LENCO L-30 Turntable : A new low - but in a good way?

A review of the Lenco L-30 turntable. A budget turntable - one of the cheapest with a moving magnet cartridge.
00:00 Start
03:16 In the box
09:34 Tracking force
10:34 First play
13:00 W&F/Speed Test
15:02 Speed adjustment
16:25 Snappage
16:58 Direct feed audio
17:31 USB Recording
18:16 Summary
19:23 Patreon Credits
Available for £79.99 from Costco UK at the time of uploading (non-affiliated link)
www.costco.co.uk/Electronics-...
Also on AMAZON at a higher price (AFFILIATED LINKS)
UK: amzn.to/2Vm3N1p
DE: amzn.to/2VjYCir
Music from Richard Houghten bloomypetal.bandcamp.com
The cream coloured record is PenPals II The True Sequel www.hhv.de/shop/en/item/penpa...
(non affiliated link).
-------------- SUBSCRIBE -----------------
kzbin.info?...
------------ Merchandise ----------------
teespring.com/stores/techmoan...
------------ SUPPORT --------------
This channel can be supported through Patreon
/ techmoan
******Patrons usually have early access to videos******
--------- Outro Music ----------
Over Time - Vibe Tracks • Over Time - Vibe Track...
----- Outro Sound Effect -----
ThatSFXGuy - • Six Million Dollar man...
----- AFFILIATED LINKS/ADVERTISING NOTICE ------
All links are Affiliated where possible.
When you click on links to various merchants posted here and make a purchase, this can result in me earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network & Amazon.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON Sites (including, but not limited to Amazon US/UK/DE/ES/FR/NL/IT/CAN)
Regularly asked question
Q) Why are there comments from days ago when this video has just gone live today?
A) Patrons / techmoan usually have early access to videos. I'll show the first version of a video on Patreon and often the feedback I get results in a video going through further revisions to improve it. e.g. Fix audio issues, clarify points, add extra footage or cut extraneous things out. The video that goes live on youtube is the final version.

[@Daisjun]

The weight scale at 9:34 has outstanding comedic timing.

[@chaos.corner]

It was a bit predictable though.

[@Windiguana]

Yep this had my dying

[@macswanton9622]

Patience is a comedy goldmine

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Much more amusing than the late night "comedians"

[@martinda7446]

@@chaos.corner Ha, ha, ha - Somehow that was funnier than the event itself.

[@TheGamerWithMore]

I don't think I've ever heard Techmoan bleep out a swear before in any of his videos.

[@daftbence]

Yeah, it must be a first :D

[@BertGrink]

Yeah, I´ve never heard it until now, either.

[@UncommonEphemera]

I recall the oldest of the puppets (the “flippin’ eck” one” saying “shite!” in one video and being bleeped, but not Mat.

[@72polara]

There was one on a cheap turntable where he didn't bleep out the F word.

[@ArthurM0rgan63]

Flippin' 'eck!

[@3991justin]

It's smart, in a way. The goal with the design of this thing seems to have been to get that decent-quality AT cartridge signal out of the rig as cheaply as possible without degrading things too much. The experiment worked.

[@jhutt8002]

What I don't get is why do they use plastic platter? They decided to go for MDF construction, seemingly very nice and good insulation and proper cartridge, but it's still playing records on that nasty piece of plastic. Chinese aluminum costs pennies so that makes no sense.

[@kureki147]

@@jhutt8002 It is a Crosley design, just with a better plinth. So they don't need another manufacturing line.

[@UncommonEphemera]

Wife and I both laughed out loud at your reaction to that scale continuing to move. God bless you Mat.

[@donaloflynn]

I love that you and your wife watch Mat's videos together! By his own account Mat's wife doesn't have much interest in this kind of stuff, so it's cool that yours does.

[@martinda7446]

Having almost 50 years in the audio business I have seen straight tonearms, J shaped tonearms, S shaped tonearms and many variations and strange shapes including a turntable that moved while the stylus sat on the lid...I restored that one and gave it away..I know I can't believe I did either.. ..But this is the first modern tonearm I have seen with a banana shape. The 'banana' shape was of course popular up until the 50s when it went out of fashion never to return only I guess because it looked like a 50s item.

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

I've always been fascinated by all these shapes on tone arms. I remember reading how this shape or that shape was superior to all others according to the manufacturers, but I can't remember even audiophile press ever making a big deal of it, and those guys could talk for hours about the advantage of things like using heavy water in the shielding of speaker cables. Heck they could nerd out on the placement of fishing weights in the drapes in order to optimize the tonal quality of the reflections. But tone arm shapes? Not a page as far as I can remember. Edit: I do however remember the materials used in them being discussed. Carbon fiber was once heralded as the dream material. Strong and light it was supposed to be superior to aluminum tubes. One thing they tended to agree on was that "plastic" tone arms were the work of the devil. Personally I would think it really depends on the properties of the material used, dimensions and if it's a hollow tube or if it has some internal structure. But that's just me...

