We are looking here at one of the new generation of Thorens record players, the TD700.

We say record players because the TD700 comes already kitted out to play records only minutes after you've removed it from its packaging.

It is fitted with a Thorens TP42 tonearm and an Audio Technica AT95e moving-magnet cartridge, which was a favourite audiophile starter cartridge thirty years ago. It's rewarding and reassuring to see that it's still around and popular.

Fuss-free setup

Unlike many of its modern-day rivals, the TD700 sticks with a traditional design. There's no skeletal, Perspex plinth to be seen here, for example, although Thorens has introduced acrylic plinths models into its range.

There's simply a straightforward rectangular fibre board plinth to which the mechanics, the electronics and the tonearm are fixed. If you want to be stylistically different, however, you can specify one of four finishes for your turntable – the review sample was black, but the deck can also be delivered in red, silver, or blue.

The TD700 is a completely fuss-free design to set up. In fact, the words 'set up' overstate what needs to be done and only truly apply to adjusting the tonearm settings.

All the deck then needs is a low-voltage power connection on the rear of its plinth – supplied by a wall-wart – and a connection to an amplifier (phono input, of course,) or phono preamplifier from the sockets behind the tonearm. Thorens supplies a suitable cable for this task.

Sturdy support

The mechanical aspects of the turntable are fairly typical of the breed; it is belt driven by a synchronous AC motor with electronic speed change. The belt drives a sub-platter, upon which sits a substantial acrylic outer platter. This is topped off with a thin, floppy felt mat.

Thorens recommends siting the deck on "a sturdy piece of furniture" so we utilised a Quadraspire Sunoko Vent stand. This excellent stand also supports the rest of our system, including the funk Vector LP12. Unlike the LP12, though, the deck has no suspension: instead its plinth rests on three compliant feet.

Care needs to be taken with supporting this turntable because the way the feet are laid out seems to affect their efficacy: the two at the front appear to tolerate a finger tapping reasonably firmly on the plinth, while the single foot at the rear seems less successful: any tapping along the rear of the plinth provoked stylus skipping.

It's also worth considering only using the lid to cover the turntable when it is not in use. The hinges are not especially smooth in operation and, anyway, we've always preferred the sound of decks with their lids completely removed for serious listening.

We auditioned the Thorens through the phono input of a Roksan Kandy K2 amplifier feeding a pair of NEAT Motive 1 loudspeakers through chord company epic cables.

Testing mats

As noted above, the TD700 is supplied with an acrylic platter covered with a thin felt mat, so we simply have to try dispensing with the latter. The sound of discs placed directly on the platter is less musically enjoyable and cosmetically not so appealing.

Then we substitute an (acrylic) funk firm Achromat and discover that that it works its usual magic, particularly with bass guitar, adding weight, tone and definition to the instrument. It adds an appreciable degree of precision and control to music overall as well. We reckon that discriminating listeners might consider the addition is worth the £60 it adds to the price.