Jean Nantais Lenco Reference mk. ii user feedback

I have a MK2. The sonic improvements of the new idler wheel are significant, completely as advertised, ie not subtle. Perhaps as big as the bearing mod. Mine sits on an Adona-like stand on concrete.

Is this the titanium idler wheel that was being made by someone other than Jean and sold as such on eBay, etc? (I cannot recall his name.) Does it use an O-ring to contact the underside of the platter? I thought about buying that idler wheel, but after due consideration I decided that the factory idler wheel was at least just as good or possibly even better, because O-rings are less likely to be perfectly round in cross-section than is the rubber cover used by the factory. Also, the latter might have a smaller footprint on the platter surface, which has some advantages to reduce "scrubbing" as the platter rotates. (The idler wants to roll straight ahead whilst the platter is rotating in a circle, creates some unwanted side forces.) On the other hand, it may well be that the titanium wheel itself is more perfectly round than the factory one, sans rubber. Dunno. But your reports are interesting. Obviously, if your original idler wheel is defective or damaged or just worn out, the titanium one is likely to be a good way to go.

"Mirko" was his name. He no longer seems to offer his products via eBay.

I think it's a different idler wheel. This from Jean in an email in November: "I just finished designing, having made and testing a new ultra-high-accuracy idler wheel, the last of the MKII modifications." After reviewing other emails from him, I find no mention of titanium, so I'm not sure where I got that bit. Must have imagined it, I guess.

Makes sense, because now I think I recall that Jean was one of a few guys who did not like the idea of a titanium idler wheel. Wonder what happened to Mirko. He was making quite a few products for Lenco, Garrard, and Thorens TD124, up to and including new platters.