{"product_id":"thorens-td-404-dd-eiche-matt","title":"Thorens TD 404 DD Turntable, Matte Oak","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Thorens TD 404 DD is a direct-drive high-end turntable with the motor from the TD 124 DD, the TP 160 tonearm with a knife-edge bearing, an electronic lift with end-of-record shutoff, and RCA and XLR outputs — here in Matte Oak, without a cartridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatte oak is the most understated of the three finishes: no mirror shine, no fingerprints, just open-pore wood beneath a solid aluminum top plate. Anyone who lives Scandinavian-style, or simply isn't into piano lacquer, finds their Thorens here. The motor underneath is the same one used in the considerably more expensive TD 124 DD — and it brings the platter up to speed in what feels like a second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy the TD 404 DD?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it brings together things that otherwise live in separate price classes. Three speeds including 78 rpm, a strobe with pitch control, a 3.7 kg resonance-damped aluminum platter. The TP 160 works with a knife-edge bearing that guides with less friction than the price would suggest. The sandwich plinth rests on three height-adjustable, sprung feet — footfall noise and feedback have a hard time here. And the balanced XLR outputs are still no given in this class.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat you hear\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTorque and calm at the same time — the hardest combination in turntable design. The drive pushes without ever becoming audible itself; dynamic passages get weight without any background noise coming along. The heavy platter holds speed firmly, the strobe lets you fine-tune — in case you're the kind of person who likes to keep an eye on such things. The e-lift lowers and raises gently and lifts the arm off by itself at the end of the record, before the turntable slows to a leisurely stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho is the TD 404 DD for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor listeners looking for a turntable for life and who want to choose their own cartridge — and for anyone for whom high gloss is simply too much shine. Anyone with 78 rpm shellac records on the shelf finally finds a modern player here that takes them seriously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStraight talk:\u003c\/strong\u003e A cartridge is \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e included, and neither is a phono preamp — both belong in the budget. The tonearm can also only be lowered and raised via the lift button, not by hand. And RCA and XLR can't be run in parallel. Anyone who just wants to quickly drop a needle is two sizes too big here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe TD 404 DD is the point where direct drive stops being a compromise — it challenges the big TD 124 DD and costs a fraction of it. In Matte Oak it looks just as unfussy as it sounds. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, we build the right system for you, adjust it, and clarify beforehand whether your chain plays along in balanced mode.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTechnical specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOperation: electronic tonearm lift (e-lift) with end-of-record shutoff\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrive: direct drive, fully electronically controlled DC motor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeeds: 33 1\/3, 45 and 78 rpm, electronically switchable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeed control: strobe with pitch control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWow and flutter: 0.035% (DIN) \/ 0.007% (WRMS)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlatter: 12 inch, aluminum, 3.7 kg, resonance-damped\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTonearm: Thorens TP 160 with knife-edge bearing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffective tonearm length: 232.8 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffective tonearm mass: 18 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOverhang: 17.8 mm, offset angle: 23.66°\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnti-skating: spring\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCartridge: not included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOutputs: RCA and balanced (XLR), cannot be used in parallel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlinth: sandwich construction with aluminum top plate, three height-adjustable sprung feet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Matte Oak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePower supply: external plug-in power supply 24 V DC, optional TPN 124 linear power supply\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions (W × H × D): 450 × 155 × 368 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 12.5 kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncluded: turntable, 24 V DC plug-in power supply, dust cover, manual\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes the Thorens TD 404 DD come with a cartridge?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The TD 404 DD deliberately comes without a cartridge so you can decide for yourself — the TP 160 with 18 g effective mass gets along well with a wide range of MM and MC cartridges. We'll advise you on the right combination and, on request, mount and adjust the cartridge for you as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's different about the Matte Oak version?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly the finish. Drive, TP 160 tonearm, platter, connections, dimensions and weight are identical across Matte Oak, Gloss Black and Gloss Walnut. Matte Oak is open-pored and matte instead of high-gloss lacquered — less sensitive to fingerprints and visually noticeably more understated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat are the TD 404 DD's XLR outputs good for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey transmit the phono signal in balanced form and are therefore less sensitive to interference — ideal with a balanced phono stage like the Thorens MC 1600. Alternatively, gold-plated RCA outputs with a grounding connection are available. According to Thorens, both outputs cannot be used at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan the TD 404 DD also play 78 rpm shellac records?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, alongside 33 1\/3 and 45 it also handles 78 rpm, electronically switchable. Speed can be fine-tuned via pitch control and the built-in strobe. For shellac, a matching stylus profile is also recommended — we're happy to advise you on that too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy buy the Thorens TD 404 DD at HD Zürisee?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause a turntable without a cartridge is only half the job — we take care of the other half: selecting, mounting and adjusting a cartridge, checking the chain. Delivery and on-site setup on request. And we stay reachable, even long after the invoice is ancient history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePairs well with\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe TD 404 DD comes without a cartridge — you'll find the right one in the \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/tonabnehmer\"\u003ecartridge selection\u003c\/a\u003e, from MM to MC. A good, ideally balanced phono stage belongs with it; get in touch and we'll figure out together what fits your chain. More from \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/thorens\"\u003eThorens\u003c\/a\u003e, alternatives under \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/plattenspieler\"\u003eall turntables\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Thorens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029746377040,"sku":null,"price":4490.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/3262\/8048\/files\/thorens-td-404-dd-plattenspieler-eiche-matt-frontansicht.png?v=1786785223","url":"https:\/\/hdzuerisee.ch\/en\/products\/thorens-td-404-dd-eiche-matt","provider":"HD Zürisee AG","version":"1.0","type":"link"}