[@martinda7446]

@@blahorgaslisk7763 No, not just you😺. It is a fascinating topic and can become legitimately brain busting if you delve deep enough. I can expand on the various fields of study it can encompass...if you really want..

[@wynfrithnichtwo8423]

@@blahorgaslisk7763 why heavy water? I am going to guess that it has to do with lowering the noise floor, rf interference. Insulation and/or copper mesh could alleviate any noise floor considerations. Why use heavy water? Way more complicated sounding to me, but that is if their concerns are the same as amateur radio.

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

​@@wynfrithnichtwo8423 Because: MAGIC! Many of these companies that prey on audiophiles are selling snake oil. The use of heavy water in the insulation of speaker wires was a thing I remember from the late 90's or possibly the early 2000. Heavy water was used on the marketing as it sounds exotic and if the potential customers know anything about it at all odds are that it's that heavy water is used in some atomic reactor designs. And if it's good enough for a reactor then it's probably good for my speaker wires right? In reality heavy water is less interesting than it sounds like. The only difference between heavy water and regular water is that the Hydrogen in the molecule is replaced by Deuterium, which is actually a hydrogen atom with one proton and one neutron, while a regular hydrogen atom just has a proton. It's also slightly heavier than regular water. In a reactor the deuterium works as a moderator as it inhibit the movement of neutrons, slowing down the reaction. I can't for the life of me think of a single reason to use it in the isolation of speaker wires other than saving the backs of poor audiophiles by making their wallets lighter.

[@ProgrammerInProgress]

I always love switching on a new Techmoan video on a saturday morning, with a nice cup of tea.

[@cdl0]

Techmoan with a nice cup of tea at any time is great, quite frankly. :-) I have got my tea, thanks.

[@michaelspyker8390]

Techmoan is great! I find his videos therapeutic for some reason. :)

[@BoB4jjjjs]

I prefer to put sugar in my tea. :-)) Joking!

[@TimothyONeill_84.]

Speakers in the foot? If I ever bought something like that my brother would come back from the crave just to smack me up against my head and call me an idiot for purchasing it, on a side note, it's 3AM and I'm watching your video, totally worth it.

[@broadsword6650]

Speakers in legs for £10, and for an extra £20 the turntable randomly jumps off the shelf and smashes itself on the ground. 😵‍💫

[@steviebboy69]

I thought the same speakers in what would be the some sort of acoustic isolation mountings would be stupid, but I would imagine there would be little to no bass what so ever.

[@shanethrelfall416]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@DeAthWaGer]

Built in speakers, you mean I get to wear out my expensive records even faster?! Spending $40 on a vinyl to destroy it with crap 2" speakers is like eating a prime rib on a dirty trashcan lid.

[@DeAthWaGer]

@@dandiehm8414 so when bands put out an album or LP and not press it on record does it infuriate you? 😂

[@rocka3743]

Junior is trying to source a half decent beginners turntable, I'll pass this vid onto him. Cheers Mat. :)

[@100Underscores]

Don’t do it to the poor boy. This is plastic shite.

[@daftbence]

Good one to start with, I'd defo buy it.

[@iffy_too4289]

How much is he willing to spend. Audio Technica make decent stuff themselves for the next step up in price

[@seanobrien7169]

You can still get 80s Pioneers and Sonys for a bit more. Do the boy a favor and get him something decent. It is worth it in the end, believe me. He would not play this one often, the controls are just too aggravating.

[@customfreak81]

for this kind of price i'd look for a secondhand Pro-ject Debut (if you are in the UK) i've sourced a couple for friends very cheaply and have been impressed, they often come with Ortofon OM cartridges which i'm not a fan of (but i love the Ortofon 2M carts) I usually fit a Rega Carbon cartridge which is a rebranded Audio Technica that I've always had good results with. I always avoid auto stop and auto return turntables as i'd rather the money went on better components rather than those features, neither of my turntables has any auto functions, and once you go above a certain price 99% of new turntables are all manual as well.

[@TheIpadfanatic]

"Surprising level of competence" I love that. That description can be expanded to may other things. I will have to find a use for that. LOL!

[@bobbobson4069]

Your sarcastic criticism of TechMoan is an absolute disgrace. ENGLAND condemns you unreservedly. Go to another channel where the content is more in line with your low cognitive level!

[@TheIpadfanatic]

@@bobbobson4069 You made it difficult to determine whether or not you are joking or are in fact triggered. If so, I have no idea why. Techmoan uses that precise phrase to describe the turntable. I am just repeating what he said. If triggered, go back and actually listen to the video. You might learn something to aid in your cognitive ability.

