MM / MI cartridge

[SLS]

I'm looking for an easy life on this one.
Hadcock's don't come up that often, there is one about
http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/sh...ilift-arm.html
and Bigears has a Decca for sale.
For its purpose, I would rather go for the Jelco/Goldring, not lead as my son has a habit of breaking things just by looking at them. Will be much easier to set up. David has the Jelco on a deal and it'll keep him in clean underwear for a few days.
This is a second arm and I have to resist the temptation to get something with an upgrade path.

[walpurgis]

my son has a habit of breaking things just by looking at them.

Perhaps a Decca may not be the best choice. All cartridges are fragile, but Deccas only take a slight knock to push the stylus up into the body, rendering them useless until rebuilt. I've seen a number like this. Not done by me I should add.

[Barry]

It's a myth that Deccas only work best in unipivot arms. Nor is it essential that damped pivot arms are used: the early Decca ffss arms were undamped. It was only the later Decca unipivot 'International' designs that were damped, simply because unipivot arms are best damped for stability.

I have used Deccas (of various vintage) in a variety of arms, damped and un-damped, unipivot and non-unipivot. Decca cartidges are not for the noviciate: they are somewhat cantankerous, need 'pampering' and an almost fanatical attention to their set up, and are the most variable of designs (due to the most part by their atrocious build standard and quality control).

Yet when set up properly and with a good sample, there is nothing to touch them as regards transient attack, speed, excitement and sheer listening joy and a sense of 'being there'. No, they are not the most tonally neutral of cartridges, nor do they have, overall, the flatest of responses; but the all-important mid range is the flattest of most cartridges.

Having been a Decca admirer, and user (inter alia), for many years, I would say "go for one", but please be aware of the many caveats associated with using one.