LENCO L-3808 TURNTABLE REVIEW. WHY THIS BUDGET TURNTABLE OFFERS GREAT VALUE & SOUND QUALITY 

Hello again! Following your advice give by you for another beginner, I've upgraded the cartridge with AT VM 95 E and it sounds better indeed. Thank you. Now i have another question for you: I intend to upgrade again my cartridge, i feel like is plenty of "space" for a batter sound, haha, you know what I mean. Ok, i realize cannot go much higher with this turntable but I would like to ask you what is your opinion about Goldring 2300. Is around 220 £. I also saw on same price category the bronze 2m series by Ortofon. You think one of those cartridge will be an significant improvement instead my AT 95E? I mean, it worth the efforts? Looking forward to your answer. Thank you very much!

Glad you took time on the tracking force, issue, Susan. Nice one.

Dear Susan, please tell me if you set TF at 2.6g on stock cartridge? I saw in manual they recomand TF on about 2 g. Like you said in your comment I think the same, sweet point on 2.5 or 2.6 but I'm afraid will be too much for this cartridge. What do you think?

Maybe they did :) Thanks for the update on the manual. That said, since I reviewed the turntable, Lenco has changed distributors at least once, so maybe the new guys had a hand in the change.

@@TheAudiophileMan I bought my L3808 in 2019 for £157 and the manual then was recommending 2g tracking force.

Hehe

Firstly? I thought the reasoning behind my tracking force comments were pretty straight forward and to the point. I also don’t think I mentioned “chew up”, as you say (whose quote is that? Did I say that?) But if you need clarification. Let me add the following as an early Christmas present :) OK, I’m struggling with Christmas deadlines, there’s only so many hours in the day, etc, so I can’t undertake a long debate on this - this is my one in-depth exposition therefore…Hope it helps. A turntable isn’t a single object. It’s like a football club. It’s only successful as a balanced team of parts. And that team of parts is chosen (possibly designed by) the turntable manufacturer/brand. Each one of those parts has to work together for the overall design to sing. It is the turntable brand that has responsibility for this. It’s the turntable company that says what materials will be used within the plinth, what the platter will be made of and to what tolerances, what tonearm will be used (Their own? A third-party design?), if a lid will be included, will a mat feature and, if so, built on what materials? What cartridge? (Their own? A third-party design?) How does all this reflect on the build budget? And so on. A turntable brand selects the tools for the job. A cartridge is but one tool. It’s the turntable manufacturer who decides how that cart will perform in its design - and that includes tracking force. The turntable designer is not a slave to the cart brand. So, the turntable brand is in charge. It is their turntable. What they say. Goes. On a tangent - and this is critical. Some turntable designers will create a design based on a sonic plan. That is, “We used this tool and implemented it in this way because we feel the overall turntable will sound better.” On the other hand, other turntable designers, many Chinese outfits for example, design turntables that do the basics - they get by - in sound terms but their priority is price/profit. The more they work on their designs, the more they tweak, the more they spend, the less their profit. So they tend not to bother. That distinction is important. As a reviewer, I’m here to check up on all of the above. Did everything go to plan? Does the design hang together or is one member of the turntable parts team not keeping up? And it’s my job to balance my thoughts with the build budget price. Lenco’s build budget confirms that the 3600 is a good choice but how they implement that choice is, in my opinion, wrong. As I said in the review, for the Lenco, the sound is unbalanced at a tracking force of 3.25g (which is actually the figure I quoted I think) and would be even more problematic at the 3.5g you stated. That’s my principle problem with the recommended figure. And Lenco can shout all they want about 3.25 this and 3.5 that. They are wrong. At 3.5g, with the chosen tonearm, on that plinth, with that platter, etc, the sound is far too bass heavy. I would also suggest that the Lenco turntable design’s principle design concern is not the finer points of sound but the bottom line build figure. So that bass emphasis doesn’t surprise me. That was my principle concern in this review. I don’t think I mentioned wear did I? Even so, as you brought it up….if you push a stylus - even though we’re talking conical which can better distribute that weight - into soft vinyl at 3.5g, it will wear faster, over time, than a stylus being pushed into soft vinyl at 2.5g. Which is not great, especially if there is absolutely no reason to run at 3.5g. Because 3.5g offers zero sonic benefit. But, in this case? The wear issue is actually secondary to the sound. And to this review.

