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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The Lenco-MD was real—but it was never a record player made entirely from plastic. It was a hybrid turntable kit developed by Lenco, RepRapUniverse and the Qeske community, combining conventional audio hardware with a 3D-printed PLA chassis, modular feet and user-assembled parts.
Launched through Kickstarter in late 2018 and funded in 2019, the project offered several routes: print the structural parts yourself, buy a kit with printed components, or pay for a more complete version. Its defining idea was to make the turntable a customizable maker object rather than a sealed consumer appliance.
That distinction matters today. The campaign is historical, and the Lenco-MD does not appear in Lenco’s current official webshop or product collection. It should therefore be treated as a discontinued or hard-to-source project—not as a new Lenco model that can simply be ordered from the manufacturer.
What was the Lenco-MD?
The Lenco-MD was a two-speed, belt-drive record player designed for self-assembly and modification. Its printed parts formed the main structural elements of the turntable, including the chassis, legs and modular foot sections. The motor, platter, tonearm, cartridge and electronics were conventional audio and mechanical components supplied as part of the kit or package.
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Contemporary coverage described a unipivot tonearm, an Audio-Technica AT3600 cartridge, an integrated phono preamp, RCA line output and a headphone output. Playback speeds were 33⅓ and 45 rpm. An Audio-Technica AT95E upgrade was also reported.
In other words, “3D-printed record player” was useful shorthand, but “hybrid turntable kit with a 3D-printed chassis and accessories” is more accurate. The available reporting does not provide a complete authoritative specification sheet for platter mass, wow and flutter, signal-to-noise ratio, tracking force, dimensions or motor torque.
The project was intended to be approachable in its supplied configuration. Its tonearm was described as requiring little or no adjustment when used as delivered. That should not be confused with a guarantee that every cartridge swap or custom tonearm installation will be plug-and-play. Changing the cartridge, geometry, tracking force or damping can require proper recalibration.
Contemporary technical coverage reported the drive system, speeds, tonearm, cartridge and outputs.
Who created it?
The project brought together:
- Lenco, the Swiss audio manufacturer;
- RepRapUniverse, a Dutch 3D-printer company;
- Qeske, a community and knowledge-sharing platform involved in the project;
- Struqt and PCiD, which were also credited in development material connected with the prototypes.
A functional prototype was shown at IFA Berlin in 2018. The project’s creative-direction page says it ranked among the top three innovations there; that is a project claim and should be understood as attributed rather than as an independently verified award.
Project history published by Fiftylab says the campaign raised more than €50,000. Hackster’s contemporary report places the Kickstarter campaign’s end on January 4, 2019.
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How the Kickstarter packages worked
The campaign was structured around how much fabrication and assembly the buyer wanted to do. Reported tiers varied by package and geography, so the following figures are historical Kickstarter prices, not a current retail price list.
| Route | What it involved | Reported campaign pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Print it yourself | Turntable hardware and electronics, plus access to STL files or the project’s print files. The buyer supplied the printer, filament and printing time. | About €99 or $110–$112 |
| Self-assemble with printed parts | A kit containing the relevant printed structural components, while the buyer still performed the mechanical assembly. | Reported around €149 or higher, depending on package |
| More complete version | Printed parts and additional assembly supplied by the project. | Reports ranged from approximately €199 to $225 |
Planned shipping was reported for March 2019. The available sources confirm the campaign, its reported funding and its proposed packages, but they do not independently verify complete fulfillment to every backer.
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See the contemporary accounts from Hackster and New Atlas for the period-specific descriptions.
What had to be printed?
The printable elements included the main frame or chassis, external structural parts, legs and modular foot sections. The project associated these parts primarily with PLA and described the material as environmentally preferable or derived from renewable resources.
That claim needs context. PLA can be made from renewable feedstocks, but that does not prove that the complete Lenco-MD had a low environmental impact. The available material does not establish lifecycle emissions, the proportion of renewable content in every part, durability, recycling performance, printer energy use, failed prints or disposal conditions.
The self-print route also required more than downloading files. A builder needed a suitable desktop 3D printer, filament, enough build volume, a clean and level workspace, time for printing and cleanup, and the ability to deal with dimensional variation. A warped chassis or poorly formed threaded foot can turn an apparently simple assembly into a mechanical troubleshooting project.
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The modular foot system
The Lenco-MD’s three feet used threaded interfaces so that modules could be screwed in or removed. This gave the project its most distinctive physical feature: the turntable could become a platform for accessories rather than merely a finished object.
Project coverage discussed Bluetooth, speaker and solar-related modules, along with additional user-designed possibilities. Those should be separated into three categories:
- Demonstrated or explicitly planned concepts: Bluetooth, speaker and solar-related additions were presented as project possibilities.
- Potential future modules: Some concepts were discussed without evidence that they became widely available products.
- User-created modules: The threaded system invited owners to design their own printed parts and functional accessories.
There is not enough evidence to say that every announced module reached mass production or remained available after the campaign. A custom module could also create practical problems: added vibration, imbalance, electrical noise, grounding issues or unsafe power integration.
The project’s “hackable” character primarily meant redesigning printed parts, creating replacement modules, changing the chassis, modifying damping, and experimenting with cartridges, tonearms or other audio components. The available evidence does not establish that it was an open-source electronics platform with a complete open-hardware license, public circuit repository or maintained CAD archive.
