It's nearly Christmas all, so Merry Christmas in case I go missing again!! Up here it's constant snowstorms and sub-zero tempertaures, the snowbanks are piling high. Slow internet and intermittent access means I post less. Though my workshop is out here I'm currently almost devoid of a soundroom, so Lenco-inspired rants have slowed down considerably as well.
Mario, that is one beautiful creation, as always!!! I've just picked one of my own Reinderspeter top-plates from being professionally coated (in cream) so I can soon report on it's own benefits vs my own Reference Lenco. Just so those watching don't get the wrong idea: it's not that the Lenco NEEDS extensive modification in order to become perhaps the top-performing LP-spinner on the planet, all it needs is restoration and adjustment, and Direct Coupling to a neutral high mass. Pouring marine-grade glass-epoxy into the hollows of the top-plate go a LONG way to eliminating the weakness of the top-plate along with, of course, the Direct Coupling itself. Of course, Reinderspeter's top-plate eliminates any of the tricks, while making Direct Coupling more complete. Anyway, had the review happened, I had built an "original" Lenco with no modifications other than restotration and the Giant plinth in order to make the point of how truly Mighty the original Lenco is!! There will be other opportunities.
To reiterate the Lenco's inherent Mightiness ;-), my exposure to the Giant Lenco vs the 11,000-euro EMT 930 - and that of the two EMT 930 owners - was shock and surpise, as the EMT sounded like the original Master Tape, and the two fellows who own the EMT in fact make master tapes of professional musicians as a hobby!! I gulped a Mighty Gulp, but using the RS-A1 on both 'tables to ensure a level playing field, the Lenco comfortably outperformed the EMT, which itself would likely embarrass every belt-drive and DD on the planet (the EMT idler-wheel drives are considered superior to the DDs). As well, no belt-drive yet has even come close to the Lenco's performance, and the Giant Direct Coupled Garrard 301 (oil bearing) itself utterly embarrassed a Massive Plattered PLatine Verdier (and the Garrard was plunked down on no platform and into an inferior phono stage with inferior cartridge, effectively with one hand tied behind its back), which was subsequently sold. In turn, the Garrards do NOT outperform the Lencos, though they can be brought up to Lenco levels by Direct Coupling to a high mass, and careful and painstaking restoration and readjustment.
The issue is TORQUE, and as with mass, it seems almost that there is no such thing as too much torque in order to deal with the VERY serious problem of stylus force drag, the braking action caused by the friction of the stylus in the groove. A European motored Lenco has a dead-silent/vibationless motor when used in NA, and seems from this point of view superior to the NA motors. But though they are dead silent, one can hear a loss of energy: of SLAM, of transient speed, impact and definition, and so on. Audiophile judgments are often not to be trusted, as they will constantly and year after year throw the baby (i.e. PRaT, SLAM, jusicality, musical excitement, etc.) out with the bathwater (noise), which explains the large number of muiscally-uninvolving electronics, speakers, and sources. They then declare that PRaT is an illusion, in order to avoid facing the musical consequences, and end up in a never-ending change of equipment. The secret to preserving the TORQUE and eliminating noise is simple: Direct Couple it to a high neutral mass. This improves the speed stability vastly, so that any cogging effects are eliminated and, more importantly, the motor ceases to actually move the 'table around and so muddy the speed stability by relative motion. Once done, the Lenco does not need a whole host of items replaced and immproved on in order to make it the Best on the Planet. But, of course, it can be even further improved by those who want to improve things ever further.
Does the Lenco even have a sound? I've pondered this often: it has state of the art detail retrieval, imaging, transient speed and definition, bass, highs, in fact, EVERYTHING. If it does have a sound it's that mesmerizing and POWERFUL liquid flow of the Amazon in Full Flood: unstoppable underground POWER on tap, lying behind the music, always there in reserve, while the perfect timing and transients, and astounding SLAM allied to delicacy and fluidity continue unabated. Is this a colouration? Perhaps, or perhaps this IS the true sound of music. Either way, it's very hard to stop listening and being astounded by a Giant Direct Coupled Lenco.
Moving on to the Sony 2250, I compared my Oracle Delphi MKIV, equipped with a SME V/Dynavector XX-1, to the Sony equipped with a Morch UP-4/Ortofon Jubilee, so the stack was, according to economics and reputation, stacked in favour of the Delphi. In the event, the Sony utterly outclassed the Oracle (which has just been returned from the factory), in every conceivable way. Not only that, but using a Monster power conditioner, the Sony's bass improved along with detail and a sense of fluidity. It even has great musicality and PRaT. So the Sony is a Contender in the True High End 'Table sweepstakes, provided, as always, it is Direct Coupled to a high mass. Fun to use too due to those great pinao-key controls. But, using the RS-A1/Denon combo, it is clearly inferior to the Lenco in equivalent plinth, though there will be further tests.
Anyway, have fun all, time to get back to work, and start shovelling!!
