Mobile Fidelity UltraDeck vs Thorens TD 1500
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Mobile Fidelity UltraDeck · Thorens TD 1500.
| Specification | Mobile Fidelity UltraDeck |
Thorens TD 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $1,499 | $2,995 |
| Category | Hi-fi | Hi-fi |
| Status | current | current |
| Years | 2017–present | 2022–present |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare or with UltraTracker | Highlighted difference. Ortofon 2M Bronze |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | Delrin, 1.3" thick | aluminium |
| Tonearm | 10" Ultra tonearm | TP 150 with SME-style headshell |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
There's a real gap here: $1,496 separates them, with the Thorens TD 1500 the pricier of the two.
Both are belt-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi.
Bottom line: $1,496 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Mobile Fidelity UltraDeck…
Retailer searches
5 US retailers stock Mobile Fidelity — linked directly to the product page where we have one, otherwise to a site search for the deck.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music Direct | hifi independent | Free shipping on orders over $49. | View at Music Direct ↗ |
| Turntable Lab | hifi independent | Free shipping to the continental US on most orders (bulk/oversized items excluded). | View at Turntable Lab ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| Audio Advice | hifi independent | Free shipping on most orders. | Search at Audio Advice ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Thorens TD 1500…
Retailer searches
2 US retailers stock Thorens — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |