A match made in Heaven. Thorens & Benz ❤️

Rockchild

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Recently I sold my Gyro Se to simplify my vinyl set up and don’t get me wrong, the Gyro is an awesome deck but I’m a sucker for a decent conventional wooded surrounded suspended deck so along came the cheaper Thorens TD1600 and I have no regrets at all. It’s an emotional deck with such a wonderful bass and midrange tonal quality and allows some older recordings really shine and I much prefer it over decks that are analytical and in my opinion, trying to be something vinyl isn’t.
Anyway, having been a great fan of Benz Micro Cartridges, I had to get another for this and boy, is it a good choice!!
The Benz Wood is imo, the sweet spot in the range, offering 80% of the more expensive LPS but having the option of 0.4mV or 0.8mV low outputs and I opt for the 0.8mV because it clearly matches phonostages with lower gain abilities and negates the need to crank up the volume and introduce unwanted noise.

39A456DC-8E08-4D7E-9CF1-E2441A402B1B.jpeg

An extraordinary powerful sound with dynamics to die for with virtually no surface noise. Bass is tuneful and tight with a superb integration with the midrange. No signs of top end break up or overbearing treble just music and music that sounds bloody darn good!
I’ve had a few Benz cartridges in the past and recently had on loan a Gullwing which was wonderful but at over twice the price, it didn’t justify itself in this combo.

35EF2A0F-882C-4066-AE4C-DD928CB2EF54.jpeg

So a match made in heaven? I think so and I’ll continue to listen to my vinyl for many years to come and this isn’t even run in yet!
Hopefully @MVJ when you get your Benz back, you can comment on how it’s sounding after it’s rebuild.

Anyway well happy with this set up!
 
Last edited:

MVJ

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Apr 9, 2020
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Recently I sold my Gyro Se to simplify my vinyl set up and don’t get me wrong, the Gyro is an awesome deck but I’m a sucker for a decent conventional wooded surrounded suspended deck so along came the cheaper Thorens TD1600 and I have no regrets at all. It’s an emotional deck with such a wonderful bass and midrange tonal quality and allows some older recordings really shine and I much prefer it over decks that are analytical and in my opinion, trying to be something vinyl isn’t.
Anyway, having been a great fan of Benz Micro Cartridges, I had to get another for this and boy, is it a good choice!!
The Benz Wood is imo, the sweet spot in the range, offering 80% of the more expensive LPS but having the option of 0.4mV or 0.8mV low outputs and I opt for the 0.8mV because it clearly matches phonostages with lower gain abilities and negates the need to crank up the volume and introduce unwanted noise.

39A456DC-8E08-4D7E-9CF1-E2441A402B1B.jpeg

An extraordinary powerful sound with dynamics to die for with virtually no surface noise. Bass is tuneful and tight with a superb integration with the midrange. No signs of top end break up or overbearing treble just music and music that sounds bloody darn good!
I’ve had a few Benz cartridges in the past and recently had on loan a Gullwing which was wonderful but at over twice the price, it didn’t justify itself in this combo.

35EF2A0F-882C-4066-AE4C-DD928CB2EF54.jpeg

So a match made in heaven? I think so and I’ll continue to listen to my vinyl for many years to come and this isn’t even run in yet!
Hopefully @MVJ when you get your Benz back, you can comment on how it’s sounding after it’s rebuild.

Anyway well happy with this set up!
Well I'm five albums in so far & it is sounding very nice indeed.

I think a few more records in and I'll start listening properly & post my views👍
 

Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Not quite the 40 hours run in time but more like 20 but unlike other cartridges, Benz have the ability not to go off song but only improve which is where I’m at. This is the third Benz I’ve owned and quite frankly for the Money, I really don’t need to spend anymore. The equivalent AT cartridges are great but seem to lack the emotional involvement of the Benz.
I do have an old VDH Frog that I’m likely to get rebuilt but to compare and then sell.
In a nutshell, this combination is clearly outdoing the Gyro/HR/Audiomods by some margin and at considerably less money. Synergy is key.
 

DUVET

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HiFi Trade?
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Not quite the 40 hours run in time but more like 20 but unlike other cartridges, Benz have the ability not to go off song but only improve which is where I’m at. This is the third Benz I’ve owned and quite frankly for the Money, I really don’t need to spend anymore. The equivalent AT cartridges are great but seem to lack the emotional involvement of the Benz.
I do have an old VDH Frog that I’m likely to get rebuilt but to compare and then sell.
In a nutshell, this combination is clearly outdoing the Gyro/HR/Audiomods by some margin and at considerably less money. Synergy is key.

I'm loving my Benz . It's also an excellent tracker . No stylus guard is the only scary downside .
 

Rockchild

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Very nice.

It would be interesting to compare it to an original 150/160 with same arm and cartridge.
There is little to compare tbh Uzzy. The engineering and design inside is so advanced compared to the oldies, there is little point. The Arm is only part of it and there is sooo much bass weight to the music, it’s hard to believe it’s a belt drive.
 
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Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Jonathan
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I'm loving my Benz . It's also an excellent tracker . No stylus guard is the only scary downside .
Even worse with the skeleton designs lol. Yes, you need to be careful ❗️ like you, I agree, the Benz is a great tracker and I use one track to prove this and only the Benz plays it without break up.
 
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MVJ

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There is little to compare tbh Uzzy. The engineering and design inside is so advanced compared to the oldies, there is little point. The Arm is only part of it and there is sooo much bass weight to the music, it’s hard to believe it’s a belt drive.
I'm finding my Benz Wood sl is producing more bass weight than I recall when it was on the Michell or is it the Technics being DD?

It is sounding very nice right now just a few days in & getting better & better I think my AT ART-9xi is going to have tough competition getting back on the TT😲
 

Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Jonathan
HiFi Trade?
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I'm finding my Benz Wood sl is producing more bass weight than I recall when it was on the Michell or is it the Technics being DD?

It is sounding very nice right now just a few days in & getting better & better I think my AT ART-9xi is going to have tough competition getting back on the TT😲
The Technics is great for Bass mate. Probably the Benz is complementing it in some way. Comparing a Benz to a high end AT, the Benz seems to be more romantic if that makes sense. It doesn’t highlight in one area
 
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MVJ

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The Technics is great for Bass mate. Probably the Benz is complementing it in some way. Comparing a Benz to a high end AT, the Benz seems to be more romantic if that makes sense. It doesn’t highlight in one area
Once the Benz has had some hours on it I'll do some comparisons which is the beauty of a Technics swopping them in & out being so quick👍
 

Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Jonathan
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Have I said I’m enjoying this combo already 😂
Seriously, I’ve had decks costing a lot more than this. I’ve been listening to all sorts The Jam to Shakatak 😊.
All through the Moddest XM3 Phonostage from Exposure. However, there is a Tron on its way
 
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MVJ

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Have I said I’m enjoying this combo already 😂
Seriously, I’ve had decks costing a lot more than this. I’ve been listening to all sorts The Jam to Shakatak 😊.
All through the Moddest XM3 Phonostage from Exposure. However, there is a Tron on its way
Any kit that gets you playing & enjoying your music is worth it's weight in gold mate👌🏻
 

Pkay

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I’m a huge fan. Having a Wood SL on an Audio Origami PU7 it’s a great match. I’ll be keeping mine for a long time.
 

DomT

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Maybe it is actually a match made in Switzerland. Could be a coincidence that they work well together being from the same country or maybe Thorens use Benz in their turntable testing?

Just realised that my turntable, arm and cartridge are all Japanese.
 
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