Hi David, I wish!! The whole thing, as written in the article, was Bob's idea, and for that I thank him deeply, as should you all, as an Ambassador/Product of Da Thread will be sent out for Official Recognition!! Celebrate!!! When Bob, who isn't afraid to tell it like it is and use big words like "Crush" and "Incredible" - and like you too David ;-) - if the facts support the word (i.e.; it is an accurate description of the reality, something which seems to escape so many who see the world through socially-imposed politically-correct lenses, and so don't like to make definitive statements), approached me and asked me if he could approach some magazines for a review, I wrote him to go ahead, kill himself doing it, that no one would touch me or the Lenco/Idler Movement with a 10-foot pole!
Imagine my surprise when I received - THE SAME DAY - not one but two e-mails, via Bob, one from Srajan Ebaen, the editor of 6moons, saying yes, and one from Jeff Day, an outspoken idler fan himself, who was looking forward to it and supportive. So, seeing that Srajan was based on Cyprus, that I try to travel every summer to the Mediterranean, that I had been involved in quite a few digital vs analogue dust-ups on Audiogon recently, I thought to - as always - put my money where my mouth was (Srajan has a VERY serious digital rig, coming in at something like $43K, so the Lenco has its work cut out for it), combine the Whole Enchilada and see what happened. Again I didn't expect success, and was amazed once again that not only was Srajan open to the experience/experiment/adventure, he was enthusiastic about it and day by day knocked down every single of my proposed objections/road-blocks!
I do believe Srajan, being an original thinker himself, is attracted to rebellious, questioning movements. He did the research himself, and so I had to try and make an effort too and at my end I contacted my contacts and had them relieve me of much of the expense: providing tonearm, cartridge and phono stage (and many thanks to them as well). But this will still be a very expensive venture, to ship, to build (I am having special metal feet made, having the metal parts bead-blasted and professionally re-coated in a very tough finish, developing a special plinth-building method, etc....this is for a high-end audio mag, no Canadian Rustics here!).
So I still don't know if it will happen: as should be clear to those who have followed my writings over the years, I value Travel well above Audio, and if it comes down to a choice between months of freedom doing my thing (also very expensive) and a review of the actual Lenco animal, then it's bye-bye review.
Those who have read the article will also have noted the Wyetech connection: to my surprise Roger Hebert, the brilliant mind behind the World-Class Wyetech electronics (and you haven't lived until you've heard a Lenco via his equipment...check out the several reviews of his equipment in various mags including TAS), catching news of the possible review on the Arctic Wind up here, came out and publicly announced his own Lenco conversion. Another who did not hesitate and instead trusted his hearing.
He heard one of my Lencos being demonstrated at a certain speaker manufacturer who was using Wyetech prototype top-of-the-line monoblocks to drive them (the combo, with the Lenco and ONLY with the Lenco, literally shook the concrete basement floor of the auditioning room) and was impressed. I soon received a phone call asking if I would bring my Lenco to his house for a demonstration? For reference, Roger uses big Zus, Coincident Total Victories, and a HUGE pair of limited-edition Tannoys (my favourites, though the other two are superb as well), and was using a VPI Aries with a Benz L2. Within one minute of hearing it, Roger turned to me and said "I want one". Still frightened of using the word "Crush" you timid fellows out there?
But Roger is a professional who produces impeccably finished and built electronics (works of engineering and visual art, truly, inside and out), and had to have a professionally-finished Lenco, and not the "dog's breakfast" that particular Lenco was :-) So, elated at the PR value of this latest conversion, I hired a cabinet-maker (and learned from him, very expensive lessons), and a lacquerer, and so began the making of the new plinths, which I owe to Roger for kicking my ass to take aesthetics more seriously, and teaching me some lessons as to Zen-like Perfectionism.
That same dog's-breakfast Lenco was also auditioned by Rob Fraboni, producer for Keith Richards and Bob Dylan among others, and he spent time listening to it via the prototype spoeaker/amp combo from various points in the room (the Lenco was VASTLY superior to the high-end digital source as the speaker manufacturer already knew, which was why I was asked to bring the Lenco for the demonstration for Fraboni). Though a digital man, he was interested enough to ask "Does it have to be this big?" Aesthetics is one thing, but ay, Performance is the thing!
Anyway, This Is It: the Lenco as it has developed on this Thread, and so its child, gets Official Recognition. I will be building it - assuming I AM building it and shipping it (a lot cheaper not to, it's a lot of beer and suntan lotion) - according to the Principles developed on the Home Despot Thread: Giant Direct-Coupled (pan married to the plinth) birch-ply/MDF (humble but most effective so far in my experience, and in tests superior to some quite more exotic recipes), Glass Re-Inforced (the pouring of high-grade marine-grade glass epoxy into the hollows of the Lenco top-plate to re-inforce and eliminate vibration/noise, pricey but worth it) Lenco L75. Of course the aesthetics will be expensive, but we have to send out a proper Ambassador from Da Thread/s do we not, and not a dog's breakfast ;-)?!?
Now, I had promised a while back that things were getting exciting, and now I think we're THERE :-). This is, I remind you all, cause for CELEBRATION (quit yer whining, you whiners out there), so go Ye out and do so however it is you do so!!! So one more time for the Gipper (whoever he is): Vive la Lenco, Vive la Idler-Wheel!!!
