Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

Hi Michael, thanks for the encouragement, and for the excellent, detailed and informative review!!

For particulars on the Review Lenco I'll be sending to Cyprus to further the Lenco - and Idler - Name, it will be a two-tonearm Lenco, as asking a novice to use an RS-A1 regularly and exclusively is just plain cruel (though NOT sonically) :-). The RS will sit in the back left corner, and the second tonearm - still to be determined - will sit on the front right.

As written, it'll be finished in '57 Chevy colours, to emphasize the roll-your-own freedom and fun aspects which have always been central to this and the original threads. I'll be rebuilding a used older Swiss Lenco L75, no NOS parts, so everyone will know the astounding quality of these old machines, again as already developed since the early days of the original Home Despot thread: this beast will be a proper and fitting Ambassador of these threads, and I thank all those who have contributed to its success - and the consequent bringing to light of the mightiness of the Mighty Lenco - over the years, and those who have offered encouragement. This'll be a review of the Child of Da Thread(s)!! Which means: Giant Direct Coupled Glass-Reinforced birch-ply/MDF Lenco L75, with all original parts.

I'm working today on rebuilding the motor and associated hardware while the plinth sits at the lacquerer's, and hope to have it all together, tested and ready to pack by early next week. Then it begins its sea voyage to the Eastern Mediterranean where, lucky me, I will meet it for a musical love-fest in Srajan Ebaen's various soundrooms!!

Anyway, back to work, have fun with your Lencos and various idlers all!! Vive la Lenco, Vive la Idler Wheel!!

Hi Francois,
The serial # on my L75 Lencosaurus is 002734 with a date of
Feb 18,1968 as date of manufacture. I can't post pics as I don't have a digital camera, also, mu computer is a pentium
II running windows 98 and I doubt I could upload pictures. I can say that I played my lenco nude on a couple of bricks and it did best my LP12 Lingo Rs a1 arm shelter 501. That is, with the arm and cartridge hopping between set-ups.It was unfair really, because the Linn has a dedicated stand and is levelled, the Lenco was plopped on a dresser beside it. Now,that was a few days ago,I have cut out five sheets
of the Baltic birch at 3/4 inches thickness since then, and stacked them. I dropped the Lenco innards on the makeshift plinth and spun some vinyl. Now we're talking. Bare and on
bricks it was better than the Linn, now onstacked sheets, it gains real body and depth while retaining everything that made it better in the first place. There is a sense of real flow now, liquid. And best of all the base has solidified and become quite more extended. On the Linn it was fat,lazy and hazy sounding in comparison. I can't wait till I cut out the MDF sheets, along with all the gluing and screwing and bolting, and then sitting down.
Regarding the original tonearm, it was not in the greatest of shape, so I stripped it. If you guys want the parts, you're welcome to them,(SASE)I can check for details if anyone is interested.I have aa few L75's now, and truth be told, I don,t care about the arms as I have the Rs a1 arm. They are the original arms. The Lenco does have the mounts for the four bolts, just that the bolts were missing on mine. All thigs considered, it was in really good condition when I aqcuired it. Rest of my set up;a highly modified Grant pre which replaced an MFA Magus, driving highly modified Bruno Kruegger Monoblocks (210 Glowing watts per)
replacing MFA D75 amp, driving Sonus Faber Cremonas. All mods done by Mr. Israel Blume of Coincident Speaker. All cabling is Coincident, after trial and error. For the money you can't touch his cables. Also, for the last couple of years I have been demo-ing a lot of higher end speakers to replace the Cremonas. Vandersteen 5, Hanson The KING,Stradivarius,Utopia,the big Macs,Colncident and lots of others. The Strads stood out,but I cant afford them.They
grab a hold of you and don't let go. But the Coincidents did so too, at less than a third of the price. They had a tighter, punchier base and were more open sounding, the strads were a little on the dark side but still very much open. I am leaning towards Coincidents as my next speakers for the sound as well the ease of driving them. There is something that seems effortless to me with higher sensitivity and impedance type speakers.
Well that's a lot for now, Cheers

