New Toy - LENCO L-175 USB Turntable

[Archive-8]

Specification
Technical specifications for LENCO L-175 USB Turntable
OVERVIEW
Type Turntable
Colour Black
PERFORMANCE
Number of speakers 1
FEATURES
Playable CD formats No
Other features - Convert vinyl to digital formats
- Integrated switchable stereo pre-amplifier
CONNECTIVITY
Wireless No
Bluetooth No
NFC No
AirPlay No
USB USB 2.0 x 1
POWER
Power options USB
Standby power consumption 1 W
Normal power consumption 25 W
GENERAL
Box contents - Lenco L-175 Turntable
- Instruction manual
- Software CD
Dimensions 420 x 340 x 110 mm (H x W x D)
Boxed dimensions 450 x 380 x 160 mm (H x W x D)
Weight 5.1 kg
Boxed weight 7.2 kg
Manufacturer’s guarantee.

LENCO L-175 USB Turntable

I should have it tomorrow.

 

[jeallen01]

Good luck with that - biggest issue with on-board USB-to-phono converters or straight-to-USB inputs to amps appears to be the onboard D/A converters themselves - some are good but most appear to be poorer than separate good outboard D/A converters from all I have read.

 

[Captain Jack]

Let us know what it's like. I prefer to feed direct post-pre-amp output to my sound card. No idea if it's better but it seems more err... right?

 

[Archive-8]

I just want it as turntable, I have no intention of using the USB function.

If I want the record the record I use my teac cd-rw unit.

The biggest plus for me is the ability to swap the stock headshell with my Shure M44-7 headshell.

My acoustic solutions deck has died completely, so has my Duel deck (age killed it) my project deck is so fussy on the condition of the records I can't really play them and enjoy them, it just sounds so clinical!

So hopefully this deck, with the Shure M44-7 cartridge I should be able to listen and enjoy my records.

 

[jeallen01]

Shure M44-7 - now that's a real "flashback" image - I at least got to the M75 series in the 70's/80's. Bought a Project deck about 10 yrs ago - but have hardly ever used it

 

[archive10]

Shure M44-7 - now that's a real "flashback" image - I at least got to the M75 series in the 70's/80's. Bought a Project deck about 10 yrs ago - but have hardly ever used it

I manage to drop and damage my Denon DP-35F some 10 years ago. Argh!
My better half bought me a new Projekt deck as a replacement.
Despite many good intentions, I have not managed to even unpack it yet... (although it sits there in storage, quietly waiting...)

 

[Archive-8]

Shure M44-7 - now that's a real "flashback" image - I at least got to the M75 series in the 70's/80's. Bought a Project deck about 10 yrs ago - but have hardly ever used it

My project deck has never been 100% it has an Ortofon OM-5E cartridge it's very bass light but very detailed. All records sound like a cd to me on my setup. Plus the OM5E tracks so light it skips at the slightest imperfection.

It's the motors that pack up on me.

 

[jeallen01]

My project deck has never been 100% it has an Ortofon OM-5E cartridge it's very bass light but very detailed. All records sound like a cd to me on my setup. Plus the OM5E tracks so light it skips at the slightest imperfection.

It's the motors that pack up on me.

I replaced that Ortofon with a higher spec one that has a higher tracking weight - seemed Ok during the little that I used it.

As for the CD sound, might that not point to the amp&/or the speakers?

 

[Archive-8]

I replaced that Ortofon with a higher spec one that has a higher tracking weight - seemed Ok during the little that I used it.

As for the CD sound, might that not point to the amp&/or the speakers?

I am using it plugged into a project tube box s into my maverick d1 plus tube, upgraded the dacs to burr browns that is then plugged in to my quad elite pre-amp and quad elite mono blocks & B&W 683 S2's.

All other decks with the Shure Cartridge all sound amazing it's just the project that sounds "meh"

 

[jeallen01]

Chris
That Shure cartridge is not necessarily the best for a deck like a Project because the M44 range was essentially a budget range for use in low-end decks like some of the Garrard and BSR autochange decks with relative crude arm adjustment mechanisms. For something like a Project or better, a higher spec cartridge would normally be expected to be used - "horses for courses".

 

[Archive7]

I should have it tomorrow.

Good luck with the new toy, Chris.
I was going to order a Dual product this week DTTC 100, but I need urgent money to deal with the old air conditioner hole in the wall.
Take a look at their products.
Plattenspieler | Willkommen bei Dual

 

[jeallen01]

My project deck has never been 100% it has an Ortofon OM-5E cartridge it's very bass light but very detailed. All records sound like a cd to me on my setup. Plus the OM5E tracks so light it skips at the slightest imperfection.

It's the motors that pack up on me.