Thanks for your questions. No, the record keeps spinning when the arm reaches the end of the vinyl side. Set up is pretty much plug in and go. Shop around for a good deal and enjoy our vinyl collection :)

Glad I could be of help - many thanks for the update.

Hi ,Im looking to buy this turntable and saw you upgraded the stylus to a AT120Eb.Did you feel this was a good upgrade and improvement on whats provided

@@MartinsDisco Yes there is a large improvement compared to the standard AT Stylus it came with. Counterweight is almost at limit with the headshell the 120 came with but works.

Not really :) In fact, while reviewing this: theaudiophileman.com/cartridge-enabler-review-origin-live/ I noticed that adding the accessory actually helped to level the arm!

I'd go for the Lenco - when you can, upgrade the cart to a VM95E to improve sonics. After that, get an external phono amp.

@@TheAudiophileMan Oh man , thanks for the quick response, i'll go for the Lenco then.

Hi Jack - check your manual again, do you have the phono amp switched correctly?

@@TheAudiophileMan Hi, this worked, thank you very much for clarifying.

HI Pedro - I'd look at a VM-95E which should work well with he Lenco but if you're looking to spend more then I would consider a turntable upgrade and use the cash towards that.

@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you very much for your suggestion. I do have the AT-95 and prefer the sound of the Ortofon OM 5e. Maybe the AT VM-95e would make a difference, but I’m really considering upgrading the turntable. Unfortunately, I can not find in Europe the Fluance turntables. The RT85 with an Ortofon 2M Blue is sold in the USA for around 450 € and would be a great improvement for my system.

May I ask, do you possess any hifi right now or are you starting from scratch here? What's your budget?

@@TheAudiophileMan Im starting from scratch. I used to do this all the time, but then completely got out of it. I have a budget around 600 total

OK - the Lenco features a built-in phono amp but an external one can be fitted and it's sounds better. Grab a Pro-Ject MM Phono amp for £65: www.amazon.co.uk/Pro-Ject-Phono-Box-MM-Amplifier-Black/dp/B000YEK1AQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=project+phono&qid=1588332139&sr=8-1. This amp for £230: www.amazon.co.uk/Onkyo-A-9010-UK-Integrated-Amplifier/dp/B00SH2JSJW These speakers: theaudiophileman.com/3020i-q-acoustics-speakers-review/ for about £185. If you feel confidant installing one, a VM-95E cartridge to replace the one you have: www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-AT-VM95E-Elliptical-turntable-cartridge/dp/B07JXD79Q1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=vm95e&qid=1588332258&sr=8-1 And the best QED cables you can afford from Amazon.

Hi Vince - what's your budget please?

The Audiophile Man hi! I currently own the LP60, and if the Lenco L-3808 is highly recommended, I intend to sell my LP60 and then top up the remaining amount to purchase the Lenco L-3808! Someone is selling the L-3808 for SGD$220 in my country, Singapore.

OK, I gotcha. I haven't reviewed the LP60 but, maybe you can confirm, is it correct that you can change the stylus but NOT the cartridge on the LP60?

The Audiophile Man yes that’s right

The Lenco will thus offer better, future upgrade possibilities. Grab that and then, in the future, upgrade the headshell and also the cartridge to a VM95E from Audio-Technica and the Lenco will thank you for it.

They do vary in price so it would be slightly unfair to compare them directly. If you have the budget to buy a Denon then I would save a few more pounds and grab an Audio-Technica LP5x.

You need the turntable connected to a phono amplifier first - an external model is better than the internal although the latter 'will do' if cash is tight. From there, cables should run to an integrated amplifier - the sockets labelled 'input' are where you need to be. If you are using an external phono amplifier and there's sockets labelled 'phono' at the rear of your integrated amplifier then ignore those. Some amplifiers might provide variations on that socket labelling but that's the general connection. Speaker cables are then connected between the integrated amplifier and your speakers.

@@TheAudiophileMan much appreciated and many thanks

The Pro-Ject although the Lenco offers better bass performance. Overall balance belongs to the Pro-Ject though.

