 is — with motorized electric tonearm lift and touchless auto-stop. The version two-thirds of buyers choose.

The Thorens TD 1601 is mechanically identical to the TD 1600 in every meaningful way: the same three-point spring-suspended subchassis with MDF construction and steel thread lateral constraint, the same 4.2 kg two-piece machined aluminum platter with internal belt drive, the same electronically controlled AC synchronous motor, the same external TPN 1600 linear power supply with toroidal transformer delivering 2x 16V, the same TP 160 tonearm with knife-edge vertical bearing and magnetically stabilized horizontal bearing, the same balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs, and the same solid wooden plinth with triCom top board. What the TD 1601 adds over the TD 1600 is the feature that Thorens reports approximately two-thirds of buyers choose it for: a motorized electric tonearm lift and a touchless optical auto-stop that detects the end of the record, raises the tonearm, and stops the platter automatically — without any manual involvement.

One important note before purchase: the Thorens TD 1601 does not include a cartridge. You will need to select and install one separately. The Thorens TAS 1600 moving coil cartridge is developed specifically for the TP 160 tonearm and is available separately. Our team at All Elite Audio can advise on cartridge selection and pairing.

Available now at All Elite Audio, your authorized Thorens dealer in Timonium, Maryland — with in-store demos, expert guidance, and nationwide shipping.

The Electric Lift and Touchless Auto-Stop — What They Do and Why They Matter

The TD 1601's defining additions over the TD 1600 are two integrated automation features that operate without any physical contact with the tonearm during the auto-stop sequence.

The motorized electric tonearm lift replaces the manual lever on the TD 1600. Rather than physically pushing a lever next to the tonearm pivot to raise and lower the stylus — a task that, on a sensitive suspended subchassis like the TD 1600/1601's, requires a steady hand to avoid disturbing the floating subchassis — the electric lift raises and lowers the tonearm smoothly via a small motor mechanism at the press of a button. The result is consistent, repeatable, mechanically controlled stylus placement every time, without the variability of manual cueing.

The touchless auto-stop uses an optical sensor to detect when the stylus has reached the end of the record. As the tonearm sweeps inward toward the label area, the sensor reads the tonearm position and at the end of the last groove, triggers the automatic sequence: the electric lift raises the tonearm, moves it back to the rest position, and the motor stops. Nothing touches the record or tonearm during this process — the detection and response are entirely contactless. The practical benefit is straightforward: you can leave the room, fall asleep, or simply not watch the clock, and the TD 1601 will protect your stylus and records without your intervention. For listeners who play records frequently without sitting through every side, this is the feature that makes the TD 1601 the clear choice.

Subchassis Architecture — Springs on the Floor, Steel Thread Lateral Control

The TD 1601's three conical springs rest on the turntable's bottom plate with the subchassis sitting on top of them — not hanging from the top board as in many classic suspended designs. A tightened steel thread connects the subchassis to a pin on the bottom plate, preventing lateral movement and constraining the suspension to purely vertical compliance. This piston-like vertical motion converts lateral vibrations into the clean vertical movement the spring system handles best, minimizing rocking or wobbling during playback.

The motor is positioned at the front left of the chassis in the extension of the platter bearing and tonearm axis. A foam-damped steel thread connects the motor pulley area to the subchassis, equalizing the tensile forces the motor exerts and relieving stress on the platter bearing — a detail that reflects the depth of engineering throughout the TD 1601's design. The subchassis itself is shaped MDF, chosen for its high internal damping and resonance absorption.

4.2 kg Two-Piece Aluminum Platter With Internal Belt Drive

The TD 1601's platter is a two-piece machined aluminum assembly consisting of an inner sub-platter and a larger outer platter. The drive belt runs internally around the sub-platter, keeping the belt path short and isolated from the outer bearing area. The combined weight is 4.2 kg — massive rotational inertia that resists speed changes from stylus drag or external disturbances. Individually, each platter section rings audibly; assembled, they are acoustically inert, the two aluminum sections damping each other's resonances. A thick rubber mat sits on the outer platter. Belt tension is user-adjustable, allowing the drive belt's tautness to be tuned for optimal coupling and vibration isolation.

TP 160 Tonearm — Knife-Edge Bearing With Magnetic Horizontal Stabilization

The TP 160 was developed by Helmut Thiele — a veteran analog tonearm engineer whose work draws on decades of high-performance design — taking direct inspiration from classic EMT studio tonearms. It is a 9-inch J-shaped arm machined from aluminum with an SME-compatible detachable headshell connector.

The vertical bearing uses an ultra-precise knife-edge design providing exceptionally low friction and high sensitivity to groove modulations. The horizontal bearing uses magnetic stabilization: magnets hold the pivot with precisely calibrated force, delivering stability without the friction that mechanical preload would introduce. This combination — low-friction knife-edge vertical bearing, magnetically stabilized horizontal bearing — is what gives the TP 160 its unusually refined tracking sensitivity. Effective mass is 16 grams, confirmed directly by Thorens CEO Günter Kürten. Height (VTA) and azimuth are both adjustable. The two-piece counterweight accommodates a wide range of cartridge weights. Anti-skating is spring-based with a dedicated adjustment dial.

