Lenco 75 versus Garrard 301?

Thanks Mark! I am doing my homework now trying to decide on either one of these TT or on one of the new newer belt drives. I know this subject has been kicked around for quite some time. Anyway, the Schroder Ref is a long way off. Things, I hear, arn not great as far as the wiat time. So it looks like a Tri-Planer arm for me (not a bad idea..hey?).

Rwl, jean on the lenco thread found them similar when set up perfectly, i found my lenco superior to my garrard 401 in every way. considering the new lenco thread and what people like albert porter reported (that in a less than fully modified form its close to his $50,000 Walker, and superior in some ways) i'd go for the lenco, because its cheaper, easier to service and sort out, and for the shere amaxement factor that this cheap old deck is superior to almost anything out there.

Gil...thanks for the advice....that's were I'm leaning!

Personally, I prefer the L78 if one is going to retain the original speed control handle and/or on/off switch handle, and platter mat. Otherwise they are the same, except for the auto return feature, which I dispense with, anyway.

I am one of a growing few who have both a restored 301 and restored Lenco. I am with GD in favor of the Lenco for first-time or less than confident restorers since, as he says, it is cheaper and easier to "sort out". If you have confidence in your restoration abilities or are having someone experienced do the work, I might choose the 301, especially the early hammered finished ones. I really prefer the look of them, though you CAN paint the Lenco top plates almost any color (which we have done to great success). Performance-wise, I prefer my 301 by a shade, but it very well could be the combination of arm and cartridge that make the difference, which is slight. Objectively, there is probably not enough of a difference for most and in most systems. YMMV

In the case of either table, the effort required to restore the mechanicals and build a proper plinth which can, at the same time, look great within your decor (if this is important), is not as slam-bang as some might have one believe. Don't get me wrong, it is not rocket-science, either, and to get decent results one needn't be a mechanical expert or own a wood shop. Things can be disassembled, cleaned, lubed and re-assembled without a ton of experience and without special tools. Too, a decent plinth can be formed which will suit many. However, if one runs into mechanical difficulties or has speed, hum, or noise problems or if someone wants a “furniture grade” plinth, there is a lot more skill, time, and expense involved than one might assume going into a project.

I can say that the effort spent on both the 301 or the Lenco will yield great results, whether done by one’s self or by someone else. I could go on, but why bore people? ;-)

Re: the Schroeder reference and 4yanx's comments, I haven't even laid eyes on one, let alone heard one, but it IS worth noting that Schroeder uses a Garrard 301 as his reference table so in fact it should work extremely well with the Garrard or the Lenco. Having said that, I agree with 4yanx that arms of that cost are not necessary to get great sound from these tables. My replinthed Lenco 75 with OL Rega RB-250 and Shure V15VxMR sounds better than my Linn LP12 with DIY crystal controlled power supply and identical arm/cartridge, and I preferred the OL arm to the Ittok that the Linn originally came with.

As noted in another post, Albert Porter raved about the sound of his replinthed Lenco and Decca arm (a real budget item but reportedly very musical) compared to his 50 times more expensive Walker turntable/arm and high end cartridge.