From Bill M., California, USA
75-pound Classic Lenco owner, upgraded to Reference Lenco:
Hi Jean,
You’re probably luxuriating in the Greek Isles right now, besotted by the wine-dark sea. But in case you’re within email range, I thought I’d send a report on my new Reference Lenco.
To place things into context, let me briefly recap my recent turntable history. For the past ten years I’d been listening to a Michell Orbe SE, an excellent deck. Coupled with a Graham 2.2 and a Shelter 901 or a Denon 103D cartridge, it did all the audiophile things well—soundstage, PRAT, detail, etc. Dynamic and engaging, it’s a fine performer and certainly a final turntable in many high-end systems. But I was curious about the buzz on refurbished Lencos in massive plinths, especially since my first deck was an idler (Dual 1214), so I picked up one of your early 85 lb. base models on the used market with the idea of using it as occasionally as a second turntable. Well, after a week with that Lenco I sold the Orbe! While not quite as detailed as the Orbe, the Lenco’s rhythmic grip, cohesion, and musicality were far beyond it. I was hooked. If only I could combine the Orbe’s detail retrieval with the Lenco’s other remarkable qualities, I mused, I’d have the ideal turntable. Then I stumbled on Salvatore’s first descriptions of the Reference Lenco and voila! I called you to place my order for a new commission.
After two months with the Reference Lenco, I want you to know, I’m continually astonished by what I’m hearing. Here’s the big magic. Everything that I loved about my old Lenco has improved—drive, cohesion, musicality—and the detail retrieval, too, is now well beyond what I’d known with the Orbe. Since receiving the turntable I’d been listening exclusively to an SME M2-12R with a top-of-the-line SPU Royal GM II, getting acquainted with the new sound and establishing something of an auditory baseline. This combination is excellent—full, powerful, detailed, emotive. Last week, I finally mounted my Graham Phantom II on the second armboard along with the Shelter 901. With the Phantom installed the sound is several levels beyond what I’ve ever heard from any turntable. What strikes me most is how completely organized it is: all instruments are precisely defined and articulate within their proper space and proportion, with nothing out of place or exaggerated across the spectrum, yet the fabric of the whole is incredibly natural, organically woven together—something quite unexpected with the amount of detail I now hear. Flow and precision are perfectly combined. Timing is dead on, too.
And I’m hearing things I truly never heard before. For example, in Coltrane’s “Africa” on Africa/Brass, I’d always suspected that I heard a flute for just a few notes amid a cacophonous multi-reed crescendo. But I could never be sure because there’s so much going on in that passage. This date uses the largest collection of horns Coltrane ever tried and the arrangements are by Eric Dolphy, who is not known for sonic simplicity. No flute is credited, although I know Dolphy occasionally plays one elsewhere. I thought I might be hearing an artifact or distortion—or even a hallucination! I once tried to point it out to my wife but she didn’t hear it at all. So I’d resigned myself to thinking the arrangement was intended to be a noisy jumble reflecting the sounds of Africa and the supposed flute sound would remain a fitting mystery. Well, I played it on the Reference with the Phantom and Shelter and guess what: the flute is there, plain as can be! I mean completely obvious! What I thought a mere few notes is actually several measures floating above all the other horns. And what I thought cacophony is actually a carefully arranged and organized collection of individual instruments that I can now pick out at will. Yes, it’s still dissonant but intentionally so and in a way that’s musical and integrated, not like some hyperkinetic collection of details and odd sounds. Truly amazing! I’d been running the Shelter/Phantom combination on the old Lenco so I was pretty familiar with it. On the Reference Lenco it’s in another world. Next up, an Ortofon A90 I’ve been holding back!
So all this is to say that I’m increasingly happy and impressed with the Reference Lenco. Great work!
Best,
Bill