Lenco has unveiled three new belt-driven turntables ranging from budget to mid-range options, and as we've come to expect from the hi-fi brand, they offer a lot of features for the money.
The new turntables are the LBTA165, which is fully automatic and has Bluetooth transmission (not too dissimilar to the Victrola Eastwood II, then – although that model also includes speakers and amplification) ; the LBT-215BK, which has both Bluetooth and USB output; and the L455BK, which also has USB output for digitising your delicate records so you'll never lose the music etched upon them.
Introducing Lenco's trio of new turntables
The most affordable new turntable here is the LBTA-175, which has an RRP of £199 / €219 (so around $260 or AU$389, but the decks have just been unveiled at the annual tech event known as IFA in Berlin, so prices for these regions weren't immediately forthcoming). The LBTA-175 is fully automatic and comes with an Audio-Technica AT3600L moving magnet cartridge and a switchable pre-amp. It's available in a choice of two finishes, wood or black wood, and it'll be available from October.
Also shipping in October, the LBT-215BK also has Bluetooth and a switchable pre-amp; the cartridge this time is an Audio-Technica AT-VM95E moving magnet cartridge on a metal tonearm with fully adjustable counterweight and anti-skating. The platter is metal too. You can have this one in any color you like as long as it's black gloss, and the RRP is £299 / €329 (so roughly $390 or AU$585).
Last but not least there's the most premium model of the three, the L-455BK. Once again it's belt-driven (with a belt external to the platter) with a metal platter, tonearm and adjustable counterweight, but this time the cartridge is the highly rated Ortofon 2M RED moving magnet cartridge. The L-455BK also has automatic rotation speed checking and correction for pitch-perfect playback, and there's a switchable phono stage so you can use it with an amp or with powered speakers, making it a potential rival for the Victrola Hi-Res Onyx at the level.
The L-455BK will also be available from October, with an RRP of £449 / €499 (which is around $589 or AU$879). The finish is black with a brushed aluminium frame.
Will any of the trio make it to our best turntables buying guide? Watch this space, because we wouldn't be surprised…
You may also like
- Sonos user? Add vinyl to your wireless multi-room system with our Victrola Stream Carbon review
- See our pick of the best hi-res audio players
- And here's our roundup of the best noise-cancelling headphones