[@suprchickn7745]

Surprising Level of Competence will be the name of my first album!

[@rich_edwards79]

Looks crap, sounds better than expected (likely mostly down to that AT stylus). A decade ago I'd have said check the local charity shop, eBay or classifieds for something from the 70s or 80s that would likely look and sound better with bags more features and at a fraction of the price, but those days are long gone and most of what can be found in those places now is low-end, worn out and hugely overpriced. (I've noticed the same is now true for tape decks - it wasn't that long ago that good working ones from top brands could be had for five or ten quid, now the base price is ten times that.) I mean, I'd still pick used over this, because to me a turntable is also a display item and this looks cheap and nasty; also I can repair most things that don't have complicated electronics and require soldering, but I can appreciate the appeal of something like this to someone who's just getting into records, and at least it's not a Crappy Cruiser 🤷‍♂️

[@anthonypurpera9602]

that's the hardest i've laughed at a censored beep in a while.

[@samuelschwager]

Considering the very expensive equipment Techmoan has handled in his life it's nice that he can still get excited about a 20 pound price difference :)

[@Thievius333]

We could nitpick this TT six ways to Sunday but it isn't designed FOR US, it's designed for people on a low budget who want to experience vinyl for the first time. And with that in mind it's perfectly acceptable, in fact the sound you demonstrated in this video exceeded my expectations. It TROUNCES comparatively priced Crosley Cruisers.

[@muratsahan8697]

You do seem to have some visually stunning records - thanks for displaying them and for another great review

[@sharkprisoner1909]

He has a video I can link where he plays the sparkly blue 45 record outside and it’s really something to behold

[@turbinegraphics16]

I found a nice aqua coloured record a while ago. It was Bill Cosby standup comedy.

[@sharkprisoner1909]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5fTnXaDl6lleNE 13:55

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

For a budget starter table it's surprisingly good value and will be good enough for many people. Personally the more people who get interested in vinyl the better.

[@DarrenJCalvert]

Looks fine for the money! Have to totally agree we need more adopters on the format, it does feel a bit odd however that anyone buying a £80 turntable would then goto HMV and blow upto £25 per record! 🤣

[@Rob8]

I disagree, the less interest the better. New music is generally garbage and the prices for older vinyl is through the roof now. Bah humbug.

[@cheber5239]

@@Rob8 the lesser interest, the lesser quality new players will have...

[@Light-DelaBlue]

@@Rob8 that's the most dumb thing i read today.

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

Couldn't agree more! The more people getting into vinyl, the more options like this turntable will show up. There's a lot of intimidating things about vinyl and price entry point has been a big one for a long time

[@ernielabarr646]

I was stationed in Okinawa in 1976-1978 and stereo components were very affordable for military personnel. Technics turntables were the best on the market for an affordable price.

[@javaking1000]

Not to mention the military only models that were released in different colors (mostly black), that were generally unavailable to civilians.

[@mysfiring]

16:35 - the white spot is an example of ABS 'crazing' - when ABS is subjected to stress, it'll change colour to white. If you encounter a plastic that isn't able to be coloured with Sharpie, you can restore the original colour with a quick (seconds is too long) application of heat from a cigarette lighter/blowtorch. Rinse and repeat as necessary. :)

[@albanana683]

ABS can also be repaired and refinished with acetone.

[@WardancerHB]

other KZbin reviews: "IT'S FANTASTIC!" "IT IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE!" Techmoan: "You now have the information you need to make a more informed decision."

[@Benjamin.Jamin.]

My take away is that it's good value but not spectacular.

[@Zwiesel66]

Yeah, that's what an objective review is all about 👍

[@brad3042]

Enjoyed this with a cup of morning coffee. I have an USB turntable myself that I never use but it did work the last time I tried it.

[@joetjoepjoeserneejm]

Until only a few years ago you could pick up a real Lenco in mint condition for around the same money. That's exactly what I did. My Swiss made Lenco is about 40 years old now but sound and build quality are still very impressive.

[@paulbennell3313]

Yes, I know what I'd rather have. Give me a GL-75 any day!

[@suprchickn7745]

Surprising Level of Competence will be the name of my first album! Great video as always Mat!

[@johnny-becker]

When the tracking force went from 3.26g to 3.27g, I knew something was coming and sure enough, the audio bleep. Made me laugh so hard, both the dog and cat looked at me like I was the crazy one.

[@awhooley]

I can too say it’s a fine second player or for a beginner. Found one last summer in Mediamarkt (electronics store in Austria) Sounds Great! Auto stop works fine for me but yes that clip is so annoying. Nearly snapped it off so many times

[@realJoshiBOI]

That turntable looks almost like the one I currently have, just with a different brand name. Mine is a Crosley C6, and it sounds great. Moving magnet cartridge too. Mine has an actual counterweight.