@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you for your time mate :) Keep up the good work

Hi Dinos - for a sub-budget design, the Lenco performs well. It's aimed at an audience who, basically, have next to no cash to spare which is why it's often priced around £150. The 120 is, relatively, a much more expensive proposition. Especially if £10 is a big deal to you in terms of spare cash. The 120 is really aimed at a different type of user.

Here you go: www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATN3600L-Replacement-AT3600L-Packaged/dp/B000BQ7A4M/ref=asc_df_B000BQ7A4M/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=499357443255&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4377195089280485840&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9073566&hvtargid=pla-439280126139&psc=1

@@TheAudiophileMan Wow! If that doesn't count as a specification, what does? Thanks again.

Yes, that would be a good upgrade Johnny.

I would say the Dual and the Lenco are the same except for the badges. I'd grab the best deal you can. The 120x is better in quality terms but it depends on your budget.

The stylus and tonearm weight should be hiding under clear tape around the periphery of the foam packing. Have a good search. Don't worry about stickers.

If you’ve connected the turntable correctly and you experience buzzing then there may very well be a fault. That shouldn’t happen.

@@TheAudiophileMan it's definitely an earth problem. Looking for tips via the internet, I found by touching the tone arm with one hand and touching the back of the ruark r3 with my other hand, the buzzing stopped. Apparently I would have to attach some speaker wire to the left RCA lead at the back of the turntable to the left RCA attached to the ruark to make a grounding. Why does lenco have an internal earth grounding if it doesn't work? All turntables should have earthing connector's around the back as standard. Thanks for your response,.

@@ronnieneo I think Lenco run the Earth through the cabling itself. This is not unusual, Rega does the same. That said, I'm not a fan and prefer separate Earthing. As for the Lenco itself, well I've used my reference sample regularly, it gets pushed around, connected/disconnected, moved about and gets generally 'disturbed' but I've never had that issue. I can only imagine that there's a loose connection, dry joint, etc. Possibly due to manufacturing or shipping or some such. A quick replacement shouldn't be an issue.

@@TheAudiophileMan cheers

Depends :) Depends on your budget, whether you also need to buy other hifi, your priorities in terms of hifi and sound and more. Both are excellent for their price point and what they offer. The 120 offers a better build and improved cartridge, for example, but that Lenco price is attractive and you can upgrade the cartridge later on, when funds allow.

Hi Paula - if you want automatic operation and Bluetooth, go for the Sony. If sound is the priority and you want the option to say, upgrade the cartridge later on, then go for the Lenco.

Looks smaller to me, also has redesigned controls. Not sure how/if that might affect the sound (and it might) but the design looks like its been 'refreshed' as the marketing dept. might say.

@@TheAudiophileMan thanks, I've just ordered one, I will let you know what I think, thanks for the review.

Do you have a budget figure and are you specifically/only looking for an all-in-one hifi system?

@@TheAudiophileMan My ideal budget is around 200 so I thought lenco ls 300 would be better than ls 50 because it has separate speakers. What do you think?

@@user-zk2tz3bx7k Can you save a bit more? I ask because, if you could stretch a bit then the quality of the components would rise immeasurably. For example, for an all-in-one, I'd look at this system: www.henleyaudio.co.uk/products/Juke-Box-E?DepartmentIds=1&BrandIds=2 which only needs a pair of low cost speeds to get you underway and its fully featured to and properly integrated.

@@TheAudiophileMan this looks great but i think it's way past my budget for now. Do u think the lenco ls 300 will damage my records tho? It has an adjustable counterweight

@@user-zk2tz3bx7k To be honest, I can't really recommend either. The only Lenco I can support is the L-3808. That's a direct-drive model. Lencos belt-driven designs are poor. How about a Pro-Ject Primary and a pair of low-cost powered speakers such as the Edifier pairing of your choice from Amazon? A bit over your budget but cheaper than the JukeBox I mentioned above.

Of course! Why not?

Basically, yes. I think both Lenco and Dual used this Chinese design.

That's up to you. Check out this video which discusses why you might want to consider powered speakers. Or not...:ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YtkRSZDRoJ0.html

Is the difference big*

I haven't reviewed the 120x but I do prefer the 'x' to the original, looking at the specs oly. I'd say the 'x' introduces better build and design elements. But's that's just a guess looking at the specs. I repeat, I haven't seen it up close. I'd recommend more research but I'd chose the 120 on paper.

