Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

Just listening to Dinah Washington on my 88 with RB250 with new counterweight and Shure V15 MkIV, through T-Pre and T-Amp and Fostex 168S mounted in Norh 5.0s, with a huge smile on my face. Never heard anything quite so beautiful and satisfying.

As more and more people send me their exotic tonearms for Idler-ization, and I get a few of my own, the more and more my already-enthusiasm for the Rega tonearms increases!! They also LOVE idler-wheel drives, where, like Hercules putting on his ring, they become Divine. It can stand its ground with the most exalted tonearms out there (seems too many are still listening strictly for detail) in terms of absolute and overall sound quality, and is easy to set-up and install, easy to mount cartridges, fun to play the effective-mass game with the spring downforce of the RB-300 to better match to a variety of cartridges, and it's NOT delicate and IS robust, a true and trustworthy work-horse!! And most important, very musical. Set up an MC on it, and only come back to fiddle with it when the stylus is dead, simply spending hours spinning discs. A true high-end tonearm which does all this, and is cheap too with innumerable upgrade possibilities!! I think I'll arrange to be buried with mine, it has migrated across very many 'tables over the years, and across many of my Lencos!!

So, glad to hear you loving the beauty of your Lenco, Welcome Home, Fish ;-).

Up here I've been experimenting as well with my new RS Labs tonearm (had a hard-on for this one for years now), which is quite simply stunning, though a Bitch to set up due to the threaded holes in the headshell (can't mount my beloved Grado Platinum, boo-hoo). May be the Best Tonearm on the Planet (I'm finally building myself a serious two-armed Lenco: I'll take the RS-A1 for a serious test spin and report back later), THE most transparent, and the pivotting headshell works: all tracing distortons nasties are gone gone gone!! Where are my old friends hardening and steeliness on certain passages?? Ronnie warns me not to look at it too hard as it will fall apart, and it certainly is no Rega in this respect, very fragile. But, apart from the headshell holes, not very difficult to set-up. Can't own one if you have children or pets though, or live in an earthquake area. Have fun all!

Hi Folks
progress shots of my lenco build up posted on Lenco MultiArm Plinth 2 under all out assault. the category seems appropriate now as my body feels like its been assaulted by the rigours of this torturous build. straight lines good, curves pain in ..........
regards

peter w

Hi Peter,

What a wonderful and ambitious project! This should slay all competition once its set up in your system – provided, of course that you have proper structural support (i.e. jacks) to brace up your house. Certainly looks heavy! Exactly what are these surge tanks? Somehow I have visions of supply and drain plumbing being hooked up to this thing in some kind of massive dampening hydraulic Lenco project.

And speaking of dampening, you’ve done a very admirable job throughout – much better than my patchwork attempts. One thing I did notice was that you still have the original idler tension spring hooked up. Right from the get go, Jean fingered this spring as a potential route of resonant noise transmission and substituted an elastic infused fabric item (for sewing into waist hems) that can be found in most sewing supply sections/stores.

Thanks for sharing your work with us, Peter, and keep us posted on updates.

As for all my projects: (4) idler redesigns/plinth builds; hardwood lens horn design & fabrication; (4) Reel to Reel deck resurrections – I’ve decided to put them all on a short hiatus and address the dirty state of my growing LP collection. I’ve become tired of taking nice records that I’ve bought for .50 to 1.00 dollar down to my local audio store and paying $1.50 to get them cleaned on their VPI machine.

So I’m building an ARC machine using the previously trailblazed standards for this DIY project: Ice Cream Maker motor; Guts of a Dust Devil 3 hp (peak) Vacuum; 1984 VW Windshield Washer Pump w/120VAC to 12VDC Transformer. I’m relying heavily on Jimmy Neutron’s design – but plan to deviate on the critical double wand record contact area. Whether playing or cleaning vinyl, it always seems to come down to adjustable VTA.

Some posts ago I have spoken about a custom made lasercut topplate I am designing. It has now reached its final stage.
You can read all about it here:

http://www.lenco-lovers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=158&start=80&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

I am now going to get a quote to see what the cost will be. I suspect that a major part of the price will be in programming the machine, so if we can spread the programming cost over as many plates as possible this just might be an affordable way to the Ultimate Lenco.

I have posted a survey here:

http://www.lenco-lovers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=231

to see how large the production run might be. Please add your name there if you are interested.
Thanks,
Peter