2. analog
  3. 146410-2199

Woot! Decca cartridge bargain

Picked up a Decca Grey Export with a Garrott sticker on it and a metal clamp mounting bracket. It was sold untested for $270. As luck would have it, the thing works perfectly and sounds pretty darn good on a Jelco 750L with brass counterweight tracking at 1.75g on a Garrard 401.

Compared to my Paratrace Super Gold, the Grey is slightly darker with less detail but most notable is the reduced dynamic range. The Gold soaring while the Grey is more restrained. Nevertheless, the Grey is very musical with clean bass and clear metallic cymbal brushwork. Glad I snapped it up.

Anyone know what the Garrott improvements were on a Grey?

128x128noromance
topoxforddoc's avatar
topoxforddoc
353 posts
 
The original Garrott rebuilds used a Weinz Parabolic styles profile, as opposed to the Paratrace. I still have mine stating this on the original paperwork from the long departed brothers. Here's a review from my old boss Ken Kessler - we worked together at Canterbury Hi-Fi in the UK before he went full time into journalism.

https://www.kenkessler.com/hi-fi/garrott-decca-cartridge/
noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,554 posts
 
@topoxforddoc To clarify. The Grey may have the WP stylus. JW just said it was a type of line contact.
The Paratrace is on my SG/Decapod.
I also picked up a JW refurbished Garrott Bros Gold Microscanner which is superb. Almost as good as the SG sound but with no vinyl noise and a slightly more nuetral flavor.
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noromance OP
9,554 posts
 
@topoxforddoc  Thanks for the Iink. I met KK around 1987 at a show in London. We "argued" as to why he seemed to prefer bassy sound with dull treble compared to my preference for clean, clear, teansparent, and detailed sound. I wasn't impressed.
topoxforddoc's avatar
topoxforddoc
353 posts
 
@noromance Here’s a photo of the original worksheet dated 1981. Mine has had a fine line retip from JW since, but is otherwise as the Brothers left it in 1981.
https://i.vgy.me/2o0kE4.jpg
noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,554 posts
 
Thanks for sharing. A nice slice of history. I have some pics in Systems on my profile.
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