Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

Yo from the Great Northwest!
Please click on my system to see my latest Lenco beauties.
This thread has been one of the best public, worldwide services. The mighty Lenco has kept me at home, indoors and off the streets.

Another Lenco Crazy

Beautiful Lencos Michael!!

At this end I've been experimenting with ceramic ball bearings for the Lencos. As some of you may recall, when I reported on the Garrard vs Lenco, I had reported that only with a completely obssessive and neurotic main bearing and idler-wheel baering and motor treatment/cleanup/re-lubing could the Garrard match the Lenco. Well, in applying this same regimen to the Lenco main bearing (more difficult due to the much smaller Lenco main bearing), and combined with the ceramic ball substitute, the Lenco takes another leap upwards in performance, and this pretty well must be considered mandatory as well. Given the HUGE leap when matching the Lenco with the stone/birch-ply/MDF/acrylic sandwich (acrylic on top), this latest mod must be considered to take the Lenco - already one of the best 'tables in the world, bar none when in Giant Direct Coupled guise, in terms not only of the usual idler superiority in the bass, dynamics department and transient speed, but also in terms of transparency and detail (as those who have actually tried one can attest) - into completely uncharted territories of Analogue Bliss.

The most striking result from the bearing mod is a LARGE increase in transparency and pristine and delicate high-frequency extension, bringing my fab RS-A1/Denon DL-103"E" - previously left in the dust by the JMW 10.5/Ortofon Jubilee pairing - into perhaps superior sonics, organization, separation and transparency. Now, I need to apply this same mod to my massively huge Ultra Lenco, and see where the JMW/Ortofon Jubilee pairing, and the Sonus/Satin pairing, takes me next!

Of course, noise (inaudible noise/black background), MUST be decreased, which accounts for the increased transparency. The newly-uncovered high-frequency extension - SMOOOTTTHHHH and silky extension- is likely due to improved speed stability. Yes, speed stability, as reduced friction in the main bearing (the platter now spins forever) means the platter - already the best flywheel out there in Idler Land - acts as an even more effective flywheel which, being coupled intimately via that infamous rubber wheel to the motor, regulates the motor speed even more effectively than before (that famous closed system of platter/idler/motor motor/idler/platter which utterly ignores stylus force drag).

I haven't had a chance yet to investigate further in the bass and midrange (already improved by the much greater transparency), and will report further once I've applied the mod to my Reference Ultra Lenco/JMW/Ortofon Jubilee. Have fun all, in my region the Lencos are making a Mighty Splash, among some VERY serious audiophiles, who are learning lessons in the areas of musicality and edge-of-the-seat excitement, (not to mention that still-alive nonsense idler noise dogma!), not to mention the Myth of Progress!

So, Jean, where do you get the ceramic bearing, and how can Lenco lovers get one too?

And what's this about an acrylic layer on your giant super splendiferous plinth?

Ceramic bearing and total bearing overhaul kit can be obtained from Joel - take a look in Fleamarket at Lenco Lovers Forum for "Joel's platter bearing kit".

http://tinyurl.com/23gjgv

Thanks wbw, Perhaps Jean can comment as to the source of his ceramic bearing. It may not have come from "Joel".