Lenco Project - Phase One

[Frankyc2003]

Good evening everyone,
I have been away for almost a year, reorganizing my life after some difficult times.
But, hey, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
So here I am, looking at my record collection and thinking, there is an itch I haven't scratched yet.
And idle drive turntable! Finances being tight, the ideal starting point is a classic Swiss made Lenco.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps1c32877c.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps1c32877c.jpg.html)

I took possession of a beautiful L75 from Tom (Montesquieu) last week.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps26bb9ab4.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps26bb9ab4.jpg.html)

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps6e51aaef.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps6e51aaef.jpg.html)

First impressions are very good indeed. The drive system is so simple, yet very ingenious, it's a real pleasure to behold. I have upgraded some complex machines like the SL1210, but surely there is an award fro simplicity here.
The plinth itself (original BTW) is simple yet sturdy. It's spring mounted. And it's sort of bounces around. Not sure why...
Although there is no tonearm attached to the TT yet, I wanted to check speed stability and accuracy. Time to power up!
Oh, shock horror, the whole thing started to rumble and grind! What have I done wrong? Silly me, I just forgot to release the transport screws. The 2 big red ones you see on pic3.
Ok, we are back in business. Now it's operating in silence. The platter and bearing have been upgraded already. The platter is a heavy affair at nearly 5kgs, You can see that some clever MDF has been positioned underneath.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps696ec440.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps696ec440.jpg.html)

The bearing itself has been raised to accommodate the modification. A thick rubber ring has been positioned on the outer edge of the platter to prevent undue ringing too.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpscd819c86.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpscd819c86.jpg.html)

To be honest, I wasn't quite sure about the spring loaded plinth in the first place. So spent a little bit of time on Lencoheaven forum, to discover that actually, if you decide to keep the original plinth, you are better off tightly coupling the TT to the plinth and replacing those springs with proper feet (like Michell tenderfeet for example, blutak included!).

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps335abc73.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps335abc73.jpg.html)

One thing I did was to zip clip the power cable to the underside of the TT to prevent any foul play with the spring mounted motor. You never know what those damn cables are up to once out of sight... Then I went on to couple the deck to the plinth properly using the transport screws spaces available (not the motor screws, the actual whole deck transport screws, the 2 shiny screws top and bottom of the deck on pic3.)
So, the checked speed and adjusted speed position, and all good. All we need now is a tonearm!
Dale from Audio Note, Brighton was duly contacted on Friday and I have a Audio Note Arm One (black) on its way to me early next week:eyebrows:!
Exciting times...

(to be continued)

[walpurgis]

I'll be interested to see how that all works out.

[struth]

I did away with the springs when I had one. worked great.Looks a good base deck to start on(seem to recognise it) :)

[Andrei]

Max Headroom is back!

[Frankyc2003]

Max Headroom is back!

Indeed I am back Andrei.
I noticed that you are using a Fosgate tube phono stage. What are your impressions on it? Just curious!
:)

[Andrei]

Indeed I am back Andrei.
I noticed that you are using a Fosgate tube phono stage. What are your impressions on it? Just curious!
:)
I got the Fosgate after trying out a range of Graham Slee, Sugden and Whests. I don't have any valves in my system (shame on me) and had to put that right. The Fosgate has a lot of low level detail, but also a great tube sound, so the best of both worlds. The downsides: one serious, and one not so serious. The bigger issue is that it does take 20 to 30 minutes to come on song, though that is more noticeable with signer-songwriter material. The minor issue is that there is some slight noise. It is minor in that it is far less than the surface noise on a clean LP and cannot be heard unless you put your ear to the speaker with no music playing.

Anyway, I will be interested to hear about (and see) the results of your Lenco adventure.:interesting:

[Frankyc2003]

* anticipation *
A couple of Audio Note goodies are arriving tomorrow.
* anticipation *

Dale at Audio Note is probably one of the nicest and most helpful person I have come across amongst Hifi manufacturers & dealers.

Top mark!

