Beechwoods' Goldring Lenco GL-75

[Beechwoods]

They do seem to one of the consistent things that go wrong with Lenco's, but easy to replace.

I've now installed a lightweight headshell, plus a Shure M75ED Type 2 cartridge. Definite improvement to the top-end I think.

[Marco]

Hehe, that's freaky... Beechy, I've just bought one of those on Ebay! And also along with a NOS SME lightweight headshell to match:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...EOIBSA:GB:1123

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...B:EOIBSA:UK:11

I just thought it would be a bit of fun and I've always had a soft spot for Shure MMs. I've not had a chance to fit it to the Techy yet. What does it sound like on your Lenco? We can compare notes later

Marco.

[John]

Hi Nick have a quick read of this link around the arm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maddogm...n/tonearms.htm
John

[Marco]

What does that Shure sound like then, baby?

Marco.

[Beechwoods]

I've not had the chance to listen it critically yet, ie. at decent levels But first impressions are that it has a nice clear top end that's not at all obvious, and that the bottom end is surprisingly full without being overdone. The stylus is significantly smaller than the N55E I was using before and it must sit right at the bottom of the groove. I need to try it on one of my more worn records and see if they play more cleanly. No idea on soundstaging yet because I've not got my speakers set up properly to say anything about positioning, but will have a proper listen on my headphones this evening and make some further notes.

Baby

[Marco]

Interesting, Nick. I'd appreciate your more detailed thoughts when you've had a good listen. Unfortunately my SME headshell has been delayed in the post (should get it tomorrow, though). I've only got high-mass headshells spare and don't want to 'flatten' it with those!

Marco.

[Beechwoods]

I'd be interested in yours, Marco. You'll have had more experience of different sounding carts than me Listening on headphones through the Nagra tonight I've been impressed by the wide soundstage, though the vocals sit bang in the middle and the instruments spread nicely around - it doesn't sound exaggerated. It has a mellow quality. It'll do me for a while.

What encouraged you to try one out? They are a bit of a classic. Mine tracks well on the first 3 bands of the old Shure Obstacle Course LP, band 4 exhibits some of the artifacts of mistracking - slight popping on the cymbal hits etc. I heard that Shure were well regarded for their trackability.

[SPS]

Hehe, that's freaky... Beechy, I've just bought one of those on Ebay! And also along with a NOS SME lightweight headshell to match:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...EOIBSA:GB:1123

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...B:EOIBSA:UK:11

I just thought it would be a bit of fun and I've always had a soft spot for Shure MMs. I've not had a chance to fit it to the Techy yet. What does it sound like on your Lenco? We can compare notes later

Marco.

i have a few old mm carts.. i have not used the m75ed for years.. i have a nice one..

I used to use a v15 111 for a couple of years( quite a few years ago)

last weekend put a few carts through their paces ...from the box that seems to be growing
Shure m97he was up first, reminded me of the v15, rather a soft bass, but OK

then a nice decca london, better than the M97, did the complex stuff better

then on with an ortofon vms20e, close to the m97he.. not better
each one had around an hour, and where ready fitted to headshells

i have a good selection of headshells 3 sme's and some all alloy types

then to the kiseki mc, much better than those mm's did the fine detail, cleaner all they way through and much better bass

but.. i went back to an very old shure mm.. and its still on...
that make music with the right stylus.. and makes a row without it..

not much of a review...

steve

[baron]

Nick
Thanks for the photos on the other thread and this one of course. I should have either started a new thread or added to this one
Anyway I think I'm going to do more or less the same as you did except as I am using a RB300 I want to cut top right hand corner off and make some sort of arm board there. I then need to support the top plate of the deck some how.

There were a lot of photos on the lenco forum which seems to have disappeared.

I've had the deck from new, its only used when I'm in the loft on my computer, I was usinig it with the old arm to transfer 78's and some lp's to the PC. After I put my old RB200 arm on it I realised it was a better deck than I thought it was. So far with the RB300 on it it sounds very good and now just needs to be brought up to date with a better plinth. Hope this gives you a better idea of what I want to do.

[Beechwoods]

Philip - don't forget that Lenco Lovers has risen again as Lenco Heaven...http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php

It's obviously still early days because so much of the old site was lost, but they're a keen lot and all the bits are coming together.

Rereading some of the last posts on this thread has reminded me how much I've grown with the Lenco in recent months... new phono stage (the Quad 33 MM board) and a lot more listening. I've certainly made some personal discoveries via this deck - it easily competes with my CDP, I actually find it a more enjoyable listen... all this from such a cheap and inauspicious deck I know mine is pretty low-end but it does the business for me. I've thought about changing the arm for example, but it sounds really good as is, so why change it?

Anyway, more pics on the way. Just so you and Peter (Symon) can see how easy it is to put together a basic but serviceable plinth