Thorens unveils two budget plug-and-play turntables

Hoping to make more of a mark on the ever-determined vinyl revival, legendary turntable brand Thorens has revealed two new turntables, the TD 201 and TD 202 - which sit below the TD 203 we awarded four stars to last year.

Aimed at vinyl newcomers, both belt-driven decks have plug-and-play designs with preconfigured cartridges, as well as integrated switchable phono stages for direct connection to any amplifier, receiver or external phono stage.

The TD 201 and TD 202 use Thorens' new TP 71 tonearm, but while the TD 201 has an AT 3600 cartridge attached to its detachable headshell, the TD 202 uses an AT 95E cartridge.

Its plinth is slightly larger, too, and it also falls under the USB turntable umbrella, featuring a USB output (and an analogue-to-digital converter) for recording vinyl albums as digital files to a computer.

Both the Thorens TD 201 (€449) and TD 202 (€599) will be available in high-gloss black from the end of November 2018.

MORE: Best turntables 2018: the best decks for every budget

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.

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