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Decca cartridge experiences

I really don't expect any response to this as the issue of Deccas, and all the controversies they stirred up is now passé, but does anyone out there own and use a Decca, and if so, did you find a tonearm which will accomodate it? I'd appreciate it if anyone shared their experiences with it, good or bad. I've found two tonearms in which it will work well: one a Mayware tonearm in which it works superbly, and one a Maplenoll air-bearing 'table with fluid damping trough, but I'm having a bit of trouble getting this combo to work again (I've only recently re-acquired the Maplenoll)...I'll have to fiddle with viscosity, amount of fluid and so on.

To all those who haven't had a chance to hear this cartridge, and who like to experiment and have fun (and tear their hair out), then a Decca still has the most slam of any cartridge, and retrieves an incredible amount of detail from the groove. Though these days it no longer sells for pocket change (the Super Gold goes for $850, but there are cheaper models), it's still not in the stratosphere like so many others. It is dificlt to find a tonearm which will accomodate it as well.

I'd appreciate as well any experiences with the new versions, as I hear the new stylus profile makes it less difficult. I think the responses will be "0", but any cartridge which stirred up this much controversy (at least a while ago) is Good News, like the Shelter (which is far more accomodating, however)...Thank you for your attention, if any attention there is...
johnnantais

Showing 2 responses by frogman

frogman
7,339 posts
 
Interesting thread. I own a "London" that has been sitting in a drawer; I bought it out of curiosity years ago.

It gave me some of the most dynamic and detailed sound that I have ever gotten out of my turntable, it sounded like music!; but I could not get the thing to stop humming (typical grounding-problem noise). Yes, I strapped the two ground wires of my tonearm; nothing helped. I used it in a Syrinx PU3 and an ET II with damping trough.

Any suggestions for solving the noise problem would be appreciated. By the way, while not perfect, tracking was reasonably good in the ET.
frogman
7,339 posts
 
My Decca only has three pins, that's why I strapped the two ground wires for the arms. The noise is more of a very loud buzzing, along with some hum; precisely the sound a normal (four pin) cartridge makes when one of the wires is not connected to one of the pins. I have tried strapping the two ground wires, NOT strapping the two and connecting only one of them, moving the wires around, not gounding the table, grounding the table. Nothing helps. Physically, the cartridge seems to be intact, and it does make great sounds; but combined with a level of noise that makes it unusable. Thoughts?

BTW, my table is a VPI HW19 MkIV.
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