Thomson TT700 turntable: fall for vinyl!

When I was little, we had a vinyl turntable at home on which I sometimes listened to a few records, including the Ghostbusters soundtrack… I don’t remember having vinyl records at the time, because we were already well into the age of cassettes and then CDs. And yet, vinyl is really associated with my younger years! So, when Thomson offered me to test their TT700 turntable, I said yes and went and bought my first vinyl records!

But more than a fad, the renewed appeal of vinyl is a real trend. In 2020, no fewer than 4.5 million records were sold in France to audiophiles of all ages! 40% of vinyl buyers are under 35!

Indeed, all-digital is not for tomorrow. And this vinyl trend proves it! What a pleasure to own a record collection… what a joy to take them out of their case to listen to them on an elegant turntable! The sound of vinyl remains inimitable. It is a warm, lively sound with a few imperfections that make it so charming!

After a few weeks of use, here is my first feedback on the Thomson TT700 turntable !

Unpacking and installation

If you read my introduction, you probably understood that I'm not a vinyl pro! So I discovered the contents of the box without really understanding what I was dealing with... but rest assured, I did very well!

The TT700 turntable therefore arrives in several pieces in the box! On one side, the turntable itself and on the other, various parts to assemble: the chipboard turntable, the silicone platter protection, the arm counterweight and the smoked translucent cover. Nothing too complicated, but for a novice, we may regret the absence of assembly instructions in the box. We will only find a paper explaining the assembly and adjustment of the tonearm counterweight. No wonder, this is the only operation that cannot be improvised!

In terms of accessories included in the box, the brand provides a male-male RCA cable to connect the turntable to a system or an amp as well as an RCA to 3.5mm jack cable. There is also a small power supply unit and the adapter for the 45 rpm records.

And here we go for a ride… or 33 or 45…

Getting started with the unit is pretty straightforward. For the first use, you'll need to release the tonearm attached to the turntable to prevent it from moving during transport, plug in the power supply, and connect the turntable to speakers or a stereo.

Indeed, the turntable is equipped with a preamp that will allow you to use it very easily on most audio devices. The TT700 also has a phono output so that you can connect it to an amplifier. The preamp is activated or deactivated using a small button located on the back of the beast.

Tonearm

The tonearm is equipped with a counterweight that is adjustable depending on the phono cartridge installed at the other end of the arm. Indeed, each headshell manufacturer will specify a specific pressure force… so if you change the headshell you will be able to adjust this counterweight adequately.

The turntable also has an anti-skating system. This system corrects the centripetal force exerted on the phono cartridge which pushes the reading head towards the inside of the grooves of the record. This therefore prevents premature wear of the record and the diamond!

Finally, the tonearm has an automatic return system that is activated or deactivated using a small button located behind the device. Thus, when the record is finished the arm will automatically store itself and the platter will stop rotating.

Reading head

At the very end of the arm, the reading head is equipped with an AT91 cartridge by Audio Technica… Efficient and precise, it really does a good job!

Buttons

In terms of buttons, the TT700 board has 3 switches.

The first one simply allows you to turn the turntable on or off. At this level, we will also regret the absence of a small LED indicating the status of the device (on/off).

The second is used to adjust the rotation speed of the platter (33 or 45 revolutions per minute).

And the third one is used to start playing a record or stop the platter. And the great thing about a turntable is that the "Stop" button (symbolized by a square) is the same as the pause button 😉!

Sleek and modern design

With the TT700 turntable, Thomson has resolutely sought to offer a modern and elegant product. Its finesse, its curves and the choice of colors make it a very beautiful product that you will not need to hide (unless you live in Louis XVI furniture). When you get a little closer, however, you will regret the choice of plastic for the turntable's covering. In addition, the various buttons look a little "cheap" with their gray plastic that appears very light when handling.

The only regret is that there is no place to store or put away the 45 rpm adapter... So it hangs around until one day it will end up disappearing like all the other things that hang around. Too bad.

And what about the sound?

As I often say when I test audio equipment, I am not a "sound pro". So I am giving you feedback based on my expectations and impressions.

So I tested the TT700 in preamp mode activated and connected to my Auna amp with a pair of Eltax Monitor IX floorstanding speakers.

During the first few listens, I was impressed by the sound quality. A clear, crisp sound, without any smudges with some crackling on some records.

Then over the course of listening I really appreciated finding the warmth of the sound of a vinyl with its small imperfections. The AT91 cartridge does its job well and allows to give a really clean and pleasant sound to this mid-range turntable.

Technical characteristics

Conclusion

The Thomson TT700 turntable is a great product to discover or rediscover the world of vinyl. With a reasonable price, this turntable offers a very satisfactory level of performance.