I wouldn't spend over £600 on a DJ turntable just for home record play, if that's what you mean. If you already have one for DJ use then sure, 2-channel play would be fine but there's way too many DJ-specific tools on there for purely home listening play. that is, as a specialist home vinyl turntable player. There's far better options out there offering better value for more. For a DJ, though? Sure - looks rather nice.

@@TheAudiophileMan What turntable would you recommend for music listening (80%) and DJing (20%)?

Do you have a budget?

@@TheAudiophileMan 500-600USD

Hi madmantronix - what's your budget on this one? And what length do you require?

The Audiophile Man around £50 and probably 1 metre would suffice. Thanks

I'd go for this: www.amazon.co.uk/QED-Reference-Speaker-Single-Terminated/dp/B081Y2JVKL/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=qed%2Bspeaker%2Bcable%2Bxt40i&qid=1579688759&sr=8-3&th=1

And here's a review: theaudiophileman.com/reference-xt40i-speaker-cables-review-qed/

I haven't seen the Dual 'in the flesh', as it where but I reckon it's the same deck. A few brands placed their badge on this one. I chose the Lenco because it was the most accessible one to me, for review.

The 120 is the better made product of the two, I'd go for that.

I have heard that the anti skating stops working after a while though

I have tested a range of Audio-Technica turntables but not, unfortunately, the 120. So I can only provide limited advice on that model. If you’re unsure about your buying decision, I’m happy to help. What’s your budget for a new deck?

@@TheAudiophileMan I would say I total around 500 quid in total to Include speakers

For this turntable, I wouldn't run anything better than the cart you have and I wouldn't buy any phono amp more superior than one of the phono amps in your list. Any of the three will work fine.

@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you so much!

That depends on what type of speakers you’re using. What do you have there?

@@TheAudiophileMan pre sonus eris e3.5 active studio monitors

Good man.

Brussels Vinyl, so what would be the better choice between the Lenco L3808 and the pro-ject primary E ?

@@EncresStylosPlumes Primary E I would say if you dont have a problem changing the position of the belt to change the speed

@@BrusselsVinyl thanks a lot for taking the time to reply. Been watching you videos actually. I did choose the Lenco in the end. Im just getting into vinyl so Im gonna start at the beginning and I'll work my way up to better equipment with time. In a way its not bad to start with a low budget, it gives time to people to discover analog music, which its a good things after all, especially for artists. Also I need to learn and understand what sound quality is and how to improve from there. For exemple Im a drummer, I know what sound a snare or a cymbal should have but you don't need a 600 euros snare to begin or practice in your garage, friends or the public don't hear the difference but I know because I learned, tested and heard how a bad snare can sound! I'm not an audiophile at the moment but perhaps one day! 🙂

Is the Pre-amp removal process same with Audio Technica AT-LP60? There are several videos for AT but not for Lenco L3808. I'm planning to remove mine but i'm not sure because there is no video.

@@ahmetyilmaz6370 Yes it's the same as the AT-LP60

@@EA-58 Thanks :)

@@ahmetyilmaz6370 how is it remowed? Could you give any link here?

@@ahmetyilmaz6370 ..and are you happy with this lenco

To cut to the chase here Tony, Chinese-made, cheap turntables generally sound poor. Especially those sporting belt drives. The direct drive models can sound good. That's not because direct drive motors are better per se. It's because the Chinese manufacturer's low cost production methods find it harder to cripple direct drive motors than they do belt drives. Despite the other parts in the design being passable only, the direct drive motor itself carries the entire design and the resultant sound is pretty good. So, in that case - go or the Lenco and grab a better cart when you can. An Audio-Technica VM95E would do fine.

Hi Malcolm - what specific mods have you employed and what effects did you hear? Fascinating stuff.

Mainly ended up with damping plinth, platter and arm. Tried other stuff involving electrics but not so successful. Full details are in link above.

Looks like you put the counterweight and tracking force wrong!

Far, but quite far from trash. I’ve grown with Onkyo turntables and this one is quite amazing for its price. Maybe I’m lucky with my unit or maybe I just changed to the right Ortofon cartridge and aligned it correctly as well as used the correct tracking force and anti skating.