External TPN 1600 Linear Power Supply

The TD 1601's AC synchronous motor is powered by the external TPN 1600 linear power supply — a separate chassis housing a high-performance toroidal transformer that delivers 2x 16V to the motor. Keeping power conversion outside the turntable chassis removes the transformer's electromagnetic field and conversion noise from the sensitive tonearm wiring and cartridge signal path. Thorens specifies this arrangement as providing the highest possible rotational stability of the platter.

True Balanced XLR Output — MC Cartridge Required for Full Benefit

The TD 1601 provides both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs. Thorens is explicit: to benefit from True Balanced Connection, the turntable must be equipped with a moving coil (MC) cartridge. A moving coil cartridge generates a genuinely balanced signal across its coil; the balanced XLR connection then carries this signal with common-mode noise cancelled at the balanced phono stage input. Since the TD 1601 ships without a cartridge, cartridge selection meaningfully affects which output architecture you take full advantage of. The Thorens TAS 1600 MC cartridge — developed in Japan specifically for the TD 1600 and TD 1601 — is the recommended pairing for listeners who want to use the balanced output at its full potential.

TD 1601 vs TD 1600 — The Single Meaningful Difference

The TD 1601 ($5,995) and TD 1600 ($5,195) share every mechanical specification: same platter, same subchassis, same motor, same power supply, same tonearm, same outputs, same dimensions and weight, same finishes. The TD 1601 adds the motorized electric tonearm lift and the touchless optical auto-stop. That is the complete difference between the two models. Thorens reports approximately two-thirds of buyers choose the TD 1601. For listeners who want to play records without monitoring each side — or who want to protect their stylus against the risk of riding the dead wax — the TD 1601 is the clear choice. For listeners who prefer the pure manual experience and are comfortable cueing and stopping the deck themselves, the TD 1600 saves $800.

TD 1601 vs TD 1500 — Two Thorens Subchassis Designs at Different Levels

The TD 1500 ($2,995) and TD 1601 ($5,995) are both Thorens suspended subchassis belt-drive turntables, but they are built around different engineering approaches. The TD 1500 uses a double-layer Alucobond subchassis with springs adjustable from above, a DC motor with incremental encoder speed control, a 1.4 kg platter, the TP 150 tonearm with 14g effective mass, and includes the Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge. The TD 1601 uses a shaped MDF subchassis with springs resting on the floor and steel thread lateral constraint, an AC synchronous motor powered by a separate toroidal linear supply, a 4.2 kg two-piece platter, the TP 160 knife-edge tonearm with 16g effective mass and magnetic horizontal stabilization, motorized lift, touchless auto-stop, and no included cartridge. The TD 1601 is the more sophisticated and more expensive platform in every dimension.

Key Specifications

Type: Semi-automatic belt-drive turntable with three-point spring-suspended subchassis; motorized electric tonearm lift; touchless optical auto-stop Drive System: Belt drive with internal belt path; polished precision belt; adjustable belt tension Motor: Electronically controlled AC synchronous motor Power Supply: External TPN 1600 linear power supply; high-performance toroidal transformer; 2x 16V output Speeds: 33⅓ and 45 RPM (electronic speed selector) Subchassis: Shaped MDF; three conical springs resting on bottom plate; tightened steel thread lateral constraint for piston-like vertical movement Platter: Two-piece machined aluminum; 12-inch; 4.2 kg combined; internal belt on sub-platter; thick rubber mat; adjustable belt tension Tonearm: Thorens TP 160; 9-inch J-shaped aluminum; knife-edge vertical bearing; magnetically stabilized horizontal bearing; 16g effective mass; SME headshell connector; height (VTA) and azimuth adjustable; two-piece counterweight; spring anti-skate with adjustment dial Tonearm Lift: Motorized electric Auto-Stop: Touchless optical sensor; raises tonearm and stops platter at end of record Cartridge: Not included — owner's choice; TAS 1600 MC cartridge available separately Outputs: Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA (True Balanced requires MC cartridge) Included Interconnects: None — tonearm cable purchased separately Plinth: Solid wood; Black High Gloss or Walnut High Gloss; triCom top board in matte aluminum Included: External TPN 1600 power supply; acrylic dust cover; headshell Dimensions (W x H x D): 454 x 180 x 369 mm Weight: Approximately 11 kg Finishes: Black High Gloss, Walnut High Gloss

Why Buy From All Elite Audio

All Elite Audio is an authorized Thorens dealer located in Timonium, Maryland. We carry the Thorens TD 1601, TD 1600, and TD 1500, and can advise on cartridge selection, phono stage pairing, and tonearm cable options for any of these turntables. Our team has hands-on experience with the full Thorens lineup and can demonstrate the TD 1601 in our showroom.

