Goldring Lenco GL 75/Rega/Linn Turntable

[Accudazed]

Hello

My turntable is for sale. It started as a standard GL 75 and has finished up in the form you see below. I built it during April and May of 2014.

Here is what I did to get there:

1. I made a massive plinth out of flippin expensive Birch ply - the whole turntable weighs 54 pounds. Attached to the plinth are 4 height adjustable anodised aluminum feet. The arm board is made from a steel bright bar. I tried a variety of timbers but could not get a anything which was of the same consistent thickness. Bright bar steel solved the problem at a stroke. I topped it off with lots of coats of varnish.

2. Fitted a new spindle bearing and did the usual strip/clean/new oil.

3. Rewired the mains connection to the motor as per Lenco Heaven spec.

4. Polished the platter. The platter mat and strobe disc are all genuine Goldring Lenco.

5. Fitted a completely standard unmodified Rega RB300 tonearm and a Linn Asak DC-2100K moving coil cartridge which, amazingly, had only been used for 20 hours (I have added another 5 hours) in total. The previous cartridge owner is one of the hallowed moderators for the Art of Sound Forum. He showed me a close up picture of the stylus tip and it looked completely as new. So, I genuinely believe that the cartridge really has done 25 hours. I've had the RB300 arm since new - 33 years of ownership without any problems. Wonderful product.

6. Covered the idler wheel arm with tape as per Lenco Heaven Spec.

7. Checked the alignment of the idler wheel with a gauge I made using - guess what(?) - an article on Lenco Heaven. This is included in the sale. The idler wheel by the way is in perfect condition with very little use.

Included with the turntable in my sale are the following:

a) almost new Michell Engineering record clamp (wow, did that make a difference).
b) a collection of spacers including the OEM Rega one for adjusting the tonearm's height.
c) stylus cleaning brushes.
d) hunt EDA carbon fibre deluxe record cleaning brush.
e) SRM tech turntable level guages - one for the plinth, platter, etc. and one for the tonearm.
f) a spare pattern idler wheel I purchased through Lenco Heaven forum.
g) cups for the adjustable feet to prevent scratching of surfaces.

Here are some pictures:

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4135.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4135.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4136.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4136.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4139.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4139.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4137.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4137.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4140.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4140.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4138.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4138.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4143.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4143.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4141.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4141.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/DSCN4142.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/DSCN4142.jpg.html)

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/busaste/svrj41.jpg (http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/busaste/media/svrj41.jpg.html)

In terms of sound, the turntable delivers all you could ask for. To my ears I would describe it as a super detailed beguiling sound with a wide sound stage, great sense of air, punchy detailed bass, vocals to die for and a lovely analogue warmth that makes long listening sessions a pleasure.

The sale price is £550. The cost to me for everything was an eye watering £750. As for labour, well, that's free!

Sorry, but I cannot ship the turntable. Moving the 54 pound machine is hard work which would test the resolve/patience of any pushed for time courier. I put too much into this turntable to see it being trashed during shipping. I live in Chorley, Lancashire. Happy to give a demonstration (copious tea and chocolate biscuits provided).

Thanks for looking!!

Steve

[struth]

Thats a stonking good buy Steven.. looks super. glws

[Accudazed]

Thats a stonking good buy Steven.. looks super. glws

Thanks. I think it is up at a good price but no interest so a quick bump.

[Brigadoon]

:drool:
That is a w&t dr&¥m of a DIY TT Steven. If i had the ££....

GLWTS & have a bump on me :goodluck:

[Jason P]

Looks great, and if it sounds as good as my Lenco does (similar plinth, Audiomods arm) then whoever buys it will be in for a treat. GLWTS.

[Accudazed]

Now reduced to a painfully low £450. :stalks::stalks::stalks::stalks:

Sh**e, I am losing shedloads on this!!

Any takers?

Cheers

Steve

[struth]

Now reduced to a painfully low £450. :stalks::stalks::stalks::stalks:

Sh**e, I am losing shedloads on this!!

Any takers?

Cheers

Steve

How do you find the ifi stage Steven. I have heard good things about them but never found anyone that has one. :)

[Andrei]

That is truly fabulous Steven. I can't see how you would want to part with it.