[@bobbobson4069]

This is another BRILLIANT TechMoan video review! Fascinating (even to those like me who ordinarily have no interest in record players). Keep up the good work TechMoan!

[@Mitch_The_Cadet]

watching the close up of the arm was enough for me. Great video as always

[@sanctanox]

The record at 19:15 is a thing of beauty.

[@KeritechElectronics]

And a joy for ever. I'd absolutely see Closer (Joy Division) or Substance 1987 (New Order) on white vinyl. That'd go sooooooo well with the ascetic and elegant cover design. In the same vein, I could envision Nowa Aleksandria (Siekiera) on red vinyl.

[@railgap]

I like the classic _comparison_ test for turntable + tonearm damping that several reviewers of Stereophile used to use, at least thirty years ago anyway: straighten out a paperclip. Set the needle in the groove of a record with the turntable not moving, amp on and adjusted to listening volume. Tap the tonearm gently with the straightened paperclip. The closer to "tick" you get, and the less "boom" you hear, the better everything is. Comparing different arms and tables with this method can prove quite illluminating in the quality of sound you'll get out of that deck. Sure opened my eyes. Er, ears.

[@juslitor]

Not to belittle the test, but the position you do your tapping at plays a large role in the noise.

[@romangoncharenko65]

Yes! I waited this review for long time! I bought this turntable in 2019. But my turntable is analog l-30. It's a lenco l-101. I was wandered of great sound quality and price. It's a great idea - plastic mechanism, magnetic cartridge and mdf cabinet. Thank you, Techmoan for review of this turntable! P.S. Sorry for my English. I'm from Russia.

[@JulyaIsMe]

I'm grateful for your video as well. Recently I was looking into getting a turntable again and got some pushback from my wife (space issues). I have an old technics somewhere in a box on the attic and may look into fixing that up. But at least I know what I am going to get when I order something like this :)

[@matthewfarmer6830]

Thanks Matt it's easy to remember your name lol thanks again for another new upload video, cool record player. My friend is an antique dealer round 63 years old I'm 45 but he has a membership to Costco for years. Have a nice evening.

[@chaos.corner]

Just be aware that Audacity is undergoing some controversy at the moment. Not sure where the dust is going to settle but it looks like there are a couple of forks you might want to consider instead (or just use an old version).

[@nayviler]

To add a bit to this: the issue people are having with Audacity is that the authors recently added some telemetry to the software, so that they can track what you do with it. This obviously isn't good from a privacy perspective. Audacity is open source, so people immediately began to create forks of the software with the telemetry removed. The authors of Audacity have since apologized for the decision, removed the telemetry from the software altogether, and updated their privacy policy to clarify what it is they do and do not do with your data. Personally, I don't have any issue with them now, but obviously the choice is up to the individual. This turntable appears to present itself as a generic audio device, so you should be able to use any recording software you wish with it.

[@signbear999]

Please elaborate?

[@cjay2]

Just download 2.2 or older and you're fine. Audacity is finished at this point. There's nothing the 'corp' can say that will be trusted. The forks will be trustworthy, and Audacity can go to hell along with its owners.

[@misterkite]

@@cjay2 Oh please. They're trying to improve audacity and step one is to figure out where people are having problems. It was anonymous data collection for that purpose.. talk about overreacting.

[@juslitor]

@@misterkite Anonymous until some sleazebag lawyer slaps them with a subpoena for copyright infringment. Your "anonymous" user data will be sold down the river faster than it took you to read this.

[@bobbobson4069]

Post scriptum : I love the acoustic guitar music by Richard Houghton! Beautiful. Thanks to TechMoan I discovered a new artist!

[@ETC_Rohaly_USCG]

That prismatic disc is mesmerizing! 🤩

[@sf-dn8rh]

Wow love the bomb as the scale kept going. Good episode

[@djdublo]

Surprisingly good turntable for little £££. Thanks for another great vid!

[@Fake_Name12345]

I downloaded and really enjoyed one of Richard Houghten's albums after you featured his music in another video, I wish I could get hold of some of those gorgeous records!

[@HoratioFitzbastard]

They go fast.

[@justin43098]

Thanks for reviewing this! You were very right in saying this is just a quick/cheap way to listen to vinyl. Most of my friends buy vinyl at the merch stand at a concert. This is a cheap and decent solution. It's no Fisher Price. It is what it is though mate. Thanks again.

[@CantankerousDave]

“I’m happy that you’re happy”must be the English version of “Bless your heart” in the southern US.

[@euclidallglorytotheloglady5500]

First of all, bravo! For keeping your records extremely clean! Especially with these budget big box store turntables any imperfections are quite noticeable. I rebuilt my Technics SP15 and use a Audio-Technica OC9III and am in love with it.. For this thing being under $100 and considering the build quality, I can't hate on it. The sound clips you played were quite respectable. Plus huge bonus points for it NOT being a Crosley!!!

