A walk down memory lane with the Lenco LS-55 turntable
The Lenco LS-55 turntable. Pic: Lenco.
Around this time of year, I often reminisce about the good times when times were simpler. One of my favourite memories is Christmas at the old homestead listening to the classics of the day on our old record player. Simpler times for sure but I’ve been able to relive some of those good times while testing a new audio system from Lenco a Swiss company in the Hi-Fi and consumer electronics field for 75 years.
The LS-55 is an all in one turntable that features a wood effect top and sides that makes it look way more expensive than it actually is. The more traditional look is rather endearing and in keeping with the turntables of old that I can remember from my childhood.
The turntable comes right out of the box with no assembly required other than taking off the protective plastic from the top lid and turning a screw to release the storage lock.
All the usual turntable features are present including the lever to raise the stylus. There’s also a big physical dial for volume. On the bottom right of the top panel is a black console with buttons for power, input select options, and record and playback to/from a USB thumbstick along with the USB port for same.
You can change the record speed 33/45 depending on the size of the record you’re playing and there’s an auto stop button that stops the record from spinning when it reaches the end. Unfortunately, there’s no auto-return feature.
One of the nice things about the LS-55 is that it comes with built-in speakers which is great if you don’t own an amplifier. However, if you do, you can hook it up via the phono out connections on the back.
Thanks to the USB port, you can digitise your entire vinyl collection directly to a USB drive. Using the Bluetooth feature you can also connect your phone to the LS-55 to play music through its built-in dual 5w speakers. Of course, if it’s connected to an amplifier via the line out you can stream music through the Bluetooth connection on the LS-55 through to your amplifier.
An AUX-in jack (3.5mm) connection on the back can be used to connect directly to the LS-55 to play music directly through its speakers using a device that has a 3.5mm jack out.
The LS-55 is a belt-driven turntable with a built-in dust cover to prevent unwanted dust and debris from impacting vinyl listening, all with an adjustable counterweight. Lenco even includes a 75th-anniversary lint-free cloth in the packing, which is a nice touch.
The sound quality of the built-in speakers, amplifier and stylus isn’t going to win any awards. However, it is clear and brings out the warmth of vinyl beautifully. The speakers can get loud but are lacking in the bass department. I found the sound got a little irritating at loud volumes but at lower volumes, it was more relaxing with lots of warmth and ample amounts of detail depending on the vintage of the record you’re playing.
To be fair, this is a compact system with a lot of great features and while it doesn’t sound bad, it’s not going to be as good as the likes of the more professional Lenco L-3809 turntable I reviewed a few weeks ago. That said, if all you want is a walk down memory lane and the chance to take those old LPs for another spin, the LS-55 is more than adequate.
Overall, there’s a lot to love about the Lenco LS-55. It’s a complete solution for those who just want to play their old record collection right out of the box without the need to hook up amplifiers and mess around with cables. The built-in speakers are good enough for casual listening and even the option to stream music from your phone comes in handy.
€160 at Golden Discs
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