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Thread: the zeta is here!

  1. #11
    Join Date: Sep 2014

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    I'm jamie.

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    oooh great,ive read a few tonearms were developed using a decca,why do you think that was?
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  2. #12
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

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    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Only hazarding a guess here, but Deccas, having a pitifully low compliance, can put a lot of excess energy into the tonearm. I assume Zeta were not satisfied with the 'compliant' red-plastic mounting bracket Decca uses, which is why they developed the GB mounting block/cradle for the Decca, and it was that combination that was used during the development of the arm.
    Barry

  3. #13
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

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    I'm Geoff.

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    I was wondering if it may have been because of the Decca's flat response (apart from very high frequencies).
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  4. #14
    Join Date: Jan 2009

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    I'm Deleted.

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    If you are into your valve amps then a Decca is very appealing because it puts out a healthy MM type of output which means you don't need a pesky MC amp or transformer.
    Account Deleted

  5. #15
    Join Date: Jun 2009

    Location: Guildford

    Posts: 228

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    Only hazarding a guess here, but Deccas, having a pitifully low compliance, can put a lot of excess energy into the tonearm. I assume Zeta were not satisfied with the 'compliant' red-plastic mounting bracket Decca uses, which is why they developed the GB mounting block/cradle for the Decca, and it was that combination that was used during the development of the arm.
    This is true. Michael Gray -the Zeta designer (at GB tools - now defunct) was/is a decca fan .. The zeta was developed using Deccas and the GB clamp was Michael's design as well.....He went on to design and manufacture the Mission Mechanic tonearm (223 were made along with one or two special editions)

    I know this as Mick is a personal friend of mine and I followed the whole Zeta/MM saga . Sadly, Mick's ill health has curtailed any further Hifi activity.
    BigMooG (Jonathan Stanley)
    He says: Decca is Better

    Vinyl System: Superficial Engineering hell/p12 turntable (British Leyland suspension upgrade), Jack-a-nori semi mono Cartridge (tooth pick cantilever), STI Klynik XXX tonearm (rewired with Klimacs Kable ), intelligence quotient 161 (mensa) preamplifier with 224 NOS Ssangyong ECC88s and NOS North Korean kim-jong-ill GZ34s, barelyaudible research V.P.L. dual quad mono amplifiers with modified circuit boards (MDF), Gilson W.A.L.L.O.P Ultimate Final V2 loudspeakers, uranium cable loom (mercury vapour upgrade), hysterical research and Dr Mike Amera room treatments-flock wallpaper, yergota bee-joking cryofrozen fuses throughout
    .

    Digital system: cd player

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jan 2009

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    I'm very sorry to hear of Michael Gray's poor health . I have seen pictures of a turntable and arm combo he developed that is so massively over engineered it makes the Zeta arm look like a play thing .
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  7. #17
    Join Date: Jun 2009

    Location: Guildford

    Posts: 228

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    Quote Originally Posted by YNWaN View Post
    I'm very sorry to hear of Michael Gray's poor health . I have seen pictures of a turntable and arm combo he developed that is so massively over engineered it makes the Zeta arm look like a play thing .

    Back when the Mechanic Arm was a Mission 'product', Mick developed a high mass turntable using two motors and weighing 100kg ( a bit like an Acoustic Solid/Signature)...Mission weren't really bothered with analogue at the time so the project died along with the end of Mechanic tonearm production in 1989. In the years before illness Mick continued to realise his HIfi dreams, occasionally building mechanic arms and building an ultimate TT and arm.... his thing is ‘Mass’ …and ‘engineering’ (he is a tool maker by trade)….he builds his own cameras these days…..and has a very nice hifi !


    PS He is amazed that the Zeta is still popular and sought after ( ' Great arm - no need to upgrade it ' ) .

    cheers

    BigMooG (Jonathan Stanley)
    He says: Decca is Better

    Vinyl System: Superficial Engineering hell/p12 turntable (British Leyland suspension upgrade), Jack-a-nori semi mono Cartridge (tooth pick cantilever), STI Klynik XXX tonearm (rewired with Klimacs Kable ), intelligence quotient 161 (mensa) preamplifier with 224 NOS Ssangyong ECC88s and NOS North Korean kim-jong-ill GZ34s, barelyaudible research V.P.L. dual quad mono amplifiers with modified circuit boards (MDF), Gilson W.A.L.L.O.P Ultimate Final V2 loudspeakers, uranium cable loom (mercury vapour upgrade), hysterical research and Dr Mike Amera room treatments-flock wallpaper, yergota bee-joking cryofrozen fuses throughout
    .

    Digital system: cd player

  8. #18
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Sunny (occasionally) Devon

    Posts: 1,713
    I'm Shane.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bigmoog View Post
    This is true. Michael Gray -the Zeta designer (at GB tools - now defunct) was/is a decca fan .. The zeta was developed using Deccas and the GB clamp was Michael's design as well.....He went on to design and manufacture the Mission Mechanic tonearm (223 were made along with one or two special editions)

    I know this as Mick is a personal friend of mine and I followed the whole Zeta/MM saga . Sadly, Mick's ill health has curtailed any further Hifi activity.
    Some time in the late 80s or early 90s Heybrook produced an arm that was reputedly made by G B Tools. Do you know anything about it?
    Time flies like an arrow.
    Fruit flies like a banana.

  9. #19
    Join Date: Jun 2009

    Location: Guildford

    Posts: 228

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    Quote Originally Posted by shane View Post
    Some time in the late 80s or early 90s Heybrook produced an arm that was reputedly made by G B Tools. Do you know anything about it?
    Like many tool makers and engineering shops, GB did do some Audio contract work -but not sure about the heybrook arm though although Its possible. Im seeing Mick at the weekend so will ask him.


    Incidentally the inspiration for the Zeta was the Breuer dynamic as well as the need to build an arm to do justice to Decca's !

    BigMooG (Jonathan Stanley)
    He says: Decca is Better

    Vinyl System: Superficial Engineering hell/p12 turntable (British Leyland suspension upgrade), Jack-a-nori semi mono Cartridge (tooth pick cantilever), STI Klynik XXX tonearm (rewired with Klimacs Kable ), intelligence quotient 161 (mensa) preamplifier with 224 NOS Ssangyong ECC88s and NOS North Korean kim-jong-ill GZ34s, barelyaudible research V.P.L. dual quad mono amplifiers with modified circuit boards (MDF), Gilson W.A.L.L.O.P Ultimate Final V2 loudspeakers, uranium cable loom (mercury vapour upgrade), hysterical research and Dr Mike Amera room treatments-flock wallpaper, yergota bee-joking cryofrozen fuses throughout
    .

    Digital system: cd player

  10. #20
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Sunny (occasionally) Devon

    Posts: 1,713
    I'm Shane.

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    Thanks, I’d appreciate that! I’d especially like to know roughly how many were made, and if it was designed specifically for Heybrook or just a variant of the Zeta.
    Time flies like an arrow.
    Fruit flies like a banana.

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