Decca Gold Cartridge (Line Contact Stylus - serviced and boxed)

[Bigman80]

A bit late, but welcome to the DECCA club. I have the Maroon and I also got this sent off for the full monty. You'll never look back!

Thanks! Yes, I think it's going to be here a while. First impressions are very encouraging.

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[Bigman80]

Boards can give you for free and few bits and pieces, bit rough but mine have been running for 8 years (more?) whit no problems
Will post photos on Friday

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[walpurgis]

How's the Decca going Oliver and did that headshell turn up?

[Bigman80]

How's the Decca going Oliver and did that headshell turn up?

Hi Geoff,

No headshell yet. I presume I'll get a letter from postman pat claiming the need for more money.

The Decca is great. Really great, actually.

I added more mass to the headshell in the form of playdoh and it's really brought it to life! I added about 5g to the headshell. The headshell is 10g and the cart about 6g. The bottom end really filled out. It was very welcome too!

It's hard to relay what I'm hearing but now I've heard the Gold, there is no going back IMO. The immediacy of the performance is mind blowing. Decay and attack is so sharp and decisive. I'm a fan.

Percussion sounds really really good, the snare drum especially.

No tracking issues, no hum through the Jolida and it sounds fantastic. It's Probably my favourite cartridge out of the many I've heard.

The Blue I have here does a lot of the Gold sound but just missed the last micron of detail which I'm really having to listen out for. There is a Blue in the states for £250. For that money it's a give away. Outstanding sound. you were right, Geoff.

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[Jimbo]

Glad you have experienced the Decca Magic Oli and your descriptions of its ability are as I found. The real sense of immediacy is like no other cartridge.

Has Alan heard it yet as he never got round to listening to mine?

[Bigman80]

Glad you have experienced the Decca Magic Oli and your descriptions of its ability are as I found. The real sense of immediacy is like no other cartridge.

Has Alan heard it yet as he never got round to listening to mine?

It is very very good Jim, it's the speed that threw me, at first. I've heard the Decca described as "nails on a blackboard" and i can see how, if not set up correctly, that would be the impression. The mass of the arm is more important on this cartridge than any other I've tried. The VTA is very sensitive and azimuth makes a huge difference. I think once I've got it dialed in perfectly, it will be my reference cartridge

Alan hasn't heard it yet but he has heard a Decca. He will hear it next week I think.

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[mikeyb]

Be interesting to see if it 'works' with his Vivant because it didn't work on mine at all. Main reason I sold it. Great cartridge but unusable on my system. Yet was fine on my old Claymore MKII Amp when I tried it.

My Vivant is due to go to Alan for upgrade, but will likely be after Xmas now, be interesting to see what he thinks if you get a chance to take it to Alan's when my Vivant is there.

I really must stop buying great gear at bargain prices and selling on for less.

[Bigman80]

Be interesting to see if it 'works' with his Vivant because it didn't work on mine at all. Main reason I sold it. Great cartridge but unusable on my system. Yet was fine on my old Claymore MKII Amp when I tried it.

My Vivant is due to go to Alan for upgrade, but will likely be after Xmas now, be interesting to see what he thinks if you get a chance to take it to Alan's when my Vivant is there.

I really must stop buying great gear at bargain prices and selling on for less.

I am going to be lending (i think?) Alan's 2nd Vivant which has been used to experiment and find these mods going into yours. I will try it in yours before the mods and after and in the 2nd Vivant if possible.

I've had the Decca in the Jolida and my MM valve phonostage and gain was ample suitable in both and there's no issue I've heard in that respect.

I am happy for you to keep selling cheaper gear

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[Jimbo]

So glad you got it set up properly. Many folk have failed to get the best out of the Decca because they did not optimise set up and as you found it likes mass both on the headshell and ideally arm. Damping definitely helps.

The Decca works rather well with the Croft amp as you would expect. My impression was as if the cartridge was directly transducing the information on the record. Nearly all other cartridges sound slow and slightly veiled in comparison.

It reveals all in a very transparent direct way which can be startling on some material.


Sounds like the Jolida has some synergy with the Decca?

[Jimbo]

So glad you got it set up properly. Many folk have failed to get the best out of the Decca because they did not optimise set up and as you found it likes mass both on the headshell and ideally arm. Damping definitely helps.

The Decca works rather well with the Croft amp as you would expect. My impression was as if the cartridge was directly transducing the information on the record. Nearly all other cartridges sound slow and slightly veiled in comparison.

It reveals all in a very transparent direct way which can be startling on some material.


Sounds like the Jolida has some synergy with the Decca?