marco, as he finally takes it one step to far
Senior Member
Location: Elland
Posts: 6,922
I'm David.
marco, as he finally takes it one step to far
CS Port TAT2 - Benz LPS - Funkfirm Houdini - DS Audio Vinyl Ionizer - CS Port C3EQ - Kondo G70 - Kondo Gakuoh II - Maxonic TW1100 MKII - Isol-8 SubStation Integra
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
I have to agree with the 'aspergic and 'old' but a 'fool' DSJR ain't...
The Lentek, even in it's day, wasn't up to much. It was bland to the point of boring and was well outclassed by the FR transformers and others of that time. I might even have one tucked away in one of the many boxes I haven't found time to open since my move here.
Problem back then was that certain reviewers who had the clout just weren't into transformers or even MC's. I well remember being given a severe telling off by the Editor of Hi-Fi for Pleasure for my penchant for the FR1 Mk3 and the FR2, using transformers of course. I was also warned that valve amps weren't up to it and it was my taste for 'second harmonic distortion' that was clouding my mind.
I sat in on a couple of 'listening sessions' for the mags at that time and unbiased isn't a word I would use to describe the results....
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,502
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
I don't doubt that's what you heard, but that's fundamentally *NOT* how I remember it when I used it for years in the 80s - quite the opposite, in fact...Originally Posted by hifi_dave
I have to agree with the 'aspergic and 'old' but a 'fool' DSJR ain't...
The Lentek, even in it's day, wasn't up to much. It was bland to the point of boring...
Like I said, the proof of the pudding will be in the listening. In the time I've been posting here, I've obtained one!
So when it arrives, I'll review it, 'warts and all'.... Watch this space!
If I'm wrong, I'll hold my hands up and admit my view of it was nothing but rose-tinted nostalgic memories, but if it sounds great then I'll be rubbing your noses in it, big time!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
ELP Fanboy
Location: Yorks
Posts: 16,643
I'm Nobody.
I have to say i loved the Lentek unit aswell..I loved the amps & the speakers i thought they were jolly good products.
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
If you listened to the thing in isolation it might have sounded OK but for me I had FR, EAR, Audio Innovations, Audio, Koetsu and other transformers to put it up against. I also had a few very good SS head-amps from small companies like UAD. Oh, another excellent one we sold bucket loads of was a Trio. I can't remember the model number but it was a lot better than the Lentek and was far cheaper.I don't doubt that's what you heard, but that's fundamentally *NOT* how I remember it when I used it for years in the 80s - quite the opposite, in fact...
Like I said, the proof of the pudding will be in the listening. In the time I've been posting here, I've obtained one!
So when it arrives, I'll review it, 'warts and all'.... Watch this space!
If I'm wrong, I'll hold my hands up and admit my view of it was nothing but rose-tinted nostalgic memories, but if it sounds great then I'll be rubbing your noses in it, big time!
Marco.
As for 'nose rubbing' - it's all subjective and if you like the Lentek, then that's good. It's not for me but I hope you enjoy it.
Last edited by hifi_dave; 23-05-2010 at 11:52.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,502
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Absolutely, Dave - it's all just a bit of friendly banter
The Lentek will be up against a superb benchmark - the A23 - so if it gets anywhere near that sort of performance then it will undoubtedly be a very good bit of kit and a total bargain, justifying my memories of it in the process
Who knows, it may just have been one of those 'synergy' things - but all I can say is that when I had the Sondex S-230 (a great little 30W British amp of the time - do you remember it?)/Lentek/DL-103, the combination was magical, so one would imagine that with the Croft's superb valve MM stage, things will be markedly better.....
But you never know with these things. Anyway, watch this space!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
I've always had best results with good quality transformers. Back in the late 70's and early 80's we were spoilt with high quality/reasonably priced step-up transformers but now they are rare and expensive unless you strike it lucky on E-Bay.
The Puresound T10 is a good'un at a reasonable price but that's the only affordable one I can think of. Perhaps there is a market out there for someone with the knowledge and a coil winding machine....
Senior Member
Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...
Posts: 14,540
I'm David.
Yeah, SOWTER...... around £130 a pair. Just add plugs and sockets and possibly a case..
I can't go on and I can't go back, I don't feel so matter of fact,
I tried and tried to make good sense, What's the good to try it all again?
ELP Fanboy
Location: Yorks
Posts: 16,643
I'm Nobody.
Mayware T24II
Senior Member
Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 717
I'm King.
I have had a Lentek for about 30 years and, to be honest, it is far inferior to my Denon AU340 transformer, Panasonic or Trio head amp. The little Lentek simply is not in the same league.
It will be interesting if my Denon 340 compares with the A23 in a bake-off.
King
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