[Accudazed]

How do you find the ifi stage Steven. I have heard good things about them but never found anyone that has one. :)

The ifi phono stage is amazing value for money. There is masses of adjustability for MM and MC cartridges and the various settings really do make a difference. The build quality is excellent too.

I especially like the fact that there is absolutely no background noise, hum or any other irritations. The amount of detail the ifi reveals is superb and it does this without sounding overtly forward which can be a real problem in cheaper phonostages. There is a nice even tonal balance to the sound too.

Highly recommended!!!!!!:):):):):):)

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

That is truly fabulous Steven. I can't see how you would want to part with it.

Good point!!!

To be honest, I've had a on off love affair with vinyl over the last 40 years. From day one I've been irritated by the background noise of vinyl. The sound overall though that vinyl provides is of course, fantastic!

Over time, I've gradually drifted away from vinyl mainly because CD players have made giant strides forward in terms of sound quality. I've been lucky over the years to have heard some very high end turntables. To my ears, none of them have eclipsed my Accuphase CD player and I just love the absence of background pops, clicks, etc. I've also been fortunate to be in recording studios where I could make immediate direct comparisons between the actual live music and the digital recording of it. To my ears there was virtually nothing in it! Digital sound has really come on so much now.:):):)

So, my TT is up for sale to (hopefully) finance another Accuphase CD player. I hope it goes to a vinyl lover - he/she will not be disappointed!!

Cheers

Steve

[walpurgis]

Steven. Did you not consider looking for cartridges that give a quieter vinyl noise background? I've found the rather nice little Denon DL-160 very quiet on surface noise and the ZYX R50 Bloom H and R100 Yatra H are quiet too, the R50 in particular.

[Accudazed]

Steven. Did you not consider looking for cartridges that give a quieter vinyl noise background? I've found the rather nice little Denon DL-160 very quiet on surface noise and the ZYX R50 Bloom H and R100 Yatra H are quiet too, the R50 in particular.

Thanks for the suggestions Geoff!

I've done a bit of cartridge experimentation and had mixed results. There are so many factors that can make it a bit of a hit and miss affair. What works well in some arm/headshell combinations can be a bit flat in others, etc. The Linn Asak as fitted to my TT is the best cartridge I have ever had (it should be as it was designed by Supex for Linn). But even that cartridge cannot get rid of the noise associated with scratches and static.

'Legend has it' (okay, I don't really know for sure!) that the great Sugano-san himself designed the Linn Asak cartridge - much of his development work for this cartridge was alegedly done on an idler drive turntable (Garrard 401). Perhaps this explains why it sounds so good on my idler drive GL75?

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Time for another bump!

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Yeegads, another bump!

Perhaps collection only is putting people off? So, I will personally ship the turntable to your choice of destination but only in mainland England, Wales or Scotland (no islands!) free of charge. That's right, FREE SHIPPING.

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

FINAL bump.

If no sale, the TT will be broken and sold as spares.

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

OOPS!

Forgot to say, price reduced to £375. Less said about that the better...

[symon]

Well, I can resist no longer. I think this is the deck for me! PM sent :eek:

[Jazid]

And if not Symon, then me please. Why did I not see this languishing before?

[Brigadoon]

Well, I can resist no longer. I think this is the deck for me! PM sent :eek:


And if not Symon, then me please. Why did I not see this languishing before?

...is that a bus I see Watson...?

[Jazid]

I wonder if the lack of footfall is perchance related to the humour Holmes? You are no doubt best placed to opine.

[walpurgis]

The Linn Asak as fitted to my TT is the best cartridge I have ever had (it should be as it was designed by Supex for Linn). But even that cartridge cannot get rid of the noise associated with scratches and static.

'Legend has it' (okay, I don't really know for sure!) that the great Sugano-san himself designed the Linn Asak cartridge - much of his development work for this cartridge was alegedly done on an idler drive turntable (Garrard 401). Perhaps this explains why it sounds so good on my idler drive GL75?

Cheers

Steve

A late reply I know, but I've been on my hols. If I'm not mistaken the Asak is internally very similar to the Osawa OS-80 low output MC. I can't recall the exact links between Osawa and Supex, but they do sound rather similar in character and I believe share much in design. I owned the Osawa OS-60L and Supex SD-900E.

[Accudazed]

Deck now sold!

Cheers

Steve

[symon]

:eyebrows: