Thiele TT01 Zero Tracking Error Turntable with TA01, RM01, DW01, and DB
Review organized by Marc Loubeau / Prestige Audio Diffusion
Review samples supplied by Rhapsody
Retail prices in France & Monaco & Benelux, including VAT:
Thiele TT01 Zero Tracking Error Turntable (incl. standard TA01 arm with silver aluminum parts and RM01 mat): €27.450
Thiele TT01 Zero Tracking Error Turntable (incl. matte gold-plated TA01/X arm with bronze parts and RM01 mat): €31.000
Thiele RM01 Recordmat: €225
Thiele DW01 Damping Weight: €1.020
Thiele DB Damping Base: €7.500
Analog Relax EX500 MC Cartridge: €4.990
Finishes available for the TT01 Zero Tracking Error Turntable:
Standard colors: black silk matte or anthracite silk matte
Any RAL color on special order
Crap! was my first thought when I heard the Thiele TT01 with the TA01 Zero Tracking Error Tonearm in my system. Not because it sounded crap, mind you, but because it instantly demoted my current turntables, and I knew I would not be happy with them anymore. What stood out even more was that, during my first listening session, I quickly realized I had never experienced this level of performance from any other turntable before.
I don’t normally provide the conclusion at the start, but there it is. I just could not contain my enthusiasm and decided to deviate from my usual routine of laying everything out first and providing structured, step-by-step assessments before reaching a conclusion. This turntable’s excellence is so clear-cut that I might as well stop here. But of course, I won’t. I couldn’t write a short review if my life depended on it.
In this review, I will divulge my experiences with the Thiele TT01 Zero Tracking Error Turntable fitted with the TA01 Zero Tracking Error Tonearm, and additionally, I will include assessments of the influence of the RM01 Recordmat, DW01 Damping Weight, and DB Damping Base.
Finishes
The TT01 version provided for review is not the basic version, but the TT01/X with a matte gold-plated tonearm, bronze parts, and a striking custom orange/red RAL color (instead of the standard silver/aluminum arm and standard finish). I’m not sure if there is a surplus for the RAL color, but the version TT01/X turntable with bronce/matte gold-plated tonearm can be ordered for an additional 3.550 Euro.
About Helmut Thiele
As I am based in the Netherlands, Helmut asked Dutch distributor Rhapsody to deliver the turntable to me for review, and they kindly agreed. Like many audiophiles, I’ve often visited Rhapsody and have known Harry and Michael for a long time. I have a lot more to write about Rhapsody and Michael’s impressive calibration skills, but I’ll save that for the separate Rhapsody section further down.
After Rhapsody delivered the turntable, Helmut visited me for an interview. He is a super kind person, massively enthusiastic, and absolutely bursting with energy. We spent 5 hours discussing all kinds of audio-related matters, yet I completely forgot to take any photos. That’s why I borrowed two photos from Ruud Jonker’s review on Hifi.nl. I wholeheartedly recommend clicking that link to read Ruud’s review and learn more about the fascinating theories behind Helmut Thiele’s quest to control resonances.
Photo courtesy of Ruud Jonker via Hifi.nl
As an industrial designer, Helmut Thiele develops concepts and introduces new technical inventions and principles, and is also involved in prototyping and engineering. Helmut created numerous designs for brands such as Magnat, Heco, Genuin Audio, Thorens, and Audio-Technica.
In 1980, Helmut came into contact with Thorens’ previous German owner, Heinz Rohrer, who was interested in Helmut’s Unipivot tonearm design. When Helmut later met Thorens’ current owner, Gunter Kuerten, he was asked if he was interested in designing for them. Starting in 2017, Helmut designed the TD309 turntable for Thorens, and he has designed all subsequent Thorens turntables.
Rather than resting on his laurels or enjoying a well-deserved vacation, Helmut went full steam ahead and accepted the challenge from Thorens owner Gunter Kuerten to design a new Reference turntable, which led to the acclaimed Thorens New Reference, introduced in 2023.
Although he could technically retire, Helmut remains fascinated by technical challenges and has spent much of his time developing the ideal tonearm. Prototyping began in 2009, resulting in the first product to proudly carry his own name, the Thiele TA01. Once this revolutionary tonearm was released, the question arose of which turntable to pair it with, which led to the development of the Thiele TT01 turntable.
The Helmut Thiele interview will appear in a separate article.
About Rhapsody
For as long as I can remember, Rhapsody has been the most influential high-end store in the Netherlands, and anyone in the industry knows the owners, Harry and Michael. Harry is famous for his flamboyant character and unmistakable flair when demonstrating audio equipment or talking about music, while Michael’s knowledge and mastery of audio setup techniques are nothing short of legendary.
Rhapsody has been in a villa in Hilversum for more than thirty years, and moved to Overlangel a few years ago.
This new location brought the freedom to build a studio fully tailored to music. With separate spaces dubbed The Studio and The Club, this is a place where the focus is not on the store, but on the listening experience.
Rhapsody has also had the pleasure of welcoming many special artists to their custom Concert space. Additionally, Rhapsody regularly organizes listening sessions where they introduce new and experienced listeners to the brands they work with, as well as equipment that is sometimes heard for the first time in the Netherlands or even in Europe.
Rhapsody kindly provided the Thiele TT01 turntable with the TA01 arm and an Analog Relax EX500 MC cartridge for this review, and Michael delivered and calibrated the turntable in my listening environment. I will expand on Michael and his magnificent calibration skills in the Listening section further down.
Next: TT01 Turntable Introduction