Hi,
I feel kind of bad for asking these questions here and not contributing much but I do hope to share my experience later... I came to the point that I have the Birch Plywood, it's 12 sheets of 0.75 inches and 20x19 size( 18 mm thick and 60X50 cm) . I need some advice-I can go for a Birch Plywood plinth only and for the MDF/Bply -I know Jean's advice is for the CLDamping and mixing both but man, do I hate MDF... Anyway, if someone has experience with an all birch plinth please advise. The other thing is a little more serious (at least for me). I know that if I mount the rega arm on the plinth the VTA will be off. I was thinking that I can cut the top layer of BB a few mm wider than the size of the armboard and make the board thinner so it sits below the surface of the plinth and thus adjust the VTA. But how thin should I make the board to achieve that? My cartridge is Denon 103 and I am not sure which dimensions I have to measure to calculate the right position too... I have seen people including Jean use this method to correct the VTA but I don't even know what size to make the armboard-is there a standart booad size for Rega arms or should I just experiment? My plan is to make several boards from different woods but first I need at least some guidance about the size of the board. Assuming that the top sheet of plywood is 18mm how thick should I make the board guys? Or to put it that way-how many mm lower should the rega arm be seated as compared to the top plywood sheet? I hope you understand my question... Thanks in advance, this is the last thing I need to make clear before I start with the router :))

Tessera, I am really interested in your experience with the RS-A1-this is the my dream arm and I would really appreciate a few more words on how you find it soundwise and setup wise, does it match weel with the Shelter? Please share...

Hi Kravi4ka,
The RS A1 arm, to my mind is a contender for the ultimate if not outright THE ultimate arm.Every other arm made has a fixed cartridge position,where the cartridge is solidly
screwed on to the arm. If you think of all the valleys and peaks and ridges that a cartridge traverses as the record spins,it's quite the resistive ride. No matter what comes along the needle faces it head strong. There is no other
choice. Whereas with the RS A1 the cartridge just sails
through with no resistance because of the pivoting action of the cartridge. It bends and bobs and weaves through the groove. I believe that because there is less resistance, the
needle sits lower in the groove. I auditioned this arm against SME V, various Origins,variations of the RB 300, on
the same tables. Every time there was no contest. It just flows, with no resistance,whereas other arms give a sense
of something dragging things down, or scrapping against a side of the groove. I owned an RB300 before upgrading,which I had a rewire done to and the counterweight change as well.
With each upgrade the Rega responded very positively,rivaling the highly regarded megabucks arms. It had kick ass base in the upgraded mode as well. But it is not in the same league with the RS A1. In comparison, this arm is smooooooth,liiiiquid,and extremely musical. When you have everything dialed right,especially if you get the spindle to distance and the angle to it; it's strictly goosebumps teritory. It really is that good. At the dealers,
he would demo by playing it on a Rega P3, and an SME V on an $8000 deck. The Rs a1 sounded better. Not base slam better,but better nonetheless. You prefer the presentation
of the rs a1. Now, it is not for everyone. It is a two piece affair,and held together by tiny output leads of the cartridge. Care must ALWAYS be exercised when cuing the arm, or else things can get set in motion quickly with the counterweight bobing around at the back. Also the Phono cable can, if not properly attended to,pull the arm of the turntable. You just have to be extra cautious with this one, thats all. I have heard this arm with all the Shelters, and it's a great synergy. And, with others as well,as long as the holes are not threaded. I personally, cannot accept any other arm, but that's me. JNantais has one as well and I believe he is happy with it. Another thing, where else can you just plonk down an arm on any table and play and compare it to what's installed on said table?
There is one comlaint though. If they couldjust supply the arm with an interconnect harness long enough to godirectly to the Phono input instead of it terminating at the base of the arm, then it would be heaven. Because their wire is so fine and pure,it's incredible. Apparently, it cannot be sourced anywhere.
Thanks Tessera

Tessera,
Thanks for your input regarding the RS A1. Ever since Jean raved about it, I have been hoping to pick one up (used). But from what you've written, it is so fragile it might be best to buy new lest it's damaged. Have you tried it with the Denon 103?
Where would you recommend purchasing one of these Praying Mantises?
Gracias!