[@writerpatrick]

Crosleys get a lot more hate than they deserve. They're a record player and record players by design have poor audio quality. You can't compare a unit with a turntable, amplifier and speakers to just a turntable often costing twice as much.

[@MrRichymil]

Lenco was great in it's day, made in Switzerland. Mine came out in 1969 and is still great. Its fully manual and during the 70s I decided this was best.

[@MrRichymil]

@Phoenix 𝙾𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚢 PROFILE Back in the 1970's if you had a Dynatron system with a Goldring Lenco gl75 turntable in it it sounded excellent. Today people lift out the turntable put it in a very heavy plinth and put a different tonearm on it with a few other tweaks and it's difficult to beat if you do it well.

[@mrrants]

Would have been nice to see it opened up and to see the construction and circuitry.

[@stevenaemark2152]

My dad owned the Lenco business name for a short period of time! His name was Leonard and it was a digital media company. He sold the name for 5k USD in the late 2000s. Probably could gave gotten much more.

[@daviddunmore8415]

I paid more than that in 1972 for a turntable with an MM cartridge - proper adjustable counterbalance, tracked at ~2g

[@Palmtop_User]

you know what, Im glad they just told the buyer to use audacity rather than them trying to make and manage their own software that would end up being a horrible mess. Good on them

[@ActualCharky]

Unfortunately, audacity is now basically spyware. It's a no-win situation.

[@Palmtop_User]

@@ActualCharky just download the old version. Thatd be my solution

[@stevecross9289]

Great video again Mat

[@lurkersmith810]

To me, the most disturbing thing is at 11:33, where instead of auto stopping, the needle is kicked out of the groove and picked up again by the runout. That tells me it uses a cheaper Crosley style microswitch that's putting back pressure against the tonearm, which is what's kicking it out of the groove. The spring in the switch will push back against the arm until it's pressed in far enough to break the circuit and stop. I would not want to subject my AT stylus to that abuse at the end of every record, so I'd take that apart and find the switch and either remove it or adjust it such that it never touches the tonearm mechanism, hence removing the auto stop function and the back pressure against the arm. Older changers and players with auto stop mechanisms used a more complex mechanical system to detect the runout section of a record while applying only a minimum amount of interference with the arm. (And audiophiles have forever complained about even THAT tiny bit of interference which is why they are against changers and auto stop!) I have an older Crosley CR-49 (I think late 1990s era), that has a more "classic" auto stop design that's better than this supposedly audiophile player. (Same cheap plastic mech but with more metal parts for the auto stop.) Matt, I hope you'll consider a supplement to this video where you take the bottom cover off and show us the auto stop mechanism, and compare it to a classic changer like V-M used to make. (I'm betting the Lenco uses a plastic lever on the tonearm that presses against a small switch at the end.)

[@budgietrousers8275]

Q: When I was a kid, we had a Auto Change Multi Disc Record Player, when the first record finished, the arm went back and the next disc dropped for play. Worked with 7" and 12". Why can't you get these any more? It was fantastic! I'd love to find one but, alas, I've searched high and low to no avail.

[@jamesmdeluca]

Greetings: Because the angular position of the tonearm controls the auto-stop function, I would look under the tonearm mechanism for the adjustment for that function. It may seem to be hidden, but it needs to interrupt the power somehow meaning that it trips a switch. I agree about the complaints about the cue lever, the arm latch and the switch positions.

[@Dave64track]

Good review and not a bad turntable for the price.

[@peacearchwa5103]

The Lenco L-30 turntable closely resembles the Heyday turntable sold in the United States by Target Stores. The Heyday turntable has customized styling, as Target house brand products are quite fashion-conscious. It's made in China by Leetac, their model number is EE-490. The main difference I notice is that the Heyday turntable has a speed selection knob on the lower-left side of the plinth.

[@marineboy6033]

I love the video and it takes me back to uni where I had a Dual turntable - however I simply cannot be arsed with vinyl these days nor the compromises you have to make in terms of sound quality caused by dust and scratches….but I don’t criticise those that like records….horses for courses!

[@KeritechElectronics]

My thoughts: 1. If it has an USB interface, stay away from it or mod it for a straight-thru connection between the cartridge and output jacks. Get yourself a phono preamp. 2. S-shaped tonearm is nice. Look for metal, avoid plastic. 3. Detachable headshell (SME mount) is definitely a good idea, but avoid shitty quality connection. 4. Avoid tonearms/headshells that use other types of cartridges than the standard 1/2" screw mount or don't allow headshell adjustment. 5. There really should be some kind of speed adjustment, no matter if it's accessible while playing or not. 6.Some form of suspension is a must. If your turntable doesn't have it, it's sus. 7. External power supply is absolutely a good idea. 8. Automation is nice to have in a turntable, but not really essential.

