Decca C4E cartridge

[karma67]

interesting,keep the advice coming please,i value it

[montesquieu]

Well, just to add people do look for different things in vinyl reproduction. I look for accurate vocal and instrumental tone/timbre - capturing the quirks of an instrument's character; micro dynamics - the phrasing, the bowing, the rests; spatial cues to the acoustic, and the thing that joins it all up, the timing (which comes from the TT mainly) which is all about the 'snap' of music and hearing musicians actually play together rather than just notes emerging from speakers.

A lot of classical music is almost too dynamic, the range has to be compressed big time to fit on the record. A lot of rock is the opposite, with other genres sitting in between.

For me the SPU is the benchmark here - punchy, dynamic, fundamentally musical but also able to convey nuance (my beloved Miyajimas are modern takes on the SPU approach) though I do appreciate there are other ways to skin a cat, ways that need very different arms than the high mass gimballed ones I've arrived at.

I've never managed to get a Decca to come close to doing what a higher end SPU or Miyajima can do with classical. Though I fully accept that it might not be what others are aiming at.

More worryingly though I've never really got one to behave properly either - I don't think these are easy beasts to match at all. I really would like to hear it done right.

[mikeyb]

I've been tweaking my setup with regard to my Decca Gold today and all I can say is ... I love it, ok it's not perfect across the whole range but it just sounds right! In fact it's the best I've heard my analogue side, ok a good bit of that is due to my Firebottle Vivant stage just back from upgrade by Alan, can't thank him enough.

Can't wait to get up tomorrow morning and play some more LPs

[walpurgis]

What phono stage are you running the Decca into Jamie? And what cables are you using on the phono side?

[karma67]

What phono stage are you running the Decca into Jamie? And what cables are you using on the phono side?

im using the phono stage in a nakamichi ca-5 pre amp,through klotz mc500

[karma67]

its make or break today,im going to spend time on set up,
using the hifi test record i tried the low frequency vertical test track,it fails the 20 hz and 18hz,it sounds like a jack hammer,the others from 16 to 6 hz are fine,the low frequency lateral test next and ist a bit wobbly on 25-23hz and then fine right down to 7.
interestingly without fluid damping it jumps out the grooves on the 18hz low frequency vertical test track.
i know these are extremes by the way.

[hifi_dave]

Try some extra mass on the headshell.

[karma67]

ok,although dont forget i already have the added mass of the rock paddle

[mikeyb]

a few interesting points and thoughts here:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...d.php?t=155595

[karma67]

cheers mike,
ive had a gut full now so the 2m blacks going back on