PLINTHS - LENCO
 |
 |
|
OMA's Model 2 Lenco PTP plinth, shown here with a Schick tonearm, and matte finish stainless PTP plate. |
The Model 2 Lenco PTP plinth, revealing the minimalist cutout plan which allows maximum mass of the slate plinth. Note space in rear for a second tonearm -Model 3 version-. |
For several years, people have asked OMA if we could make a slate plinth for the Lenco turntables. The Swiss made idler drive Lencos, such as the L75 and L78, have had a growing cult following, with interest in the brand increasing exponentially. And for good reason- the Lenco was a well engineered idler with a tremendous potential for DIY improvements. And it was a tremendous bargain on the used marketplace.
The main improvement everyone involved with the Lencos recognize is the need for a massive plinth. Almost all of the literally thousands of plinths that people have made for the Lenco have been variations on CLD (Constrained Layer Damping) composed of sheets of wood products, such as plywood and mdf. These DIY plinths consistently bring the Lenco to a new level of performance. But other problems remained.
 |
 |
|
OMA Model 1 Lenco PTP slate plinth shown before installation of the platter, motor and linkages. Note slate armboard, here cut for an SME arm. |
The OMA Model 1 Lenco PTP plinth, is designed for normal length tonearms in the 9-10 inch range. |
Foremost among such problems inherent in the way the Lenco was originally manufactured was the thin, stamped metal top plate that formed the structure to which the platter and bearing, motor, and linkage elements were all attached. This top plate was configured in all but a few rare models for a built in tonearm which holds little interest for today's users. If the plate could be dispensed with, the Lenco could achieve the kind of performance associated with far more expensive idler drive turntables with much heavier top plate construction, such as the Thorens TD 124 and the Garrard 301 and 401.
Peter Reinders, an industrial designer in Holland and a devoted Lenco lover, applied his skills to the problem and came up with what is now known as the "PTP" (Peter's Top Plate) or, in other words, a heavy steel plate meant to replace the original Lenco chassis, and enable it to be anchored to a proper, heavy plinth. The PTP has gone through several incarnations, and is now at the Model 3 PTP stage, available direct through Mr. Reinders - email him here - in both a carbon steel and a stainless steel version. The Lenco owner must dismantle the deck and place the motor, platter and bearing, and linkage onto the new PTP plate, using hardware salvaged from the Lenco and supplied with the kit. This ordinarily takes a couple of hours at most. The manual can be viewed here as a PDF.
Until now, queries about an OMA slate plinth for the Lenco received a negative reply. We could of course make such a plinth, and others have marketed them commercially, but the result would resemble a picture frame in stone. The cutout to accommodate the original Lenco chassis was so large that almost no slate was left to do its job, damping resonances and vibrations. When OMA discovered the Reinders PTP idea, we immediately knew it meant a whole new paradigm for the Lenco. We could precision cut only the holes necessary for securing the PTP plate to the slate, a small hole for the bearing well and motor, and the rest of the slate would remain intact, creating the most massive of all the OMA plinths in relation to the overall footprint. Even the smallest OMA PTP plinth is very heavy at about 50 pounds. The larger plinths for a longer arm or two arms weigh around 65 pounds.
Model 1- 380mm x 480mm with a cutout for a 9-10" type tonearm
Model 2- 470mm x 550mm with a cutout for a typical 12" type tonearm, like the Schick or SME 3012
Model 3- same as Model 2 but with two cutouts for arms, a short arm in the rear, long arm to the right side
 |
| OMA's Model 3, with two cutouts for arms. |
Custom plinths are also available.
|
We can sell just a plinth, and you can design an armboard to suit your needs, securing it to the slate plinth via the through holes shown. Or we can produce custom slate armboards from .5" thick slate (correct height for the for Lenco platter) if you supply the necessary information or a template. Two inch high waterjet cut footers, which are honed in the same way as the plinth, are available in sets of 3 or 4 , and are the correct height to elevate the plinth for clearance of the motor and bearing. |
|
 |
Slate feet 2 inches in height are available in sets of 3 or 4. They elevate the OMA Lenco PTP plinths to the correct height, but are also an excellent way to try slate as an isolation device with other components and turntables. |
|