[@jhutt8002]

I've been playing LP's all my life, and can't agree with 2 and 4:. When you're used to linear trackers with P-Mount cartridge, 1/4 headshells and swing arm feel like antique system. P-Mount should be the de facto standard in turntables and it's sad it didn't catch on.

[@rayok434]

you are a wise and thorough man - thank you

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

Great, fair review. I love the fact that really affordable options like this are available now. Of course there are drawbacks, but for someone looking to get into vinyl this seems like a good option

[@worldcomicsreview354]

I think the Crosleys etc are a similar price. Absolute noobs may still be tempted by the built-in speakers and third speed (though I doubt they'll have any 78's) on those, mind.

[@PeteJohnson1471]

I have a 1972 Goldring Lenco, and love it to bits

[@jefferyjones8399]

I recently picked up a Crosley C6 which has the same cartridge. It actually has a proper counterweight and arm.

[@Zerbey]

Seems like a good turntable but I'd encourage a beginner to spend about $20 more and get something with an adjustable tone arm. My eldest just got into vinyl and got a quite nice budget turntable with MMC and all that for about $150.

[@mikeey6804]

Any recommendations? I was looking at the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X which seems to be highly reviewed, but also seems to have a non-adjustable tone arm.

[@MultiWirth]

Probably the best to go to ebay and getting an old, used model but with way better build quality and performance. I got an Technics SL Q2 for around 180€ (or ~210$) and yes it costs a bit more but it´s definitely worth paying a little premium here especially if you´re really planning to start collecting LPs or even already have a collection you´d like to play.

[@lunakoala5053]

@@MultiWirth "especially if you´re really planning to start collecting LPs or even already have a collection you´d like to play" if neither of those were true, why would you buy a record player in the first place?

[@stockicide]

@@lunakoala5053 Because where I'm from, records cost $1 each at thrift stores, and it's fun just to mess around with old media, even if you don't plan on treating it as a "serious collection."

[@hrothgar014]

I’ve become a fan of Richard Houghton (and bought his music) thanks to these turntable videos. Thanks Mat!

[@UCS0608]

Top video, like always!!!

[@genekwagmyrsingh9433]

The way you've included a lower priced link that you don't make anything off of along with the affiliated one that's more expensive would totally have made me get the affiliated one were I to buy this product in honor of your fair dealing. If only more businesses operated with those principles. You deserve everything you get.

[@kalimaa999]

Always love seeing a techmoan upload. Thanks for your effort 🙏🏾🤟🏾

[@amberisvibin]

when i got my turntable (a teac tn-300) $179 was the cheapest i could find for an at-95. its good to see fairly similar carts in much cheaper tables. my table does have a counterweight, however, and doesnt have auto stop

[@TheTimeRider1]

Excellent video as always. Pros and cons well discussed. Were I to purchase a record player I would definitely consider this one.

[@absinthedude]

I've got to say....if I hadn't kept my 80s Tandy turntable as a spare when I upgraded to a Systemdek in 1991....I'd be looking at one of these for my "office turntable". I agree on the visual aspects especially the fake counterweight but it seems to perform well enough to be credible. I'd actually prefer no auto stop on LPs as several have an endless loop in the runout groove (Sgt Pepper, Atom Heart Mother, etc). Thanks as always for a fun and informative review.

[@Dr_Reason]

I turns out the run out track causes somewhat abnormal stylus wear which can be measured. I was told if you left a record on for hours in the runout groove, you should play a worn out record that you don't really car for to burnish out the abnormal wear.

[@davidpinfold852]

New Lidl opened in my home town (Banbury) yesterday. Different offers in the first few days but today they had the Dual turntable Matt reviewed back in January on offer for £44.99. Was too good a bargain to miss.

[@williambrown319]

Great video. Personally I would rather find a second hand one from local thrift/charity shop and put little work into it. Same amount spent, better quality and better sound

[@alexatkin]

I already have a turntable and don't even use it but still end up watching these videos.

[@DieselDahl]

You're not supposed to balance the player off the edge of your table to be able to access the speed adjustment, you're supposed to drill a hole in your table! 🥳

[@Morganstein-Railroad]

Have you ever reviewed a Classic turntable like the Garrard 301 or 401. These are real classics and I have owned three of these over the years. The first was my father's machine, which he gave me in 1978. My brother pulled all the springs out of the speed adjusting system when he was about seven years old and got a really severe reprimand for it!! my second one was bought via my father who got it for me for the grande price of £10 in 1982. That one was damaged when a speaker cabinet collapsed upon it in 1987 whilst it was in storage during a major house renovation. My current 301 was bought by myself for £97 from an enthusiast who'd looked after it carefully, but was switching to CD and moving to a smaller house (Getting rid of vinyl for space reasons). This was originally fitted with a Ruby stylus, but when it became necessary to replace, I couldn't get one anywhere, so I replaced the entire Decca/Deram tone arm with a second hand Acos Lustre MkII, and invested in a Shure V15 Mk III cartridge and stylus. Now I do like classical, but my main interest in music is Jazz, Progressive rock and German Instrumental Electronic (Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream). All of these types of music sound excellent on the Garrard, but I'd like to hear what you think of the machine. Do you have access to one? Best regards Alan Morgan

