I got myself a Variac voltage regulator and am using this to power a Lenco GL-75 with the Variac plugged into a line conditioner,and the table plugged into the Variac.I am on a 240v 50Hz supply for the mains and have found that the Lenco motor quietens down substantially when I turn the voltage down to around 160V.Has anyone tried this and what are their results?I am sure I am getting a blacker backgound and better audio. |
I don't hear a negative effect in the bass or dynamics.I did tune the motor early on when I almost lost that little nose-screw too.I believe that the "flywheel" effect of the 9LB platter driven at speed accounts for most of the control of the Lenco and the idler may not be that heavily relied on.Once the speed has been set with a strobe it seems to stay on speed much as before.There is not as much torque as before of course which you can feel with your fingers,but as I stated the speed is fine.I used a stethoscope to judge the best place to set the Variac to where the motor seemed to "quiet-down".At full voltage the motor does seem to vibrate and shake a little too much.The Variac eliminates this motor shaking,which seems to be obviously correctable. |
It just occurred to me.... that there in the States and Canada you only run on 110V 60Hz so your vibration floor would be normally lower than mine at 240v 50Hz?My motor runs pretty fast to begin with so taking the voltage down I am now on a par with you?The speed can be regulated just turning the Variac knob as well I noticed,so the Lenco does respond immediately to a voltage change. |
Sudden rush of ideas here!!! The motor in the States and Canada is the same except for the spindle right? So I could actually take the 240v model down to 90v or so and have an extra quiet motor,although I lose all that torque,makes for an interesting experiment I think. |
Having experimented a little further and thought about it some more,I found a couple of things.There are 3 or 4 types of Lenco motor,one meant for 110 v only and which is not switchable.The 110v appears the same but has a green material in the windings and without a little diagram showing the way to connect 220v on the connecting strip which is normal.The other motor has no material on the windings and has a diagram showing how to connect for either 110v or 220v with connecting shorting joiners on the strip.European models could be 110/220v 50Hz wheras U.S models could be (with a different spindle) 110/220v 60Hz or 110v 60Hz only.I actually have a model marked for 110V/240v 50Hz but I think it is a standard European model now "marked" for 240V.Looking at the literature on Vinyl Engine and sorting the different info it seems that the Lenco motor is actually 220v(110) 50Hz at 15VA in stock form but one piece for the GL-75 gives a 200 to 240v rating on the motor for example.You could then run the Lenco at 200v,220V or 240 at least and still be in spec.So extrapolating,running at 90v in the U.S is still quite respectable.There is a speed drift problem that comes into play if the torque is too low but I have seen reports on the Garrard as being ideal at around 170/180v.Anyway it seems some tweaking can be done keeping an eye on the speed drift. |
I have found this statement in an old Lenco manual for he GL-75."The L-75 is designed for use with 220v 50hz AC mains but can be supplied with a switchable motor for use on 115 145 and 225 V mains.This seems to indicate that the Lenco people thought the power supply was important.If my Lenco is then "marked" for 110V/240V maybe thats what I should run it at instead of ones I have seen "marked" for 110/220v for example-any thoughts? |
I glued a 10mm hard acrylic platter,specially cut leftover Rega platter on.Brings the VTA up to spec as well.Beat that! |
Yes I use a power conditioned Variac into a Lenco.Firstly I have a power conditioning box that the preamps and turntable plug into.Before the turntable I have the Variac which is set for 220v the rating of the Lenco motor and the Variac goes into the power conditioning unit,turntable into the Variac.I haven't made direct comparisons because it is too clumsy to change around all the time but it seems to be fine. |
I went from using a Denon 103 on a Lenco to a humble Ortofon VMS 20 moving iron type and I found that I did not really lose anything over the Denon.The Denon actually seems overly analytical by comparison as the Ortofon seems to grasp the gist of the music and on some records blows the Denon away.I am greatly enamoured of the moving-iron type of cartridge at the moment and am thinking of trying one of the Grado's. |
Regarding the RB 300 and anti-skate I have found that it usually requires very little in most cases.I align by ear, and the tracking weight dial on the Rega arm is brilliant for finding that sweet-spot,which of course varies every time you have a record playing session.Now there has to be some adjustment to the anti-skate required when your weight is right.It seems to confirm the less than 30% theory postulated by experiment in the late 60's in some way.When you hear it just come in is a very low position on the slider and about always right.I confirmed this by adjusting anti-skate once when I was recording the RIIA signal only and hearing the change quite clearly.I think the bearings on either side of the Rega arm are the same as each other,the RB 250 drifts out as well.I would find out from someone who upgrades the Rega bearings i.e Origin Live.Mark Baker knows all about the Rega arm. |
I would have to agree about the greatness of the Ortofon cartridges in that VMS series as it really is clearly the best I have heard on the Lenco.The Denon 103 I feel has been slightly(significantly) bettered by the VMS 20E Mk11.A measure of this was the anti-skate for illustration.I don't know how many would have noticed this but I always found the 103 a bit finnickey as to where it wanted it's anti-skate and gave what could be described as different colourations of sound in different positions.The Ortofon is not like this in that you can hear the sound come in and right where it should be(30% about).I was also using pure silver interconnects for the Denon which seemed to demand the swift transients but the Ortofon handles even the Van Den Hul cables,which I thought were too fuzzy in the past.Now I hear what they can do.The balance of the Ortofon is superior.I still like the Denon but why didn't I notice this earlier.MC's are a plot! |
I have now joined the multi Lenco club cause I have just scored my second GL-75,in pretty good working condition with the original arm and all bits.The nylatron plate has the tiny dimple which is definitely deliberate and metal idler,spring,idler-arm,strobe are all excellent.Still seems to be an original model that has nothing done to it since it was bought.The cartridge looks as though it's the Goldring that came with the table.Pretty clean inside.It definitely needs a clean and lube though as the bearing is dry.All this for the grand sum of $97.00.Not bad. |
I think we brushed over this question previously.I refer to the bearings in the Lenco spindle bearing.I think that actually they are designed to have a slight play in them if we can credit the Swiss designers with having thought this issue out.I believe that some form of grease was used as the original lubricant and for damping of vibration purposes as well.If a bearing is too tight as say in the Rega table,as many have discovered,it has a lot of disavantages when lubricant is lost.The speed becomes too fast(dry bearing effect)and all damping properties are lost.With the Lenco they knew they were using an oil retaining metal compound and also applying grease.There had to be some way to retain the needed lubricant rather than forcing it right out of the bearing well which would happen in practice.Therefore the give in the Lenco is intented to be there and it is an error to use bushings that are too snug as proper damping and lubrication and speed stability will be lost.Not to mention the wear coming from running on an overly "dry" bushing. |
I believe I initiated some discussion of the Ortofon VMS 20 here when I compared it favourably to the Denon 103.Any way it is still easy to obtain a genuine relacement stylus for it as Ortofon still make them as far as I know.Another source is Musonic in the U.K which even has a VMS 30 relacement stylus this is said to be even better and you can put it on the VMS 20 body effectively making it the top of the range model as the bodies are interchangeable.Here is a link http://www.musonic.co.uk/ |
