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Best tonearm for London Reference Cartridge

Hi,
i have a Decca London Reference Cartridge (LRC), actually mounted in an older Mission Mechanic tonearm and would like to ask you with which tonearm one can get the most out of this wonderful cartridge.
The player is a Kuzma Stabi Reference and a Thorens TD 124, other arms i use are Sumiko MDC 800, Shindo Meursault and old Decca for ffss cartridges, but in these i haven´t tried it yet, but all these tonearm run with other cartridges so fantastic, that i don´t want to change them.
Some people recommend the long VPI 12.5, 12.6 or 12.7 tonearms. Have you some other suggestions?
Thanks very much!
breezer
topoxforddoc's avatar
topoxforddoc
353 posts
 
I've not used the Reference, but I've had two Deccas since the early 80s. Damped unipivots were the conventional choice; I use a Hadcock. These compensated for the lack of vertical compliance in the Decca design. Air bearing arms should also do the trick as they aren't rigid in a vertical plane either.

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk
goldorak's avatar
goldorak
89 posts
 
How about classic SME 3009/3012?
breezer OP
118 posts
 
Thanks for your advices.
Any other suggestions?
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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear Breezer: I don't own that Decca cartridge but seems to me that The Mechanic is very good match and as you own the MDC 800 this one seems to me very good for it too. Do you already try it in the Sumiko? do you have some problem with the Mechanic/Decca quality performance?

If you want some improvement on both tonearms maybe a fresh internal re-wiring could help.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
breezer OP
118 posts
 
Hi Raul,
i´ve tried the London just in the Mission already. It is good, but as i don´t know, how it could sound, i can´t answer the question, if it is at 70, 80, 90 or nearly 100% of its performance. The Mission Mechanic is rewired with Cardas.
In the Sumiko my DV XV-1s is mounted, and it is so wonderful, that i don´t like to dismount it at that time. Maybe later. The Sumiko has its own silver internal wire wit directly soldered Discovery Four Plus external wiring. Maybe i will rewire it with one continous Cardas some day.
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