Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

Well done Grant.
Thanks for sharing a familiar experience- surprise (at some guy ranting about a DIY $200 turntable. Entertainment and curiosity, went back to see more ranting, total skpticism, noticed some others in ranting mode, inquired about Nottinghams and Well Tempered tables only to hear that some were sold and replaced by the old Lenco??? Went back. Made contact with that crazy guy up north. Found him to be nothing but class and a real gentleman. Always willing to share with no strings.
Now, a true Lenco fanatic myself.
Thanks Jean! Keep on Truckin'

Exciting, Exciting EXCITING !! Lenco comes into the Light !!

Congratulations to ALL who have contributed in the Great Experiment, kicked off by Jean oh-so-many years ago ! We have learned many lessons together, through the community of Da Thread/Da Thread II.

I must personally thank Jean for being the Raving Lunatic he is... and for his unswerving conviction to what he believes in. When I stumbled onto Da Thread in early 2004, it seemed this guy was waaaay over the top in expressing the greatness of the idler-wheel drive, and the Lenco design in particular. Talk about blowing out huge gusts of hot air :-)

BUT... I kept reading with interest, and day by day the hyperbole sounded more and more credible. I went from A) highly suspicious of these outlandish claims, to B) questioning my own assumptions of "what's the best TT", to C) believing in the Gospel of The Lenco, to D) voting with my dollars, and acquiring an L75. Quite a leap of faith for a skeptical guy like me. This is the power of the Nantais Prose.

Today I'm thankful I didn't rush into a plinth rebuild... no, it's been the opposite ("Woe is me... Will I EVER get that thing running ?"). The reward for waiting: today, the Monster-Class design details are pretty much understood and
shared freely to all who will listen. Thank you Jean and thank you All, for developing these refinements to the basic "solid plinth" we began with.

A year ago I had the pleasure of sitting in front of Jean's system - my first chance to actually hear what the fuss was all about. The Man is Right. He does not exaggerate in his wild and wonderful descriptions of the portrayal of Music via the Lenco... I heard it for myself... and must concur and support his claims.

As if that audition was not enough, I was even more fortunate to accompany Jean and his Monster Lenco to the Wyetech Listening Room. My (audio) life will never be the same. We were treated to the most effortless, lifelike recreation of live music I have EVER witnessed. Tom Waits - Nighthawks at The Diner... not even a special Mo-Fi pressing, but Jean's bargain bin find.

THEY were not in the room with us... No, we were in the club with THEM. Completely magical... transported to the venue... transcending all the reviewer-cliches you've read a thousand times - there was no "hey listen to the top end sparkle", or "boy, the bass sure flaps your pants" - it was just a thrilling performance happening before us. Totally "natural" in dynamics, from muttered comments between songs, to the band roaring full-tilt. We just HAD to sit through both sides... yup, the complete album - it was that compelling. D'you ever do that with your audiobuddies, or is it the same 3 tracks from the same 3 records ?

Arrestingly, unspeakably impressive. Roger Herbert is one crafty designer... I didn't know electronics could get out of the way like his do, and let the music speak as though through that elusive "straight wire, with gain". Bravo !!

While I can only D R E A M of having all that world-class gear at my personal command, the good news is, the crucial front end source for this amazing lesson is The humble and Mighty Lenco. ("Hey, I'm making one of those right now...") And if it ain't in the source, you can't make it up further down stream.

Thanks again and again and again to the Lenco Brotherhood, for the gift of Knowledge & Friendship. I almost missed this group... it was a random search that dropped me into Da Thread - and curiosity in what the H*ll that Jean Guy was blathering on and on and on about - that made me stick long enough to be converted. Now I'm poised for Everlasting LP Happiness. My L75 project is underway, and with the benefit of all your collective experience, I'll steer clear of many pitfalls.

Three Cheers and Vive la Lenco, Vive la Idler-Wheel!!!
Grant

Hmmm... and OOPS.

What strange double-post phenomenon is this ? Not my intent to have the message repeated in the thread. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Grant

Hi Grant: the post Audiogon found so nice, they posted it twice! I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't a bar up in the A'Gon control room ;-). Thanks for stepping forward with corroboration of that amazing experience a while back, offering a window into the Lenco experiences up here in the Great White North (especially white this weekend with an ongoing snowstorm)! Thanks to Oregon too for his unfailing energy, support and enthusiasm!

You're welcome Kravi4ka, and good luck with your project! You're not too far from my yearly summer peregrinations. I hired a lovely Bulgarian singer to work with me in that bar on Rhodes Srajan mentioned, her husband working the front disco bar (mine was more MUSIC-oriented, of course ;-)). They were a great couple, and she got into the work with great spirit. The bar's theme song was The Pink Panther, and somehow, playing that song always turned the flame up high on the party/business. She didn't question it, and whenever things got quiet she would come to me and say "Play the Pink Panther." No sooner the opening bars came on, the doors would burst open an a crowd stream in, like magic, every time. I've since bought the LP, and the music is terrific, and the recording fabulous!

As to making history, the review is another step in my original War to have the Lenco/Idler recognized as the Truly Great and Mighty system it is (the first being Da Thread, made a success and possible by all those intrepid participants over the years), in fact The Best, though a mighty indirect baby step, as it won't be compared with other vinyl spinners, or in a vinyl context, but instead be inserted into an all-digital system, and auditioned by an all-digital Man. A very very serious all-digital system. In fact, a perfect test of my claims of Lencos/idlers and the importance of and performance in speed stability over the years. The Lenco/Idler phenomenon continues to grow and expand due to its, indeed, actual, in-practice, tested and proven, Mightiness. The Lenco, again as developed by all the participants of Da Thread/s over the years (and I have UTTER faith in it) will be undergoing its first baptism by fire!! An interesting experiment, dontcha think? And, perhaps MOST importantly (at least to me), I'll get to sip drinks on the beach on my way to somewhere/something interesting, and on my way FROM somewhere/something interesting :-). Getting back to music, as the Aerosmith song says, "Life's a Road, not a destination" (often featured in that bar :-)). And who knows where on that road the Mighty Lenco will go?

Enjoy your Lencos all, and all the other idlers out there! Time to start testing combos with the Lenco/RS Labs and get to work!

Hey Grant,

That was fun! And in two-track mono to boot. Your primal skepticism only lends credible weight to the chorus – a mass constrained sandwich in its on right. Not many months back, when the three of us were together, you continued to ask pointed, in-depth questions of Jean about many facets in audio. Of course, our savant host had an answer for just about everything. Lazily, after finding my ears agreeing with all Jean’s other audio recommendations that I’ve been able to try (Petra ICs, Athena budget speakers, V-FET solid state), I’ve found it very economical, just to sit back and reap the benefits on this road to stellar music listening.

But Grant, you’re an excellent and fun writer and this was a treat. Since you’ve made me privy to some pics of your Mighty plinth build, I can see that this is going to be one heck-of-a Lenco.

- Mario