[@rembrandx]

Thanks for the review! I’m in the market for an affordable record player for casual use but no knowledge on what to look out for, so this is very helpful. Loving Richard Houghton’s work as well, I bought the whole back catalog last time you had some of his music in a video.

[@evanandrews]

Some good styli upgrade options for that cart. I use the AT3600L with an LP Gear Vividline line contact stylus on my Pro-Ject Essential.

[@KrazyShark]

10:00 caught me off guard 🤣 happens every f***ing time when i record and use my coffee scale as well. Man i really need a better scale it wobbles all over the place. Great vid as usual Techmoan, keep them coming ❤️

[@Ozzy_2014]

Thanks for posting.

[@ReVox77a]

There are some really good budget high-output, high impedance moving coils out there too.

[@StubbyPhillips]

Thank you for peeling off that "features" sticker. Leaving those things on products after unboxing is just TACKY.

[@MotherSoren]

I think they r cool

[@broadsword6650]

Techmoan in 2071: “I bought this Lenco turntable at an antiques auction and it was half the price I expected to pay cos at some time in the past a right numpty has peeled off the very rare features sticker! Philistines…” 😄

[@mrxmry3264]

funny, i thought that was a bunch of buttons :-)

[@1Haloninja]

Lmao. Sorry. My sharp hifi still has those stickers after 20 odd years

[@f.demascio1857]

Your user name is one of my alter egos.

[@bryede]

I'm glad it works as well as it does, but having grown up in the '80s I miss there being a range of affordable tables with proper adjustments including anti-skate, automatic features and cartridges that tracked under 2 grams. Remember that more tracking force means more record wear and shorter stylus life and not having anti-skate means uneven (L to R) stylus wear. At least we're seeing a few moving magnet cartridges in low-end players like this. There are too many cheap ceramic cartridges out there chewing up unsuspecting people's record collections.

[@PaulRiismandel]

Frankly, adjusted for inflation, there are many more quality and relatively inexpensive turntables available than ever. Starting with the Audio Technica LP-60 starting at just about $100, up to Fluance, Pro-Ject and U-Turn, there are plenty of very good players for $200 - $300. If we look back to, say, 1987, when I bought my first nice turntable, I bought an Onkyo that was roughly equivalent to the LP-60 or Panasonic PL-990 for about $250, which is more like $590 today. If you were trying to spend more like $100 in the late 80s or early 90s you were still likely getting something with a ceramic cartridge as part of a all-in-one system (only that would be like $235 today). The Lenco in this review would have cost around 25 GBP in 1987 - and I’m quite certain you couldn’t have gotten anything remotely that nice for that money then.

[@ianz9916]

I bought the Lenco L-3808 which is just another badged version of the previous Dual DJ model that Techmoan reviewed. It does have a proper counterweight, anti-skate and speed adjustment on the top so you can actually use it, and a strobe to check the speed is accurate. Add to that the MM Audio Technica cartridge and direct drive and you have a decent deck on a budget. I did buy it two years ago and the price has gone up to £200 but, frankly, if you're paying £20 - £30 for a record these days, it is still worth the outlay.

[@scottsimpkins2200]

The cheapness overwhelms me but the performance impresses me. Thanks for another in depth review, barely worth your time, but still Thanks!

[@MrDbone75]

Good Sunday morning to you sir from Wellington Somerset

[@Not_So_Anon]

Something to note that I found about about my cheap USB turntable that might also apply here (watching the peak meters and waveform in Audacity, though you may have done some of camera testing as well) is that the output over USB was mirrored mono as opposed to true stereo. It wasn't until I sat down with a friend to do a proper conversion of a 45 not released in a digital format that I realized the copy I'd made wasn't right. (For that matter I didn't notice until after listening to the final playback because the interface he was using seemed to also be pushing out mono for monitoring, sounding near identical to the recording I'd done. For clarity it wasn't a level imbalance either, though I haven't got much way to explain; the record was Shellac's The Rude Gesture - A Pictorial History.) Just thought I'd maybe say something because it can be a bit deceiving and ultimately frustrating if your intentions are to digitize something potentially rare or generally unavailable.

[@TheVirakahScale]

Weighing the arm had me dying of laughter. Your content is always a good fit for my mornings.

