Garrard 401 vs Lenco L70, 75, 78- which one is a better turntable?
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
- This is my modest attempt at answering the eternal question: Garrard VS Lenco. I may not have answered it for everyone but at least I have an answer for myself.
Introduction video: • Garrard 401 vs Lenco L...
Garrard 401 video: • *Garrard 401* Eric Cla...
Lenco L70 video: • *Lenco L70* Eric Clapt...
#jbl #vinyl #vintage #reeltoreel #reel2reel #mastertape #analog #tape
Loudspeakers: JBL 4343B,
Amplifier:Tektron TKEL34PSES with RFT EL34 tubes
R2R player: Studer B67,
DDC/Streamer: Holo Audio Red,
DAC: Chord Hugo TT,
Turntable: Lenco L70,
Turntable: Garrard 401,
Tonarm: Ortofon RMG 309,
Cartridge: Ortofon SPU GE,
SUT: Altec 4722,
Phono stage: Cern Tube.
High resolution audio and video recorded with Samsung Galaxy FE21 SE and external Shure mv88+ microphone.
This is part of Garrard vs Lenco comparison videos, here are the links:
Introduction video: czcams.com/video/-qBvC6LDRBg/video.html
Garrard 401 video: czcams.com/video/VH3QmsHyuTQ/video.html
Lenco L70 video: czcams.com/video/P1I6PmI1x3E/video.html
10 years with Lenco L75, layered birch plinth and Victor UA-7045 arm. I have no desire for anything else
I've owned Garrard 301 grease bearing, Lenco L75 and L70. All of them heavily serviced, so they ran as they should, and mounted on heavy plinths. From my own experience the Lenco turntable is just the best. The motor and moving idler design it's just marvelous, simple and cost-effective. One doesn't need to unload a lot of money to get a Lenco and to make it run to specs, very few parts to upgrade maybe, grease some linkages and that's it. It's platter is as heavy as the Garrard's (maybe the L70 more so). 304/401 L75/70 of course sound great, due to the heavy platter & idler combination, but the fact that one costing 1/10 of the price than the other makes it a ver simple decision. Of course there is a lot of snobbism in audio, and vintage audio in particular, and most people would prefer the Garrard to sit on their rooms rather than the Lenco but soundwise, having had both, there is no doubt on my mind the Lenco is the best choice by far.
Thank you for this very detailed input. I did not want the video to be one hour long but I could have talked that long. Many things left not said. But you reminded me something I was thinking but forgot to say: Lenco is affordable but you need a bit of crafty input to make it shine. Garrard is accessible as there is not much really you can do to change it dramatically- but it is not really affordable.
In my system as I film a lot, I want things to be esthetic and maybe those that each one of us wants to possess. It's a bit sad that Garrard affair did not work out due to sound as it's a killer with the looks.
Did you own a commonwealth by any chance?
Hi!@@Justas-M Well actually I found the Lenco to be very very easy to work with, and not that so the Garrard 301. You can check the journey of the restoration I did on my former 301 (@rare_analog_sounds). It was troublesome, too many parts, and the replacement of each part was very expensive, plus shipping to Argentina haha.
@@fermartinezrios7251 thanks for the reply, very nice insta account, followed! :)
@@Justas-M thanks! I subscribed to your channel too :)
Nice video.
Lenco for me.
Had a 401, L70 and now gl78
Thanks!
what turntable mat do you have on your L70?
I have a rubber mat+ rubber cork mat.
I have a highly modified Lenco and a Garrard 401.
I tried both with the same arms. Alfred Bokrand modified Ortofon and SME 3009.
At the beginning, I had the same findings as you. The Garrard sounded crude in comparison to the Lenco.
Now, after several months of living with both tables I very much prefer the sound of the Garrard! The Lenco sounds boring and weak in comparison.
I also have a Michell Gorbe ( which is much more neutral than any Lenco) and still prefer the Garrard for it's special sound.
I wonder if you had kept the Garrard for a long time if you wouldn't feel the same.
Hi, thanks for your input! For me, a longer period of listening would not give much use as the way garrard presents was irritating me. So basically i had to force myself to sit down with it. Maybe if I did not live with Lenco for five or more years it has been and I started with both from scratch, I would have a different opinion. We have a lot in our listening preferences that has grown into us. Also i find that we are usually very different in the way we listen. So things I prefer and look for in the music may not be for everyone.
Я восстановил Garrard 301 ,заменил подшипник и ролик,все самодельные,убрал тормоз и питаю его от лампового регенератора.Коврик saec.Тонарм dynavector 505. Я очень доволен его подачей!Нет окраса звука,динамика сумашедшая!
After removing brake and replacing bearing, it becomes a "normal" idler, so it makes sense.
I have a modified gl75 it's nice but my modified technics sl 1200 mk2 is my turntable of choice
What are the modifications you have made on sl1200?
I have a timestep power supply a sme 309 tonearm audio technica at33 sa cartridge and mcru stillpoints a strange turntable mat which made a huge difference considering they cost 30 uk£
@@michaelvincent8306 every small detail counts.
My modified Lenco is way better than my unmodified 401, imo. It’s Ленко my friend, not Ленцо 😊
There is not much you can modify on a 401 for a reasonable money.
Hey! I've got a Cern tube phono amp, too!
It's good enough, what can I say :D
It’s not appropriate to compare a stock Lenco against the Garrard 401.
In stock form the Lenco has some weak points - the plinth, the main bearing and tonearm. Upgrade those and the Lenco will be able to go head-to-head with the Garrard 401/301 and Thorens TD124. The Garrard 301/401 don’t come with any plinths and tonearms. And owners of the Garrards make better plinths and install better tonearms. Obviously, with better plinths and tonearms, the Garrard is the better turntable than a stock Lenco.
However, once upgraded, a Lenco will sound better than stock. To say that it’s better than the Garrard 301/401 is very subjective. They sound different but nevertheless good. We may like one better than the other but that is due to individual preferences.
I have a heavily modified Lenco, an upgraded Garrard 401 and an upgraded TD124.
Stock Lenco vs stock Garrard would be a very sad competition for Lenco.
Garrard and Ferguson are both bad turntables like modern day Crowley's.Technics are far superior.Also BSRs like to sease up mechanically as they get old.
I was not of such a bad opinion, quite surprised. I think garrard has it's place if you are aware of its limitations.
Stop playing with your toys, and go listen to Bach.
Ok.
Neither waste of time.
Which is your favourite?