[Frankyc2003]

Tadaaah!:eyebrows:

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps7a99421a.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps7a99421a.jpg.html)

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps4182c569.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps4182c569.jpg.html)

[RochaCullen]

Nice arm!!! ;)

[Frankyc2003]

Thanks,

I have been struggling with the arm board for a while now...
I thought I would be spinning tunes by noon...

silly me.

Now working up the VTA for the IQ3
:hmm:

[Frankyc2003]

Right, tunes are finally spinning...

So I can update the thread.
As you probably saw this morning Postman Pat brought some goodies...
Namely an Audio Note Arm One and an Audio Note IQ3 (loan from Dale at An btw).
It was time to start the surgery!
I have 2 Lencos, one GL75 bought from Tom as published earlier in this thread. And a GL69 bought from Frank (Mido of this parish).

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps81a7beb1.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps81a7beb1.jpg.html)

So before starting to unpack the tonearm, I duly check the correctness of each armplate supplied with each deck.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps7437bd8b.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps7437bd8b.jpg.html)

First the 75. And not quite sure what type of arm this hole is supposed to house but, we are quite far away from the 222mm 'Pivot to spindle' I was looking for... Never mind, One Lenco was destined to run a 12" arm, so I guess, the 75 will be that one.

Onto the 69 in its slate plinth:

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpsb9e9bc71.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpsb9e9bc71.jpg.html)

yeepee! 222mm, perfect! Now onto making the armbaord compliant with the arm... I like puzzles...

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps68fa99c4.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps68fa99c4.jpg.html)

By dismantling a soundsupport armboard and using a Rega VTA shim, I will make the required armboard. A few drops of Superglue and some epoxy putty, and we are on!

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpscd04cdcb.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpscd04cdcb.jpg.html)

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpse87fd339.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpse87fd339.jpg.html)

Once, I loosely mount the arm, I realise that adding some Michell standoffs was a bit too high for correct VTA. I still had in mind Tom's (Montesquieu) slightly heightened platter. Not a big problem...

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpsf9d25c43.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpsf9d25c43.jpg.html)

So, here we go, Dr Feickert is happy :), mee too ;)
A couple of last checks, speed stobe, and overall level of the deck... I understand why having a fully manufactured deck is sometimes nicer and easier to set up as getting the whole slate and deck fully level without any threaded feet takes a wee while. But for someone that likes to tinker (like I), it's actually part of the pleasure.

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpsf34c4872.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpsf34c4872.jpg.html)

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zpsbf4c98e9.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zpsbf4c98e9.jpg.html)

http://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz275/frankyc2003/temporary_zps4389eceb.jpg (http://s835.photobucket.com/user/frankyc2003/media/temporary_zps4389eceb.jpg.html)
Here you can fully appreciate how tiny the stylus is on the IQ3. Must be very careful! This baby isn't mine...

Tubes are warming up, the platter is spinning and the cartridge isn't fully run in anyway according to Dale, so I am not listening with too much attention... But still, I can't help to notice how natural everything is sounding.
:piano:

(to be continued)

[Frankyc2003]

Well, well,
Finally my first listening session.
Away with the tools, gauges, and mounting screws... metric, imperial, allens away!
Enters the Music!

:concertina:
(I thought a little accordion was apt since I am French!)

In a sort of introduction, I just would like to outline my 6 years journey in Audio Nirvana (well, sometimes, Purgatory).
I started re-listening to my records on a Pro-jekt Expression deck with an Ortofon Rondo Red. Nothing wrong with this combo, it gave me great pleasures, but shortly after having discovered audio forums, I then contracted the famous 'Upgraditis'. I would wake up at night drenched in cold sweat, thinking of the aural delights I was missing by not using more hi-end (here I can see people shrugging but allow me to use such a term) setup. Then I heard about valves. My world of certainties was crumbling to a pile of rubbles (so would my bank account later on, but I digress).