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A realistic home build would follow this broad sequence:
- Secure the hardware and files. A builder would need the motor, platter, belt, tonearm, cartridge, electronics, power supply, fasteners and legitimate access to the STL files.
- Prepare the printer and material. The project’s printed parts were associated with PLA, but the original sources do not provide a current validated printer profile, layer height, infill percentage, support strategy or print-time estimate.
- Print and inspect the structural parts. Parts would need cleanup and inspection for warping, cracks, dimensional errors and weak threaded sections.
- Assemble the mechanism. The motor, platter, belt, tonearm and electronics would have to be mounted accurately in the printed frame.
- Level and test the turntable. The unit would need a stable, level surface, correct belt routing and a properly seated platter.
- Check playback. Speed selection, cartridge tracking, output connections and unwanted hum would need to be tested before regular record use.
The original reporting does not supply a complete current assembly manual or bill of materials, so undocumented printer settings and detailed procedures should not be treated as official instructions.
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How difficult is it?
The Lenco-MD is best understood as an intermediate maker-hardware project, not a beginner plug-and-play turntable.
Turntables are sensitive to level, vibration, spindle geometry, belt alignment and tonearm setup. Printed parts can vary in dimension, soften under heat and be weaker along particular layer directions. A poorly mounted cartridge can cause distortion or, in the worst case, damage records. Modifying the tonearm or installing a different cartridge can require alignment and tracking-force adjustments even if the original configuration was designed to be simple.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteSomeone without a 3D printer could still use the pre-printed route, but that changes the nature of the project. It removes much of the fabrication challenge and leaves the buyer with assembly, setup and possible troubleshooting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you buy a Lenco-MD now?
Not as a normal new product from Lenco, based on the current official catalog checked for this article. The Lenco-MD is absent from Lenco’s current webshop and product collection, which list other turntables such as the LS-300WD and LS-470WA.
That does not prove that no used kit, leftover campaign stock or archived file set exists. It does mean readers should not assume that a current listing is an official, complete retail package. A second-hand Lenco-MD may contain printed parts but no electronics, electronics but no STL files, or an incomplete reward package. Campaign-era prices are not a reliable guide to today’s total cost.
Anyone considering a listing should verify:
- the motor, platter, belt, tonearm and cartridge are present;
- the power supply, preamp and output wiring are included;
- the printed chassis and feet are complete and undamaged;
- the STL files or authorized download access are available;
- replacement styli, belts and other consumables can be sourced;
- the seller can explain whether the kit was ever assembled and tested.
Lenco’s current official store and product collection are useful for confirming what the company sells now, but current models should not be described as direct successors to the Lenco-MD.
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What could go wrong?
Printed-part failures
- Warping can prevent the platter, feet or tonearm mount from seating correctly.
- Incorrect scaling can change critical mechanical dimensions.
- Weak layer orientation can cause load-bearing or threaded parts to crack.
- PLA may soften or deform when exposed to sustained heat, including strong sunlight or warm electronics.
Turntable setup failures
- An uneven surface can affect tracking and stability.
- A stretched, dirty or incorrectly routed belt can cause speed problems.
- A loose platter or spindle fit can produce wobble.
- A poorly installed cartridge can cause distortion or record wear.
Electrical failures
Bluetooth, speaker and solar-related additions could introduce hum, grounding problems or power-regulation issues. User-designed modules may require voltage regulation, protection and careful enclosure work. The available evidence does not establish the electrical specifications or safety certifications of every proposed add-on.
Who should consider the Lenco-MD?
The project makes sense for a reader who values the build as much as the finished playback. It suits makers who enjoy 3D printing, vinyl listeners interested in experimentation, designers who want a customizable physical object, and owners of a suitable printer who are comfortable troubleshooting tolerances and alignment.
It is a poor fit for someone who wants a reliable everyday turntable with a current warranty, predictable replacement parts and minimal setup. It is also a weak choice for an audiophile seeking independently measured performance: the sources reviewed provide project descriptions and claimed features, not a detailed laboratory test or independent listening evaluation.
How it compares with current alternatives
| Need | More practical direction | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Simple vinyl playback | A current entry-level Lenco or Classic Phono turntable | Much less customization, but easier support and setup |
| Turntable with speakers | A current integrated model such as the Lenco LS-300WD or LS-470WA | Convenience and warranty instead of a fabrication platform |
| Custom appearance | A supported current turntable with a 3D-printed accessory or plinth project | Preserves current electronics while limiting deep modification |
| Maximum maker control | A separate DIY or open-CAD turntable project | Potentially more flexible, but usually requires sourcing and validating every subsystem |
The Lenco-MD’s value was never just its ability to play records. Its appeal was the combination of vinyl, printed structure, modular feet and community-led experimentation. A modern consumer turntable may be a better product, but it is not the same kind of project.
The bottom line
The Lenco-MD was a genuine 2018–2019 crowdfunding project that combined Lenco turntable hardware with user-printed PLA components and a modular, hack-oriented design. It was not fully 3D-printed, not proven to be open-source in the complete hardware sense, and not currently listed as a normal product in Lenco’s official catalog.
For a maker who can locate complete hardware, legitimate print files and replacement parts, it remains an intriguing historical platform. For everyone else, a current supported turntable—or a conventional turntable paired with a custom 3D-printed accessory—is likely the more practical way to combine vinyl with fabrication.
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