Lenco L-3809, reeling in the years with modern-classic turntable
Lenco L-3809 turntable. Pic: Noel Campion.
When Lenco asked if I’d like to test one of its 75th Anniversary record players, I jumped at the opportunity. You may wonder why but when you grow up in a generation where the record player was the centrepiece of your music system, you’d understand my keen interest in reliving my past.
The Lenco L-3809 arrived in a box with parts that required assembly. The lid and two hinge mechanisms have to be fitted but I never felt the need to consult the manual. The metal platter is solid and pleasantly heavy and the metal tonearm and counterweight is made from equally quality metal materials.
The cartridge needle is made by Audio Technica, so you can expect the best sound quality. Otherwise, the L-3890 is mostly plastic but the build quality is top-notch.Â
There's a big pause/play button alongside 33 RPM and 45 RPM speed buttons for playback control.
The L-3890 is also designed with DJs in mind featuring a blue LED light to assist in positioning the needle on the record. Additionally, there’s a speed/pitch slider.
It’s been decades since I last used a record player. I never had a massive record collection, but the mechanics of lifting the arm and moving it over the record and then lowering the arm and waiting for the music to play brought me right back. Nostalgia is a powerful thing and almost enough reason to get a turntable. It’s impossible to fully explain the pleasure I got from the simple actions of playing a record again and reliving the fond memories. I love the convenience of being able to stream anything I want instantly but there’s something to be said for the act of playing a record - it’s so organic.
The L-3890 comes with other features including variable speed pitch control. This is something DJs would use to control the speed of a track, or with two turntables and a DJ mixer to beat-mix two different records by adjusting the pitch by up to minus or plus eight so that the speed/beats of the two records are in sync.
The L-3890 also comes with a direct drive motor rather than a belt-driven system. The direct-drive guarantees that the record starts immediately, also called 'quick start' this means it gets to speed faster and there are no ‘drag’ effects like you’d get with a turntable.
If you’re not like me and still have a decent record collection you can use the L-3809 to convert them to digital music files. In the box, you’ll find a CD that contains Audacity, a free audio editing program for PC. I’m not sure how many people still have CD players on their PC but I used Adobe Audition instead. You can easily convert your vinyl records to a digital album via the supplied USB cable, this way you can always enjoy your favourite music, wherever you are.
It’s nice to see Lenco supply an RCA audio cable in the box. You can use these to connect the L-3809 to a stereo system or connect it directly to a mixer or stereo with a built-in phono pre-amplifier.
I have a separate amp but I also tested the L-3809 using an RCA to 3.5mm cable and connected it to an external speaker. While the former brings me right back to the days of separate music systems, the latter makes it convenient to get up and running quickly with the least amount of hassle.
The only feature missing for me is the auto-return so when the tonearm reaches the end of the record, you have to manually lift and bring the arm back to rest.
The Lenco L-3809 is a modern record player with all the essential features and audio quality for those looking to get their vinyl collection spinning again. Forget wasting your money on cheap turntables, the L-3809 is a quality record player with great sound and build quality.
Lenco L-3809 €269 available from https://euro.richersounds.ie/cssearch.aspx?searchterm=Lenco#pgnum=&sort=
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
