Für welche Plattenspieler ist der Thorens TAS 1600 gemacht?

Der TAS 1600 wurde speziell für die Thorens-Subchassis-Laufwerke TD 1600 und TD 1601 entwickelt. Dort sitzt er klanglich und mechanisch perfekt. An anderen mittelschweren Tonarmen mit Halbzoll-Montage funktioniert er ebenfalls – seine volle Abstimmung erlebst du aber im TD 1600 oder TD 1601.

Welchen Phono-Vorverstärker brauche ich für den TAS 1600?

Einen MC-fähigen Phono-Vorverstärker. Als Low-Output-MC liefert der TAS 1600 rund 0,4 mV und fühlt sich an einem Abschlusswiderstand ab etwa 100 Ohm am wohlsten. Ein reiner MM-Eingang reicht nicht – dafür brauchst du einen MC-Eingang oder einen passenden Übertrager.

Was ist der Unterschied zwischen TAS 1600 und TAS 1500?

Beide sind bei Audio Technica in Japan gefertigt und teilen dasselbe Aluminiumgehäuse. Der TAS 1600 nutzt einen feineren Special-Line-Contact-Diamanten und spielt eine Spur audiophiler und feinauflösender, der TAS 1500 mit Microlinear-Schliff etwas gutmütiger. Kurz: 1600 fürs Maximum, 1500 als starker Allrounder.

Warum den Thorens TAS 1600 bei HD Zürisee kaufen?

Weil ein MC-Tonabnehmer erst mit sauberer Montage und Justage sein Potenzial zeigt – und genau das übernehmen wir. Wir montieren und justieren dir den TAS 1600 auf Wunsch in Wädenswil, beraten dich zur passenden Phonostufe und sind auch danach für dich da.

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Thorens TAS 1600 – MC Cartridge (Line Contact)

CHF 1'190.00

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The Thorens TAS 1600 is a low-output MC cartridge made in Japan, developed by Thorens specifically for the subchassis turntables TD 1600 and TD 1601.

It's manufactured at Audio-Technica – one of the very best addresses in cartridge building. The result is an audiophile pickup in a slim aluminum housing that reads the groove deeper and more precisely than any standard elliptical stylus ever could.

Why the TAS 1600?

Because it gets the maximum out of your TD 1600 or TD 1601. At the tip of a solid boron cantilever sits a fine diamond with a Special Line Contact cut – the combination stands for high rigidity, precise tracking and the finest resolution of detail. With 0.4 mV output voltage and 12 ohms internal resistance, the TAS 1600 gets along with all common MC phono stages. Add to that modern, integrated mounting threads – no more fiddling with threaded-through screws and counter-held nuts.

What you hear

Fine resolution you simply hadn't heard before. The Line Contact diamond coaxes microdetail, space and texture out of the groove – cymbals decay naturally, voices gain body, the soundstage falls precisely into place. Yet the TAS 1600 stays composed and musical rather than sharp or fatiguing. A cartridge that has a serious say in the audiophile upper class.

Who is the TAS 1600 for?

For every owner of a TD 1600 or TD 1601 who wants to get the last bit out of their turntable. Straight talk: the TAS 1600 needs an MC-capable phono preamp – it won't run on a pure MM input. Anyone who prefers something a bit more forgiving and affordable is well served by the TAS 1500. And anyone currently listening with an MM system should know: the jump is clearly audible, but it demands the matching electronics around it.

Our verdict

The TAS 1600 is the manufacturer-tuned royal road for the TD 1600 and TD 1601 – a finely resolving, composed MC that justifies its price with genuine high-end tracking. If you love your Thorens subchassis turntable, treat it to exactly this diamond.

Technical specifications

Type: low-output moving coil (MC), made in Japan
Mount: half-inch, 2.5 mm thread (integrated)
Output voltage: 0.4 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/s)
Stylus profile: Special Line Contact, bare (1.5 × 0.28 mil)
Cantilever: 0.28 mm dia., solid boron
Frequency response: 20 – 50,000 Hz
Channel separation: 28 dB (1 kHz)
Channel balance: 0.5 dB (1 kHz)
Recommended tracking force: 2.0 g (range 1.8 – 2.2 g)
Stylus compliance: static 22, dynamic 18 (×10⁻⁶ cm/dyn, 100 Hz)
Internal resistance: 12 ohms
Coil inductance: 25 µH (1 kHz)
Coil material: PCOCC copper
Recommended load impedance: min. 100 ohms
Housing material: aluminum
Weight: 8.2 g
Matched to: Thorens TD 1600 / TD 1601
Included: TAS 1600 cartridge with mounting hardware

Frequently asked questions

Which turntables is the Thorens TAS 1600 made for?
The TAS 1600 was developed specifically for the Thorens subchassis turntables TD 1600 and TD 1601. There it sits perfectly, both sonically and mechanically. It also works on other medium-mass tonearms with half-inch mounting – but you experience its full tuning in the TD 1600 or TD 1601.

Which phono preamp do I need for the TAS 1600?
An MC-capable phono preamp. As a low-output MC, the TAS 1600 delivers around 0.4 mV and feels most at home with a load resistance from about 100 ohms upward. A pure MM input isn't enough – for that you need an MC input or a suitable step-up transformer.

What's the difference between the TAS 1600 and the TAS 1500?
Both are made at Audio-Technica in Japan and share the same aluminum housing. The TAS 1600 uses a finer Special Line Contact diamond and plays a shade more audiophile and higher-resolving, the TAS 1500 with its Microlinear cut a bit more forgiving. In short: the 1600 for the maximum, the 1500 as a strong all-rounder.

Why buy the Thorens TAS 1600 at HD Zürisee?
Because an MC cartridge only shows its potential with clean mounting and alignment – and that's exactly what we take care of. On request, we mount and align the TAS 1600 for you in Wädenswil, advise you on the right phono stage, and remain at your side afterward too.

Pairs well with

You'll find the right amplification under phono preamps. The matching turntable is among the Thorens models and other turntables. More cartridges are in the cartridges category.