One By One Turntable Review
What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Sadly, it's a case of so near nonetheless and so far for Lenco's otherwise attractive and characteristic-packed tape role player
Pros
- +
Meaty Bluetooth-enabled speakers
- +
Stylish aesthetic
- +
Enjoyable to use
Cons
- -
Tonearm build bug
- -
Questionable speed stability
Lenco historic its 75th anniversary in 2021 and the Dutch-owned brand is keeping the celebrations going with a new three-stiff lineup of budget-conscious record players. The 400 range comprises the 410 with a wooden finish (the about affordable of the trio and the model we have on test), the 430 in black or brown imitation leather, and the 440 with either a blue or grey fabric cease.
The deck includes four onboard speakers (two powered by 15W of amplification and two fed by 10W), thus granting it simple 'plug and play' bragging rights with no boosted separates, wires or amps required. With Bluetooth 5.0 onboard too, this record player fifty-fifty doubles every bit a Bluetooth speaker for streaming music straight to those four speakers from your smartphone or tablet. Just is information technology worthy of a spot in the abode of the fledgling vinyl collector? Let's get to work.
Build
Unbox the LS-410 and you have to remark that for the money information technology is a proficient-looking affair. The wooden chassis is smartly finished with rounded edges to reveal the speaker grille and a metallic Lenco brand plate across the front panel. Other nice touches include four rubber buttons on the right of the deck to select 33 1/iii or 45 RPM speeds, start/pause or coil between modes (more than on this later). There'south besides a dainty polish volume dial, a premium-feeling felt mat, and four feet underneath the cabinet that feel just like halved squash balls to aid with vibration damping.
On the back of the role player are aux-in also equally stereo RCAs that tin be switched between being a phono output (where you'll demand a partnering amplifier with a built-in phono phase) or line-level. However, we suspect that the Lenco LS-410 volition cease up being used every bit is, with no extra separates involved – and so far, it impresses.
Lenco LS-410 tech specs
Type Chugalug-driven
Maximum power output 50W
Weight 6kg
Bluetooth 5.0
Connections RCA out, 3.5mm in, phono/line out switch
Dimensions (hwd) 19.two x 42.v 10 36cm
In terms of set-up, the metal platter comes ready-fitted with its belt, and once prepare on the spindle, a simple tweak of a ribbon sits it nicely over the motor pulley. Things practise then get slightly more complicated, notwithstanding. For a deck at this level – and i that comes pre-fitted with an Audio Technica cartridge – we might have expected the counterweight position to be pre-set. Simply here the owner is expected to do it conventionally by first attaching the counterweight to the arm, adjusting the weight until the arm is balanced and so twisting further to set the relatively heavy three.5g tracking force.
Naturally, seasoned turntable users will run through these steps as a thing of course, only for a younger vinyl novice it could be fiddly and off-putting.
Nosotros do have a more than pressing issue with the build, though. The materials and terminate of the cabinet are spot-on for the toll – and nosotros love the design – but in calibrating the tonearm we go aware of too much play in the arm bearings, to the point that the arm actually rattles, which creates dissonance and affects sound quality afterward on. It's a shame, particularly since this is well-nigh certainly an consequence that could have been resolved with more careful quality control.
Features
This particular record player has an ace upwardly its sleeve that few other all-in-i solutions boast at this price. Although some affordable turntables include a Bluetooth transmitter (see Pro-Ject's TONE turntable or Sony'south 5-star Sony PS-LX310BT) to send the music spinning on your deck to your Bluetooth headphones or dissever Bluetooth speaker, the Lenco houses a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver. That lets you play music from your phone or another Bluetooth device to the role player's 4 onboard speakers, allowing y'all to forego your vinyl drove entirely if you lot wish.
Information technology adds real value, especially for fledgling vinyl collectors who at present have Bluetooth streaming every bit a backup while standing to add together to their LP stash.
Audio
We lower Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1973 studio album Catch A Burn onto the platter and Stir information technology Up comes through pleasingly loud and warm. Indeed, the LS-410 is fun and likeable to use – and we beloved having the pick of pausing playback and resuming it at volition. (Pushing the pause push button mutes the amplification and stops the platter spinning; press play and there's a little wait while the turntable gets dorsum upwards to speed, then the amplification kicks back in.) Lukas Graham's Happy Home is also nicely weighty across the frequencies. Although we'd honey a little more space and insight in the presentation, the Lenco is pretty entertaining for a i-box solution.
That said, in classical pieces such as Jacques Loussier's Siciliano In K Small nosotros do get acutely aware of another issue – a lack of speed stability. Information technology'southward enough to make the piano sound unassured and a little fuzzy. When listening to Tom Jones's Did Trouble Me, it's a similar issue. Jones's diction in this song is unparalleled just here we're missing an actress ounce of conviction and the unwavering sense of rhythm we know should be present in his song against the pared-back banjo, drum beat and simple chord accompaniment.
Verdict
Our hearts sit down heavy in our chest when delivering this verdict, considering the Lenco LS-410 has then much going for it. Information technology looks smart and is packed with sensible features. Importantly, in that location'due south evidence of real sonic ability hither also. Sadly, the poorly made tonearm and speed stability issues are significant enough flaws to knock it back from a total recommendation. We hope Lenco has a go at fixing these shortcomings, as the LS-410 has the potential to be a fine product.
SCORES
- Build 3
- Features 5
- Audio 3
MORE:
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Source: https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/lenco-ls-410
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