We offer in-store demos, expert guidance before and after purchase, and nationwide shipping.

Call: 443-402-5055 Text: 443-402-5064 Visit: 1921 York Rd, Timonium, MD 21093

Frequently Asked Questions — Thorens TD 1601

What is the Thorens TD 1601 and what makes it different from the TD 1600? The TD 1601 is mechanically identical to the TD 1600 in every specification — same 4.2 kg two-piece platter, same three-point suspended subchassis, same AC synchronous motor, same TPN 1600 external linear power supply, same TP 160 tonearm with knife-edge and magnetically stabilized bearing, same balanced XLR and RCA outputs, same dimensions. The single difference is the TD 1601's motorized electric tonearm lift and touchless optical auto-stop, which automatically raises the tonearm and stops the platter at the end of the record without any manual intervention. Thorens reports approximately two-thirds of buyers choose the TD 1601 for this feature.

Does the TD 1601 include a cartridge? No. The Thorens TD 1601 does not include a cartridge. You will need to select and install one separately before the turntable is ready to play. Thorens offers the TAS 1600 — a low-output moving coil cartridge developed in Japan specifically for the TD 1600 and TD 1601 — as a recommended pairing. All Elite Audio can advise on cartridge selection based on your phono stage and system. Call or text us at 443-402-5055 / 443-402-5064 before purchase.

How does the touchless auto-stop work on the TD 1601? The TD 1601 uses an optical sensor to detect the tonearm's position as it sweeps inward toward the label area. When the sensor reads that the stylus has reached the end of the record's last groove, it triggers an automatic sequence: the motorized electric lift raises the tonearm, moves it back to the rest position, and the platter motor stops. No mechanical contact with the tonearm or record occurs during this process — the detection and response are entirely contactless. The practical result is that the stylus is never left riding the dead wax and the motor is not left running unnecessarily.

What is the TP 160 tonearm's effective mass? The TP 160's effective mass is 16 grams — confirmed directly by Thorens CEO Günter Kürten in correspondence with the HiFi Advice review team. Some specifications on other sites state 14g or 15g; the correct figure is 16 grams.

Does the TD 1601 include phono interconnect cables? No. The TD 1601 does not include tonearm interconnect cables. You will need to purchase a suitable tonearm cable — RCA or XLR terminated depending on your phono stage — before the turntable is ready to connect to your system. All Elite Audio can recommend appropriate cables. Call or text us to discuss options before purchase.

Is the TD 1601's balanced XLR output usable with any cartridge? The balanced XLR output is present regardless of cartridge, but Thorens specifies that True Balanced Connection requires a moving coil (MC) cartridge. An MC cartridge generates a genuinely balanced signal across its coil, allowing common-mode noise to be cancelled at the balanced phono stage input. A moving magnet cartridge does not generate a truly balanced output, and the benefit of the XLR connection is reduced in that configuration. If you intend to use the balanced output, plan to pair the TD 1601 with an MC cartridge and an MC-capable phono stage.

Why does the TD 1601 cost more than the TD 1600 if they are mechanically identical? The TD 1601 adds the motorized electric tonearm lift mechanism and the touchless optical auto-stop circuit — additional components with their own engineering, manufacturing, and quality control requirements. The premium reflects these additions. For listeners who value automatic arm return and stylus protection, the TD 1601's convenience is worth the difference. For those who prefer fully manual operation and hands-on engagement with their vinyl, the TD 1600 offers the identical platform without it.

How does the TD 1601 compare to the TD 1500? The TD 1500 ($2,995) uses a double-layer Alucobond subchassis with springs adjustable from above, a DC motor with incremental encoder speed control, a 1.4 kg platter, the TP 150 tonearm with 14g effective mass, and includes the Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge. The TD 1601 ($5,995) uses a shaped MDF subchassis with springs on the floor and steel thread lateral constraint, an AC synchronous motor with external toroidal linear power supply, a 4.2 kg two-piece platter, the TP 160 knife-edge tonearm with 16g effective mass and magnetic horizontal stabilization, motorized lift, touchless auto-stop, and no included cartridge. The TD 1601 is the more sophisticated platform in every dimension and requires a cartridge purchase before first play.

What warranty does the Thorens TD 1601 include? The Thorens TD 1601 carries a 2-year manufacturer warranty. All Elite Audio is a fully authorized Thorens dealer, ensuring your warranty is valid and supported.

Where can I buy the Thorens TD 1601 and hear it in person? All Elite Audio is an authorized Thorens dealer with a full home audio showroom at 1921 York Rd, Timonium, Maryland 21093. We carry the full Thorens lineup including the TD 1601, TD 1600, and TD 1500, and can advise on cartridge selection, phono stage pairing, and system integration. Call us at 443-402-5055 or text 443-402-5064. We also ship nationwide.