Thales TTT-Compact Turntable and Simplicity Tangential Pivoted Arm Is A Match Made In Musical Heaven

The compact, Swiss-made Thales TTT turntable exudes a subtle, soothing beauty and refinement. The Simplicity tangential pivoted tonearm complements the 'table's "refined to the essentials" design and together they create a vinyl playback system that seems destined to produce great sound, though I really didn't get a chance to listen

The battery powered 'table's 100 parts are all manufactured in Thales's own workshop and assembled by a team of experts including a trained watch-maker. The workings of the dual tube arm are best described in a full review.

When Mr. Huber lifted off the platter to expose the innards I almost gasped at its visual and mechanical elegance. The short-belt drive system features a non-flexible belt driving a sub platter that's 15x the diameter of the pulley via a brushless D.C. motor located in close proximity.

Though the system is hard-coupled, which has the potential to be noise-producing, the motor is suspended within a carefully calculated dual spring element that completely isolates and prevents vibrations from reaching the chassis, while preventing axial motor movement.

The battery-drive system can power the turntable for up to 16 hours and fully charges in a few hours. Other key design elements include a platter featuring a lead-vinyl inlay and a main bearing shaft of hard chrome plated carbon tool steel, the surface of which has been hand polished, that runs in two sintered bronze bushings that have been soaked and cooked with a special grade of oil.

The Thales TTT turntable and Simplicity arm may lack the visual flash of some of the large spinning behemoths, but I have to say of all the turntables I saw at the Munich show, it was the one that impressed me the most. I am determined to get one to review!

COMMENTS
optoman's picture

As an owner of the wonderful Pythagoras turntable and the Thales tangential arm I can say that Micha Huber, the designer, is an absolute genius who is dedicated to simple but very clever design. I am confident that his TTT turntable will sound great. I will look forward to reading your views once you had a chance to listen

WaxtotheMax's picture

Now THATS a turntable that I can wrap my head around. Great article Michael!

liuj88's picture

Can you post pictures of the table's "innards"?

I can't help it, but the arm looks to me like a pair of chopsticks holding on to the cartridge. I'm getting hungry now....

X