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Lenco owners - arm/cart discussion,suggestions?

Curious to hear what arms others are using on their Lencos, and experiences they may have particularly with MC carts.

I currently have a Lenco L75 with custom plinth and 2 armboards (one with RB300), along with a Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm.

Has anyone tried the Spacearm on the Lenco? Any feedback is much appreciated.

What other arms are people using, particularly with low output moving coils?

I would really like to try my van den Hul Condor on the Lenco for a real gauge of the table's performance. While I feel the RB300 is a good match on the table, it will not work well with the Condor.

Just curious of other people's experiences before I drill the other armboard for an A/B of the Spacearm/Condor on the Spacedeck vs. Lenco.

Am considering other arms (SME V, Graham Phantom or 2.2) so any experiences of these with the Lenco would be helpful.

Have also considered something like a Shelter 501 for the Rega arm. Any experiences with low output MCs, RB300, and the Lenco?
mbort

Showing 6 responses by dopogue

dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I agree that any decent arm should work well with your Lenco. On my two-armed 70-pounder, I'm using an SME IIIs as the "second" arm and switch off between a JMW 10.5 and that 12" cherry wood arm sold here on Audiogon as the "main" arm. The latter two arms are on separate armboards making for quick and easy switching. Good luck, Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Mbort, the JMW is clearly superior to the SME III. The real surprise is how good that inexpensive wood arm is. I just wrecked (don't ask) a Soundsmith-retipped DL-103 on the JMW and am now using a Decca Super Gold Mk. VII on it. The DL-103, now back at Soundsmith, was more detailed and coherent, the Decca more dynamic and "authoritative." The SME III is currently sporting a Pickering TL-2S, one of my favorite carts, and there's a Grace F-9E on the wood arm. Not bad, but not as good as the Pickering, IMHO. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Audiohifila, here's what I did with a Nantais-built table. Replaced Jean's
carriage bolts with Mapleshade Threaded Heavyfeet. Mapleshade has these
solid brass footers in stock with the same 3/8 x 16 thread size hangar bolts
already attached. Just screw them into the carriage bolt holes and enjoy the
improvement. Three of the Heavyfeet cost $120 (total) and are well worth it,
IMO. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Lew, I thought of using the threaded Heavyfeet for leveling the TT but then decided to screw them tightly against the plinth's underside and do the leveling elsewhere. Maybe nothing to worry about, but seeing that gap between the top of the Heavyfoot and bottom of the plinth bothered me :-) Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
The hangar bolt version is what you need. As to what else you need I can only tell you what I'm using. The Mapleshade brass Heavyfeet sit directly atop a 22 x 24" maple platform (from Timbernation). Below this are four double-thickness IsoBlocks (from Mapleshade) which I happened to have already. I level the whole shebang by inserting enough thicknesses of 1 1/2 x 2" Post-It Notes (no kidding) between the top of two of the IsoBlocks and the bottom of the maple platform. This will naturally depend on how level your rack is (or whatever the turntable is sitting on).

My maple platform is 2" thick. If I had it to do over, I'd go for a 3-incher.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Mike, you can probably get away with an 18 x 24" platform IF the front-back distance between the bolt holes on your Lenco is sufficient (i.e., no more than about 16 1/2"). Dave
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