Thorens Lenco Infinity RS-1B Decca Cartridges

Click pics to enlarge. L: Thorens TD-125 with Eminent Technology Tonearm and VAS Ortofon 2M Red; Below: Lenco L78 in its New Plinth, with Decca Tonearm and Decca Gold VdH. Further Below: Thorens TD-124 with Rabco Arm and Staton/Pickering 380. 

NY Diary (19-16) Thanksgiving Comes Early
Turntables Galore

Despite last minute glitches, a good number of us managed to gather at our friend Kevin's place for a pre-Thanksgiving Celebration.


The Infinity RS-1B sounded even better than last visit (scroll down to last article). I gave him a copy of Ansermet's celebrated Chabrier album (London, LP) and another of my favorite Night on Bald Mountain (on Danse Infernale, Fiedler, DG, LP). Both sounded excellent. Simon commented that the Infinities are good for everything, all you need.

Kevin has kept up his feverish pace, and the various cartridges have been playing musical chairs on the various turntables. He even made a very nice new plinth for his Lenco L78, which looks spectacular with the Decca Arm. One constant though - no matter how, the Decca SC4E (VdH) seems to sound better than the Gold (VdH).

When Kevin started to make an armboard for my Thorens TD-124 (article to come, with Thomas Schick Tonearm), I predicted to him that he would eventually get one. For sure, blink, and it happened. On this occasion, we heard the new acquisition in his Altec 604-H system and it was quite nice. Some also tinkered with the Altec A7, which was also sounding better.

Overall, excellent sound, perhaps a little light, due to the ribbon tweeters. In due time, no hurry. These are all affordable and excellent vintage turntables and tonearms that will give modern hi-end a run for the money.

Paul, the technical wizard (profiled here), was a pleasure to see, especially since he delivered my AES 300B amp to me. It would not turn on, but it turned out to be just a fuse. Silly me, after logging so many hours in this hobby, how could I have forgotten to check that! :-( And it was a pleasure to see R and his wife (whom we first met here), and listen to their trip to Italy (mainly the Almafi and Adriatic Coasts). What resonated with me was, after a great week, a desire to be back home and listen to some music! Perhaps only us old farts who do one thing at a time are like that; younger people have portable music everywhere, even when crossing the street.

All that may just have been an excuse to get together and chatter. Indeed, there were debates about state of the nation, the coming presidential election etc. Although sometimes heated, and there were definitely different stands, the harmony maintained is a testament to the cohesiveness of the group, all wonderful people who care about more than audio.

Some of us started "early", at a late lunch. The take-out Taiwanese style Seafood Fried Rice Noodle (right pic) was delicious and went great with Andy's surprisingly refreshing New Zealand Pinot Noir (right pic, to the left of which was Kevin's Chinese Medicinal Wine, the rare and expensive ingredients of which can buy you many bottles of fine French wine.

But the dinner, all prepared by Kevin and his lovely wife, was a veritable tour de force. The notated pic below explains it all. What were missing in the pcis were the fine wines enjoyed, including an excellent Saint-Estephe and an even more brilliant Haut-Medoc. Call me a Francophile. And yes, I have orthodox taste.

I say this was an early start to Thanksgiving. Indeed I thank all my friends for the hospitality and friendship they have offered over the years. I am very grateful to be in their company!

We should all be grateful for our lives of plenty!

Dinner. Clockwise from 12 O'Clock: Chicken Soup with American Ginseng; Drunken Goose's Gizzard; Braised Pork with Dried Bamboo Shoots; Sautéed Cabbage with Peppercorn; Braised Lamb; Drunken Chicken Feet and Drunken Duck's Gizzard; Brined Shrimps in the Center.