Thorens New Reference Bronze – Turntable

The Thorens New Reference is the brand's flagship turntable — a belt-drive deck that is the first in the world to be designed from the ground up around a fully active vibration isolation system. Created for Thorens's 140th anniversary, designed by engineer Helmut Thiele.

Here in the Bronze finish. Where other reference turntables fight vibrations with sheer mass, the New Reference rethinks the problem: it measures disturbances and actively cancels them out before they reach the stylus. Not a piece of furniture with a platter, but a precision instrument.

Why the New Reference?

Because it finally tackles an old problem at its root. Together with the German specialist Seismion — whose isolators are otherwise found in semiconductor manufacturing and research labs — Thorens has built a turntable whose vibration protection isn't a bolted-on accessory, but the heart of the design. Highly sensitive piezoelectric sensors detect the tiniest movements, and a fully linear control electronics generates counter-forces in real time via contactless actuators. This "sky-hook damping" isolates disturbances below 1 Hz and provides more than 40 dB of damping from 10 Hz upward — right where classic suspensions have long since given up. On top of that, adaptive leveling automatically keeps the turntable balanced to within 20 micrometers.

What you hear

Silence as a foundation. Once parasitic vibrations fall away, a level of resolution emerges from the black background that you rarely experience otherwise — the finest tonal colors, precisely layered soundstage, effortless dynamics from quiet to loud. Two ultra-precise quartz oscillators keep the speed stable for 20 years, and active platter damping irons out even the subtle 4 Hz belt resonance without robbing the flywheel mass of its calm. The result is music that simply is.

Who is the New Reference for?

For the uncompromising analog devotee, for whom "reference" isn't a marketing buzzword but a statement of intent. If you want the absolute pinnacle of vinyl playback and are ready to make a statement to get it, you're in the right place.

Plainly put: this is not a plug-and-play device, and not a sensible-purchase buy — it's the spearhead, built without regard to price. If you're looking for an uncomplicated turntable for the living room, Thorens offers a dozen excellent alternatives. But if you want to hear what's technically possible, there's almost no getting around the New Reference.

Our verdict

The New Reference is Thorens's uncompromising answer to the question of how far analog playback can go — active Seismion isolation, quartz-precision drive, two high-quality tonearms. A turntable in this class lives or dies by perfect setup: at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, we personally plan the placement, tonearm and cartridge tuning, and commissioning with you.

Technical Data

• Type: Flagship turntable, belt drive (manual)
• Occasion: 140th Anniversary model for Thorens's 140th anniversary, engineered by Helmut Thiele
• Vibration isolation: fully active Seismion system ("sky-hook damping") — piezoelectric acceleration sensors, fully linear control electronics, contactless voice-coil actuators, isolation across all six degrees of freedom
• Isolation effect: effective below 1 Hz, more than 40 dB of damping from 10 Hz upward
• Leveling: adaptive auto-leveling accurate to 20 micrometers
• Drive: hand-built 3-phase synchronous motor, driven by three linear power amplifiers with sine signals offset by 120°; precision belt
• Speed control: two ultra-precise quartz oscillators, long-term stability of max. 3 ppm over 20 years (33.3332–33.3334 rpm); active absolute-speed damping of the platter via encoder
• Tonearm mounts: up to three (for 9″, 10″ and 12″ tonearms)
• Tonearm 1: Thorens TP 160, 12″, cutting bearing, continuous pure-silver wiring
• Tonearm 2: Thiele TA01 — pivoted tonearm with tangential behavior, max. tracking error 0.036°, double-walled, gel-filled armtube
• Chassis: multi-layer construction of highly damping materials, center of gravity at the isolation plane
• Finish: Bronze
• Dimensions (W × H × D) and weight: on request
• Included: turntable with two mounted tonearms (TP 160 and Thiele TA01) plus matching rack/stand

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the New Reference unique?

It's the first turntable to be developed from the ground up alongside a fully active vibration isolation system. Sensors measure disturbances and actively cancel them out via contactless actuators — instead of only partially damping them like conventional suspensions. That lifts quietness and resolution to a new level.

Which tonearms are included?

Two come factory-mounted: the newly developed 12″ TP 160 tonearm with cutting bearing and continuous silver wiring, and the Thiele TA01, which combines the precision of a pivoted tonearm with the behavior of a tangential arm. In total, the New Reference can be fitted with up to three tonearm mounts for 9″, 10″ and 12″ arms.

Does the New Reference need a special foundation?

Less than you'd think. Because the active Seismion isolation counters disturbances below 1 Hz and levels itself to within 20 micrometers, the turntable is remarkably insensitive to footfall and room influences. We still recommend a solid, level surface, though — we'll work out the fine details with you.

Is a cartridge included?

The New Reference comes with the turntable, rack and two tonearms; we tailor the matching cartridge configuration individually to your requirements and your phono stage. We discuss this exact tuning with you in person in Wädenswil.

Why buy the New Reference at HD Zürisee?

Because a turntable in this league only comes into its own through uncompromising setup — placement, tonearm geometry, cartridge, phono termination. That's exactly our craft. As an authorized Thorens dealer, we personally plan, deliver and install it, and stay your point of contact, straight from Wädenswil.

Goes well with

A turntable in this class deserves a first-class phono stage in the system; matching cartridges and the rest of the Thorens range can be found in the Thorens collection. Also browse all turntables.