In Lenco's CES 2025 demo room, the nearly 80-year-old brand proved its excellence in the vibes department by playing a Best of Earth, Wind and Fire vinyl on its recently announced Lenco LBT-215BK turntable.
Blending modern styling with a gorgeous piano black finish and silver details makes this one of the best-looking belt-drive turntables one can get for its available £299 price point – US buyers won’t get the LBT-215BK until April at a cost of $359. And gosh, Americans are missing a lot until then.
A mid-tier record player supporting both 33 and 45 RPM playback speeds, the LBT-215BK is equipped with an Audio-Technica AT-VM95E Moving Magnet Cartridge. The playback was smooth and rich as it pumped out Reasons through some speakers from Kanto behind it.
All those musical guts were warm as the song about a one-night stand (ironically still considered a wedding classic) got plenty of bottom-end oomph thanks to the stereo pre-amp built into the LBT-215BK.
There's a metal platter, tonearm and fully adjustable counterweight, which all help it feel like it punches well above its weight. The unit I heard was also playing with Lenco's new TTA-080SI Record Stabilizer, which serves double duty as a stabilizer to keep records playing flat, and also as an LED disco ball – for an extra $49.
Audio connectivity options include Bluetooth or RCA wired output, which makes this pleasingly versatile. And as a bonus, those who want to convert the audio into a digital format can use the USB connection as well.
As someone with a history in the music business, this is a great tool for more sample-based producers to enjoy their crate-digging session. Using Bluetooth 5.2 means that users who just want a simple, cable-free experience can do so with the best Bluetooth speakers or best wireless headphones.
The turntable also features an anti-skating feature, which promises to protect your records. Anyone looking for a turntable that looks chic, offers wireless and wired connectivity, and enables easy analog-to-digital conversion will find this to be a very tempting entry-level deck for budding audiophiles within the sub-$400 mark may have much to appreciate.
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