How to achieve Audio Heaven

[Infinitely Baffled]

Wow! That article is quite some tour de force, Barry. Well done! Looks like I have been worrying needlessly about maintaining all three parameters as per the arm's published spec. That will make things easier. That said, I have to confess that I have never succeeded in using an arm manufacturer's supplied card protractor so as to achieve truly parallel sides at both null points. I generally have to choose a compromise. Have you come across any proprietary protectors that you think do the job well?
Cheers
Gary

[Infinitely Baffled]

Gary I am using my Decca with the standard plastic mounting.
I run mine like this with blue tac and it sounds absolutely stunning.

Hello, James. Yes, I'm inclined to stick with the cheapo red plastic block, despite its imperfections (mine has a built-in slant which makes setting azimuth trickier than it needs to be). I think I heard elsewhere too that it has worthwhile damping properties. Never tried the blu-tack trick, though. Does it fill the entire gap between the top of the gold tin box and the underside of the headshell?
Cheers
Gary

[walpurgis]

I have to confess that I have never succeeded in using an arm manufacturer's supplied card protractor so as to achieve truly parallel sides at both null points.

Neither have I.

But I don't worry too much .

[walpurgis]

Never tried the blu-tack trick, though. Does it fill the entire gap between the top of the gold tin box and the underside of the headshell?

No. Not when I use it. I just use a blob big enough to comfortably bridge the gap. BluTak is slightly springy and if you use too much it tends to push the cartridge slightly off its mount.

[Barry]

You could always try Plasticine.

[walpurgis]

You could always try Plasticine.

I have. It tends to dry out a bit after a while and shrink a little, so not as good. Tried that on a Decca Blue back around 1973 .

[Arkless Electronics]

Now what we need here is a double blind ABX test of plasticine V Playdoh V Blutak

[Barry]

I have. It tends to dry out a bit after a while and shrink a little, so not as good. Tried that on a Decca Blue back around 1973 .

Blutack will also dry out with time and become hard, so negating any dampening properties it once had.

[walpurgis]

Blutack will also dry out with time and become hard, so negating any dampening properties it once had.

True. Takes a while though. The lump of BluTak on my Maroon was OK after a year.

[walpurgis]

This talk of Deccas has me pondering.

I have two Mk.III ellipticals, but another Export Grey London would be good. Mine was very nice indeed.