The Lenco B 52 reviewed - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: PeterSorvag
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 31, 2020, 10:15:44 pm
content: Hi,I used to have two turntables, one Thorens TD 124 mk2 and one Braun PS 1000. Some years ago, I sold Thorens player, and kept the one that sounded best. A few weeks ago I sold also the Braun. I'm in the process of moving to another country, and I try to get rid of heavy things.But of course you get abstinence selling off your babies, so I bought a Pioneer PL15 , which is now restored and plays beautifully, and then I came across a Lenco B52 mk 2 I think. I needed something for my 78 records. So, that is also now restored, and I was surprised that it is such an ass kicking turntable. They use to call this model "a light platter" turntable, when the L 75 has a casted platter, but there is nothgin light about this platter. Also a lot of the weight is placed on the edge of the platter. With a new silicone based idler wheel, it is both quiet and exact in drive.As for the tonearm, I had an idea that I could use this turntable as a platform to test my own tonearm, which is an arm with selectable complicane, but bringing the B52 up to date, I am blown away of its capability to present low register. It is almost as listening to a Fairchild arm with a Fairchild 232 cartridge. Solid low end with a concrete bottom.Before going further, I have worked in the High End business, where people pay $100'000 for a pair of loudspeakers. The Thorens I sold, is now worth $8000 after pimping. I don't come from HIFI, I come from music and pro audio, and that is my perspective.I consider the big leap in sound reproduction was taken by Edison. The rest are small leaps in a continous endeveor to improve sound quality.And some leaps are bigger than others. The B52 turntable represent a leap in the Lenco industry to meet a new market, and the first models always represent a vast amount of developement and man hours.In the days, the technology switched from ceramic cartridges to magnetic that offered a more even and distortionless representation, allmost like listening to the radio :-)In creating the B52, Lenco did not aim to compete with the second best, or third best or tenth best, they aimed to be the best.And if you are a company, and wants to sell next year too, you have to make improvments and present new models, suggesting that this years model is better that last years.But if we just look back att the original B52, which no doubt was developed in a piing pong between enginering solutions and listening tests, its just a great turntable :-)A good idea is one of thouse light carbon platter mats. Makes the player real quiet :-)Peter

author: theNC
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 28, 2021, 06:23:53 am
content: Hi, can you please tell where did you buy a new silicon idle wheel for the B52 ?I added pictures of my device

author: andy3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2021, 06:39:18 am
content: I still have a Lenco back home. I forget the model but those pictures look the same as mine. The beauty is the tapered motor shaft as it allows to do very minor speed adjustments. The platter weighs a few pounds giving it nice constant speed. I wish brought it here with me.