Looking into that Ortofon and the Shure a bit more, they are two very different beasts: the first is a lowish-end lightweight hifi cartridge with a low tracking weight (1.5-2.0gms) whilst the second is a "DJ" stylus that is heavier and (presumably) is of sturdier construction with a higher tracking force range (1.0-3.0gms) and is claimed to have a very high "skip resistance"- and so no wonder that the Shure does not baulk so much at imperfections on the records!

Edited: Also, the Shure has around twice the o/p voltage of the Ortofon, - so it's almost certainly going to sound "louder" than the latter. Can you adjust the preamp gain to compensate for that?

Nevertheless, maybe that Ortofon is not the "right" cartridge for you - so maybe one of the Stanton range might be a more suitable modern cartridge for you.

However, might the real problem be your records - are they really flat and "clean"?

 

[jeallen01]

BTW: feeding your pretty high end pre-amp, amp & speakers with a cartridge like the Shure or the Stanton is a bit like feeding 2* petrol to a Ferrari engine which is designed to run on 5* fuel

 

[Archive-8]

The new deck turned up today only slight issue I had was the shape of the headshell.

I had to swap the cartridge for my Shure, only had chance to try a record and it works, I will give it a good test tomorrow.

@jeallen01 yes the tube box s & the quad pre-amp both have adjustments. You maybe on to something about the being to "clean" I will try a few without cleaning them first.

Ortofon cartridges have always been a bit "fly" the one I had in a B&O BeoCentre that thing would jump when a car went past the house, sadly this OM5E does, for me it's not "plug n play"

The lenco headshell and cartridge:-




The Shure cartridge before I swapped the plastic headshell


I will try and get some better photos tomorrow.

 

[jeallen01]

Chris
A thought - what do you use to support the t/t? Hope it solidly mounted and maybe with some sort of compliant material in between to absorb any external shocks/vibration? (I have almost always mounted mine on a "dead" material shelf firmly bolted to the wall as that sorted any external influences - even when I was having a VERY loud party - and mistracking rarely happened).

I also assume/hope you have used a decent stylus balance and alignment gauge as that can make big difference. BTW, wrt the Project deck, the standard balance weight might have been too light to get a heavy cartridge to balance correctly (the top end of the tracking weight range is usually the best approach to avoid mistracking and "jumping"), but there are heavier balance weights available - my Project t/t is fitted with one).

 

[Archive-8]

Chris
A thought - what do you use to support the t/t? Hope it solidly mounted and maybe with some sort of compliant material in between to absorb any external shocks/vibration? (I have almost always mounted mine on a "dead" material shelf firmly bolted to the wall as that sorted any external influences - even when I was having a VERY loud party - and mistracking rarely happened).

I also assume/hope you have used a decent stylus balance and alignment gauge as that can make big difference. BTW, wrt the Project deck, the standard balance weight might have been too light to get a heavy cartridge to balance correctly (the top end of the tracking weight range is usually the best approach to avoid mistracking and "jumping"), but there are heavier balance weights available - my Project t/t is fitted with one).

I have had similar ideas about a dedicated shelf for the turntable, at the moment it's on a solid bit of wood on top the stack. It's not ideal but is functional.

My acoustic solutions deck tracked heavy, fitted with the At-96 cartridge and never "jumped" I had enjoyable music.

Most of my records have had a hard life and a few I can no longer play, so all I need now is a deck that is "plug n play" that's the hope anyway.

I do have a set of digital stylus scales I set it up with that.

The tracking weight was one of the things that helped my decision. I wanted something fatter and heavier in the groove, and a "fatter" bass.

 

[jeallen01]

Chris
I would never mount a deck on top of a stack of other stuff - IMHO, that's a recipe for "disaster", especially when you are talking about a high spec t/t & cartridge because that sort of combo (especially if the t/t has no internal suspension like most Project decks!) is likely to be very sensitive to both internally and externally generated shocks and vibrations - which can cause mistracking and "jumping"!

In the current circumstances, it's no wonder that you need to use high tracking weights!

Edited: Had a look at the Lenco deck and it looks like another one with no internal suspension, so maybe you will have the same problems as with the Project? Therefore I suggest that you "fix" the basic issue, which is the way the t/t is supported!

 

[Archive-8]

Edited: Had a look at the Lenco deck and it looks like another one with no internal suspension, so maybe you will have the same problems as with the Project? Therefore I suggest that you "fix" the basic issue, which is the way the t/t is supported!

That will have to be on my to do list.

 

[jeallen01]

That will have to be on my to do list.

I'd do it PDQ so that you can consider sending the Lenco back and get your money back if the Project then does the "business"

 

[Archive-8]

I'd do it PDQ so that you can consider sending the Lenco back and get your money back if the Project then does the "business"

Nice thought, but me and the project deck have come to an end, it's caused me so much stress hassle and money and I have never been happy with it. I wonder what made me buy the thing in the first place.

Yes I know I need to sort the shelf for it, my new 4K panel is still in the box, I need to sort and move a few things about so I can get some new cables installed, for other projects I have.

Thanks for your help :-)