After saving all my lunch money for a whole year, I was able to buy a second hand, early 90's Michell Gyrodec. Brilliant, I thought. It even had a Papst AC motor! But the PSU was dead... Horror, I had to upgrade to the DC version of the motor. In retrospect, I wasn't on AOS at the time, and I wish I had, because some of the very talented people here would have helped me fix this issue with the PSU easily, I am sure. Anyhow, after spending close to another 600 GBP on the HR psu and Motor, I was able to spin some vinyl! I was bloody hungry too! :D

Again, after spending nearly a year worrying about the correct alignment of the springs in the suspension, and the correct VTA on the Tecnoarm A. I was just not able to enjoy the music. I had also learned my lessons by buying a duffer Dynavector 17D3 at full price from a dealer in receivership (I only learned this fact later on). I then become acquainted to this very welcoming parish, where discussions and ideas were flying at great speed left, right and center, I was hooked. I took the plunge and got a Technics SL1210 from a dozed off DJ in Sutton. The arm was knackered, but the electronics looked sound. The rest is documented somewhere in the Techiepedia.

Finally I was able to enjoy vinyl, from the word 'GO' even in it's natural, unadulterated state, the techie was better than the Gyro to my ears (:sofa: taking cover right now...). M. New bearing, external PSU, regulator and better arm came later. The Gyro had gone, and I was happy for nearly 2 years. Then took a 'Pause' as they say. Life catches up with you in unexpected ways and you need to revise your priorities for a while...

My last buy was a very nice Heybrook TT2 with a Jelco 750D, which I enjoyed tremendously in difficult times. It was simple, coupled with a Goldring MM 2200, it never let me down.

And here we are, now, after a house move and a big pile of debts... The itch IS back! and one thing IS sure, the only rule I will play this game by now on will be: TRUST YOUR EARS!:D

Onto the first impressions on the combo, Lenco AN One, AN IQ3:

Beethoven - Piano Concertos - Brendel / Haitink - Philips
http://www.popsike.com/pix/20111106/220888293061.jpg

In previous system, this beautiful recording of the 1st Concerto (so imbued of Mozart spirit) had always sounded a bit flat and un-involved on vinyl. How wrong was I.
The Arm / Cartridge dug out space, instruments timbre and naturalness by bucket loads. The Fortissimo on Brendel's piano suddenly had an immediacy, an arresting edge, a gorgeous timbre that was feeling 'right' in time and space.
The swathes of the London Philharmonic were lush and simply warm and involving. Nothing was out of place, everything was in the RIGHT place.

J. J. Cale - Shades
http://discoclub.myblog.it/media/01/01/2436832235.jpg

From the first track, the intimate recording 'exploded' in my living room. Bass was edgy, dynamic and shaking my sofa... (a rarity for someone using valves and horns :eyebrows:).
Cale's guitar was precisely located on the stage, his voice soft and yet clear, wrapping you in a plume of blue smoke! Delightful! (and I stopped smoking 10 years ago)

Efterklang - Performing Parades
http://cdn2.thelineofbestfit.com/media/2009/11/performingparades.jpg

This double album has been my benchmark for Live recording since 2010. The soundstage is very marked in this very modern recording. There is loads of rumbling tympani in the background of the stage, there is singing melodica in the foreground, human voices midway, 'parping' brass left and a clapping audience behind you! Basically it is a nightmare for a system to resolve properly. So, here I think the Synergy of the 2 products is coming to the fore. The whole first side of the album feels effortless, natural and deeply involving. Some, unheard before, digital drone became apparent, never attracting too much attention, but just being part of a 'whole'.

Needless to say that, although it is actually pissing down with rain in London, I am bloody happy with what I am hearing!

(to be continued)

[DiveDeepDog]

That arm looks familiar :)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5610/15651790151_a4ef23185e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pR6vUT)10606125_10152826691504772_5905730456997897 07_n (https://flic.kr/p/pR6vUT) by levs the diver (https://www.flickr.com/people/49381909@N08/), on Flickr

[Frankyc2003]

Indeed, but is that an Helius?
I believe An got their inspiration for the AN ONE, TWO and THREE from the Helius range...

[DiveDeepDog]

Yep, Helius Scorpio 3, nice drop in for the Lenco with Linn geometry.

AN's on my list to try, but with Tabriz's and Audiomods V here already I'd like to hear one before I buy