[@m.b.6232]

I have the LS-50 and the speakers are actually quite nice sounding when you replace the stylus with a better diamond stylus, i would definetly recommend it! :)

[@deathdogg0]

"That's all for the moment..." will never get old at the end of your vids. Thanks for the upload!

[@edwardosborne2427]

Way back used to have a Goldring Lenco turntable a lot different from today's turntable!

[@gbedford]

I love the sound and look of my u-turn turntable. But hate that I have to move the belt between 45 and 33. I have a few 12' records and some play 45 and some 33, so you can't always tell by the size. And zero auto anything. Turn the power on, and it starts spinning, so be ready. And I've made the frantic dash across the house when it's reached the end of the record, because it will sit there and happily bump against the label all day long. But hey, lovely sound. This Lenco is pretty impressive for the cost.

[@MultiWirth]

Wow i´m quite happy to own a Technics SL Q2. It´s an pretty old model but it´s build quality is superior and also the performance is great with a solid base, spring loaded legs and of course a SME arm with a proper counterweight. Half automatic, so you have to manually put the needle on the record but it will automatically return the arm and stop the motor. And it has quartz direct drive. Very nice device but also was quite expensive as it´s very popular but i´m happy with it. Does need a dedicated pre-amp though

[@iqbaldhaliwaldeharka]

India ਵਿੱਚ ਨਹੀ ਬਣਦੇ ਨਵੇ ਰਿਕਾਰਡ ਪਰ ਚੀਜ ਬੜੀ ਵਧੀਆ ਆਵਾਜ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਵਧੀਆ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਰਿਕਾਰਡ ਦੀ ਸੀ ਡੀ ਦੀ ਜਾਂ ਹੋਰ ਨਵੇਂ ਮਿਉਜ਼ਿਕ ਦੀ ਰਿਕਾਰਡ ਵਾਲੀ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀ ਬਣਦੀ

[@ronniewall1481]

REALLY GOOD SHOW.

[@ShotecMusic]

I bought this turntable thanks your video and couldn't be happier! For the price what could we want more? :) I believe that the tone arm is very well balanced in terms of skating because when I put the stylus into the lead in it actually takes a while until the stylus is "picked up" by the groove.

[@SharpblueCreative]

I actually have a Goldring Lenco GL75 transcription deck that needs putting in a case / plinth - this was an expensive deck in 1975. Didn't know the Lenco name was still going.

[@MrHunkmccoy]

I picked up one of these on eBay as new back in the tail end of last year. Only cost me £11 (including postage). Been happy with it but it is good to hear it is better than the others I considered.

[@MrSpunkletrumpet]

This would be a great first “proper” turntable for a teenager/student that’s got over their crossley and has built up a bit of a record collection

[@Pauldjreadman]

I got an Audio Technica a few months ago. Never going back. Anothrt suggestion for audio recording software is Wavpad.

[@martinda7446]

Funny enough you can still pick up an old Lenco for little money. The turntables themselves are extraordinarily good value and the quality is outstanding...Apart from the tonearms of which most are just useless. The motor and drive system is a work of art and the main bearing and platter excellent. The chassis is solid and heavy and if you can deal with the tonearm you can have a truly top class player. I guarantee a well sorted one will match or beat anything modern under £3000 (number plucked out of nowhere but you get my meaning). GL75 most common with worst tonearm though and made in the tens of thousands - and licensed to others. PS You can modify the tonearm on the GL75 and make it sing by replacing the knife edge bearings with small ball races. I have done this and if anyone wants simple instruction just ask.

[@gabrielvieira6529]

Pretty Cool!

[@robertbrunelle4213]

glad i still have my tdk i bought in the 80.s

[@rogerw9840]

Impressive for that price! Being a bit of a vinyl geek, I'd say this seems better than the Audio Technica LP-60 that otherwise seems to be the default recommendation om the Internet for an entry level TT. About the cartridge - I actually have this exact cart and stylus mounted on a vintage JVC direct drive TT, and it really sounds good for what they cost. Would I buy this TT for myself? No, but I'm not their target demographic either. Would I recommend it? Yes. I'd have to say that based on this review I'd recommend this one if you're looking for something cheap that will do the job.

[@rogerw9840]

@@mycosys Well, you're not their target demographic either.

[@PhilipCockram]

Good review .

[@PhilipCockram]

@Rose 25 y.o - check my vidéó Yes . I am the same way . Is it only a man thing to find good deals ?

[@rod-bits-and-pieces]

I spotted a turntable with separate speakers using the usual cheap mechanism that the suitcase turntables use but it had the same cartridge as this Lenco. It's on Amazon for £89.99 with a £10 off voucher it's yours for £79.99. Never heard of the make but they have an Amazon store called Naviskauto. I wonder what weight it tracks at and so far it's the cheapest I've seen. I don't think my RT 85 has to worry yet but their moving in the right direction!