OMA or Jean Natais Lenco rebuild

A nice writeup by Art Dudley in Stereophile about the PTP table. He does have some really silly nitpicks, but I think he gets the gist of this wonderful table.
I have lived with the PTP Solid 12 for 2 months now and could not be happier.
If you are like me and don't want to rebuild your own Lenco then do yourself a favor and get this table!

I would buy from Jean Natais or OMA since they are located in North America.

We are in the process of launching a new website, which will no longer show plinth options for Lencos, but I thought it would be useful to comment in this thread that OMA no longer supports any Lenco PTP's with slate plinths.

We now only offer the OMA Anatase turntable, using the Lenco motor and platter, the other parts being made by OMA.

Jonathan Weiss
OMA

Hi Rich,

I haven't heard these other Lenco rebuilds, which I'm sure are excellent, but I like my Nantais Reference Lenco a lot. Two years old, it is a Mk I, though I'm actually sending it to Jean this week to have all the Mk. II mods performed.

I commissioned mine in solid Santos mahogany sheathing and it takes two arms. I find it beautiful, given its bulk, with excellent fit and finish. (To see a pic, scroll down this page.) Speed stability is quite good overall, though it tends to creep a little fast over time, so I re-set with a KAB every few months. Otherwise, it is trouble-free.

I really like the sound. It presents great rhythmic grip and drive with an outstanding bass foundation, low noise floor, and very good detail retrieval. I ran a Clearaudio Innovation Wood (with Outer Limit ring and Statement clamp) next to it in the same system for nearly two years , so I had a fairly neutral frame of reference. The Clearaudio had a little quieter background (though not by a huge amount), which allowed for slightly sharper attack and a somewhat deeper soundstage. It's a very fine deck but I thought it more mechanical and less organic-sounding--more like great digital--using either a Phantom II or Tri-planar. Speed stability over the short term was basically a toss up, which is saying something, since the Clearaudio has sophisticated optical speed correction.

Ultimately, I preferred the Nantais Lenco and sold the Clearaudio, replacing it with a Brinkmann Oasis, which is a great-sounding direct-drive with extraordinary articulation of instruments and rock-solid timing. Its background is even quiter than the Clearaudio. Still, the Nantais Lenco holds its own and even does some things a little better (bass weight, drive, flow), although I'd say it is comparatively a little colored towards the mid-to-upper bass, which is not a bad thing in my room, and less resolving at the very top. The Brinkmann is clearly better in its precise delineation of instruments in space--I've never heard its like in this regard--bringing everything into super-sharp focus without losing musicality or the textures of instruments. The two decks sound different but they're equally enjoyable and valid in their presentations. I'm sure the Mk II mods, which are now standard, will be quite an improvement, too. I find Jean to be a pleasure to work with, BTW.

Any way you go, you'll end up with a great idler, so enjoy.

Best,
Bill

I don't recall how long I waited for Jeremy, but it was more like a year or less. On the other hand, the wait was worth it. I believe it makes a big difference. Takes quite a while to break in, but sounds good from the get-go. But when it's really rolling along, the turntable sound becomes very open and airy. What I want. During early break-in, the bearing housing gets warm to the touch after 10-12 hours of use, and you have to change the lubricant frequently. When that stops happening, the benefits of the bearing become most evident.

FWIW Peter owns one of the first OMA slate Lencos. Jonathan uses his PTP plate.
He really likes this table and says they are more similar than different. But he states "the biggest difference is Corian has a naturalness and timbre that slate cannot match. Next to the Corian table the slate sounds slower and harsher".

Lewm, the PTP is a complete turnkey solution for 2500 euros.
This is from Peter's website


Technical summary
Idler drive.
400x500x50mm solid Corian plinth.
Two part 4mm stainless steel top plate.
Separate motor plate for maximum isolation.
Polished 4kg die cast aluminium platter.
High torque AC induction motor.
33 and 45 rpm.
Two exchangeable Corian armboards in the colour of the plinth.
Suitable for arms with a spindle to pivot distance between 200mm and 250mm.
(For those who prefer 12” arms we offer the slightly larger Solid12)
A wide range of colours to choose from.
The Solid9 is completely assembled and ready to use.
20 kg.

Price
€2450.-
€2250.- if you are able to provide the necessary Lenco parts.

Process
To make sure our products perform to their maximum ability the following is done:

Lenco parts
The Lenco parts have a long life behind them. To bring them back to their former glory they will all be thoroughly serviced.
The motor will be completely disassembled, serviced and rebuilt.
The bearing will be cleaned, rebuilt and filled with special low viscosity oil. If necessary the bearings will get a new ball, thrustplate and/or bushings to guarantee perfectly quiet running.
The idlerwheel will be cleaned and lubricated. The idler arm will be coated to damp any ringing. Finally, the whole assembly will be realigned, a very important step to make the turntable run silently.
The platter will be cleaned, polished and damped with rubber O-rings.

New parts
All new parts are made, according to our design and specifications, by highly skilled manufacturers to guarantee a long, hassle free life and a perfect fit and finish.
The plinth is made from solid Corian, CNC machined for highest precision.
The top plate consists of two pieces of 4mm thick stainless steel plate, laser cut into shape, with a beautiful brushed finish. It provides a rock solid platform for the bearing and optimal isolation of the motor.
Armboards are made from Corian and provide a solid base worthy of the best arms available.
A bearing clamp, made from 8mm powder coated steel, is mounted to the bottom of the plinth improving the bearing stiffness enormously.
All wiring and the switch are brand new to guarantee safe operation.

The concept is quite flexible so if you have special requirements don’t hesitate to contact us.
We're certain a fitting solution can be found.

To ensure that the product you buy is as good as it can be, Peter Reinders services all Lenco parts and assembles, tests and tunes each individual turntable himself. His long experience and expertise make all the difference.

Don't remember the exact price of the OMA, but I know it is more. And check out those Artisan Fidelity prices, yikes!
Btw, hope you didn't have to wait three years for that Jeremy bearing.

 
 

2500 Euros = $3250. Does that include the starter turntable, or is that the price for work done to a unit that must be supplied by the buyer? If the latter, I am not sure the price difference between the PTP table and the other two options posed by the OP is that big a deal. However, I agree with you that Peter Reinders is a first rate guy who has done much to improve the performance of the Lenco L75. Scuttlebutt was that Corian is not so great as plinth material, but I would re-think that proposition, if Peter is using it. It must therefore have some merit. I use his PTP top plate in the context of a home-made slate plinth. In addition, I replaced the Lenco bearing with a "Jeremy" Superbearing, and I took measures to dampen the platter. The total result is most satisfying. I don't know what Jean is charging these days, but the OMA plinth, if you already have an L75 would seem to be on a par with the PTP, in terms of cost, or maybe even cheaper. It would then depend upon what else Peter is doing for his total price (and on what Corian sounds like as a plinth). I can only say that slate works very well with the Lenco idler.

After a lot of research mostly on the tables of these three companies, I discovered PTP audio. The tables are built by Peter Reinders of Peters Top Plate.
He uses Corian as a plinth, which some on Lenco Heaven say sounds better than wood or slate. Peter is a true gentleman and a delight to work with. At a price of 2500 euros it shames a lot of the other rebuilds. Wish I could give you feedback, but my table won't be here till next week. With the money you save, buy a Schick Tonearm or Pete Riggle Woody with a nice upgraded Denon DL-103. At least check out the 6moons review, or better yet talk to Peter. You will thank me.
George

Do you have his table? Did you look at the OMA and Natais prior to making your decision?

You should also consider Chris Thornton of Artisan Fidelity. He does INCRDEIBLE work!