My first ever vinyl record was a copy of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory. It had been my dad’s in the 70s, and the sleeve is still in pristine condition. It’s impossible to deny that listening to a physical record beats mobile streaming hands down. The listening experience is second to none, and there’s something really rather therapeutic about it.
Over the last eight years, my vinyl collection has grown and grown, so I recently upgraded my beginners Crosley Cruiser - originally bought for about £60 in Urban Outfitters - for a much more sophisticated turntable . It made sense, seeing as vinyl is only growing in popularity and collecting is not a hobby I ditched after approximately two weeks, like I do with most things.
It was my dad that got me into music from a young age, always listening to Brit pop, indie and rock. He also introduced me to records, showing me how best to look after them - and how a good quality record player is a must to not wear out your LPs.
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I’ve been trying out the Lenco LBT-188 , which recently became available in the UK. The turntable comes in pine and a stunning walnut finish, and is the perfect way for music lovers to listen to their favourite records.
The retro device brings together the old with the new, offering a manual belt-driven turntable paired with modern Bluetooth connectivity. As it doesn’t have in-built speakers, you’ll want to make sure you have a good speaker to connect it to, which will enhance the sound quality of your music.
At first we struggled getting it to connect to our small speaker, but we soon realised that it was an issue with our bluetooth device, rather than with the record player. It connected to our Bose speaker with ease, filling the house with the sound of a live Oasis album I’d picked up at Vinyl Exchange in the Northern Quarter the same week.
Not only that, but it has a USB slot so you can connect it to your PC and digitalise your record collection - groovy, I know. While this isn’t a feature I’m likely to use personally, those big into their own music production will love this addition to the device.
The turntable is capable of playing both 33 and 45 RPM records, and is equipped with an auto-stop function, so your records will stop turning when they're over. It’s also got a transparent plastic cover that will protect records from both dust and scratches, or being knocked by passing children in the house.
As well as the turntable itself, the box also contains an anti-slip mat, all of the adapters and cables you need, a counterweight, belt and additional replacement parts, like extra dust cover feet. In terms of setting up, it was pretty easy - you just have to add the weights and make sure the needle is correctly balanced before use, but the manual was easy to follow and we were set up and ready to play in no time.
Of course, the overall sound quality will depend a lot on the speaker you’re using, but we found it to be extremely clear, with that nostalgic, analogue warmth that comes from turntables, or you can switch to headphones for private listening sessions, which is a nice touch.
Stylish and sleek, the Lenco LBT-188 slots beautifully into any room of the house, and will quickly make it a social hub for music fans young and old, bringing the nostalgia of records and analogue together with modern functionality.
Ideal for any vinyl lover, I found the turntable to be pretty user friendly once you manage to connect it to a speaker, and it’s well worth bearing in mind for Christmas, particularly with Black Friday coming up.
The Lenco LBT-188 is available at from £219.99 from HMV , Curry’s and Lenco .
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