Thorens Prestige (1983) | Non Plus Ultra

10 March 2025

Thorens Prestige (1983) | Non Plus Ultra

THORENS turntables are famous throughout the world for their excellent sound quality. For its 100th birthday, Thorens created another monument with the "Prestige" the result of both step-by-step refinement of proven solutions and a commitment to a tradition based product philosophy. It was first presented to an astonished audience at the Berlin radio exhibition in 1983. This is a no compromise transcription turntable of the highest order without gadgets where the emphasis is placed on sound quality. Obviously the PRESTIGE incorporates the renowned THORENS belt drive/floating chassis system. The servo controlled two-phase synchronous motor, rigidly mounted on the main fixed chassis, drives the turntable by means of a long soft rubber belt. Possible motor vibrations are thus isolated from the turntable and also from the two tone-arms on the suspended chassis. The mass of the turntable (over 8 kg including the center stabilizer) accounts for the absence of any wow and flutter. The large turntable (diameter 340 mm, height 100 mm) is absolutely resonance free and contributes. in a decisive manner to the stability of the sound image of the PRESTIGE. The outer wall of the turntable is filled with iron granules, thus preventing any resonance of the casting material. A truly unique THORENS solution. The turntable shaft is a very substantial 15 mm diameter precision machined component rotating wear free in an oil bath. Both the main fixed chassis and the floating chassis are constructed using multiple layer technology designed to eliminate undesirable resonances. All controls are located on the fixed front panel, the floating chassis supporting the turntable and the tone-arms decoupled by means of four point gravity controlled suspension. Two large arm mounting platforms enable almost any tone arm to be used. The height of each mounting platform can be separately adjusted and each tone arm has its own electrically operated cueing device with front panel mounted lift/lower control. The nominal speeds are quartz controlled and constantly monitored on the turntable itself. The underside of the platter bears a magnetic track. A meander conductive track forms the counter part to the tachogenerator, and an electronic control circuit compares the rotational speed of the platter with the nominal speed. The slightest deviations are registered and corrected. Measurement data alone does not determine the final sound quality of a turntable. Whether this initial link in a system produces ultimate sound quality or not depends on the precise selection of suitable materials, on individual tuning, and subsequent harmonisation of all component parts. The PRESTIGE makes use of noble materials only, including a number of Gold plated parts. A true durable realisation of the PRESTIGE. THORENS have built quality turntable since the invention of the record itself.

Technical Data

Drive system: 1 speed belt drive

Motor: 16 pole 2 phase synchronous motor

Speeds: 33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM

Motor speed control: quartz controlled electronic 2 phase generator

Pitch control: ≥6%

Turntable platter: 8.1 kg complete with mat and goldweight

Platter diameter: 34 cm

Wow and Flutter according to DIN 45507: ≤0.02%

Rumble unweighted according to DIN 45 539: >54

Rumble weighted: >700B

Power requirements: 2x19V-200 mA