I think my Decca needs an overhaul, having that difficult VdH stylus profile which may now be worn. The Decca International, a damped unipivot, is in the same ball park as my Maywayre damped unipivot for extracting performance from the Decca. Strangely enough, I mounted my Grado Platinum on it and it has never sounded better. In fact, it reminded me quite a lot of the Decca on this arm! The Decca International majors on Prat, seems good from the frequency extremes to the mid-range, making everything very musical. Last night I said "the hell with re-wiring, I'm just going to enjoy my records!" There is a tweak available right away for the Decca tonearm. I had ordered a replacement metal headshell for my Connoisseur BD1's plastic headshell years ago, and so immediately recognized the headshell. I tried the metal headshell and it fit perfectly. Also, the plastic plug can be glued into the tonearm tube with glass epoxy, which should be a significant imporvement, and if the metal headshell is an improvement over the plastic headshell (you never know with a Decca), I will report on this. I ordered two tonearms, so I can compare a stock arm, (the one which had me mesmerized already last night), to a re-wired arm, which if it is an improvement, I will eventually totally mod as I've described. The place to order the metal headshell is Technical and General in England, which can only be done by phone or mail.
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...
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...
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- 102 posts total
- 102 posts total