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Another new member !
live in Portugal.About to shift my old hi fi system from UK storage where it has been for over 25 years. don't know if it will all be OK or not. Consisted of:
STD 305D deck, Mayware Formulae 4 arm, a Garrett brothers modified Decca London Gold cartridge in GB holder. Lecson AC1 AP1 amp / preamp driving IAS Beaulieu speakers. Have sent cartridge off for oil change and service so we will see. May well need advice on resetting it all up as has been many years and have forgotten the little I knew on setting up !!
Dingdong
16-02-2013, 16:46
Welcome. Those cartridges will never work in a Portugese climate. Best to leave it in the UK. I'll take good care of it for you, and won't charge you for storage.
They are dreadful to set up as well.
The Grand Wazoo
16-02-2013, 16:49
Hi David,
Welcome to AoS.
25 yrs with no hi-fi!!! How have you managed to survive?
Made do with my DVD and B&W home cinema system, new home here has a home cinema area so waiting to reset it all up then transport all my old rock LP's from London. Will have to wait as the old Decca is in for service which will take a month or two
Yes they certainly need careful setting up. I won't get the cartridge back from servicing for couple of months so can't experiment
Welcome to AoS Dave.
Ummm - STD 305D deck, Mayware arm, Garrot modded Decca Gold (wonderful!) and Lecson AC1/AP1 amplifier. Now that takes me back.
I trust everything was stored in a dry environment - the Lecson amps, despite sounding good, had a reputation for poor reliability. The STD deck was thought by some to be better than the ubiquitous Linn LP12.
When you get it all up and running we would love to see some photos of it.
What are your tastes in music? I take it you have some LPs to play on your system. Have they been in storage as well?
Welcome again
Yep loads of 70's rock albums from Pink Floyd to Hall and Oates. Worried about the amp as cannot find the Din interconnect cable so may have to make new. At least all was stored in dry room. The STD is in excellent condition but wait report on the Decca, sent for a check over. Will post some pictures. Next problem is to shift the huge Beaulieus here, probably cost more than worth!
Patrick Dixon
22-02-2013, 08:18
Sounds like a fun system. John Wright in Bridgenorth Shropshire is the man for the Decca.
Thanks have already sent it off to British audio in Milton Keynes I believe they send the cartridge on as recognize the name. I don't know whether to retain the GB holder for the cartridge or not so await some advice from you experts. I just like the punch the old Decca gave, thanks for the post
Thanks have already sent it off to British audio in Milton Keynes I believe they send the cartridge on as recognize the name. I don't know whether to retain the GB holder for the cartridge or not so await some advice from you experts. I just like the punch the old Decca gave, thanks for the post
Dave
If you don't want the GB holder - I'll buy it from you.
Cheers
Hi, I await advice on retaining the GB holder. I remember in the dim and distant past the holder complimented the Mayware arm as added needed mass. My Decca is at last repaired and await its return, only adjustment to the cantilever and tie back so that's good news.
I have lost the link cable between the Lecson amp and preamp which is a pain, I understand they are not available so will have to have one made up. So don't know after all this time if the amp is a goer or not.
The big IAS Beaulieus ar coming out of storage so some time I will be able to crank them up again
I would be really greateful if someone has info on setting up of the decca gold or in my case resetting up in my formulae 4 arm?
I've commented on the other Decca thread my personal reservations about the Decca in a Formula 5 which was ideal for very higghly compliant pickups like ADCs and Empires of old.. However, sometimes the most unlikely things can work a treat... So, bearing this in mind, only use enough damping to allow the arm to return quickly if tilted to one side and let go, maybe with a little recoil as in proper practice with car suspensions :)
The sheet that came with my Microscanner gives 1.6g as the optimum downforce. Some of the conical Deccas had lower compliance and higher tracking force, but the later Maroon and Gold had higher lateral compliance I think from memory and tracked under 2g.
gariusmacus
20-04-2013, 20:25
live in Portugal.About to shift my old hi fi system from UK storage where it has been for over 25 years. !
Hi David I lived in Portugal for nearly 5 years, had my hifi in storage for 6 months when i moved out there nd six months when i had to come back it drove me nuts not having it for that long 25 years and id def be certifiable :mental:
whereabouts in Portugal are you, I lived about ten mins from Silves.
Hi, just read your post. I have been here now 25 years working in Quinta do Lago and lived near Almancil
Thanks Dave R for the info great help just have to sort my amp out next, so nearly there!
Just in the process of a major rebuild of my IAS Beaulieu speakers. anyone with build knowledge of these would be appreciated
Hi David and welcome to the forum :)
There's a small but active Google Group for Lecson lovers at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/lecson-audio . They can probably point you to someone who can build you an interconnect and service the amps.
Very many thanks to all, my man here in Portugal has finally found suitable DIN plugs and is making me up an interconnect for the Lecson, I just hope it all works after so many years in storage and if the whole excercise is worth it. The old IAS Beaulieus have now had a full rebuild with new crossovers built all as original but wilh new parts. It will be most inetersting if they still have the impact and can compare with contemporary speakers. The Decca Gold has had it's major service and reinstalled in the old Garrott holder. I hope the Mayware Formuae 4 does it some justice. Now I have to import all my LP's from London!
I guess in conclusion I can add that I finally set the whole system up after the thirty year delay. The Garrott Decca Gold had been serviced in UK last year and is in good order. Now re installed in the GB head clamp and connected and re-aligned with various alignment protractors in the Mayware formulae 4 arm ( the one fitted with the brass pivot head not transparent plastic). Tracking at 1.5G with .75G bias. The STD 305D deck did not need any attention except levelling up. It has decided though to only read half the actual speed on the digital read out but I can live with that. I remade and veneered the Cabinets of the IAS Bealieu speakers and had new crossovers made to the exact spec. of the originals. The Lecson AP 1 AC 1 needed a full service and oil change filters etc.! and is now better than I ever remember it.
It all went relatively well and setup I consider absolutely fine. The sound is quite stunning considering the age of all the equipment even with there were comments that the Mayware is not suitable with the Decca. I will add some damping to the dashpot to see if there is further improvement. I bet my equipment is the only one in Portugal and British through and through !
I of course would welcome any input or suggestions from any of the knowledgeable contributors.
Firebottle
03-05-2016, 17:50
Cor.. I had an AC1 many many years ago. Unfortunately it wasn't the best performer, it was an early one with the stakes/rivets in the pcb for the double sided track connections. Fabulous looks though, I had it in a cupboard with an articulated shelf, so it rose up when you opened the cupboard.
I think I swapped it with a Quad 303 with my brother.
:)
Arkless Electronics
03-05-2016, 18:53
I remember being impressed with the Bealieu when they were first unveiled at Harrogate show many years ago....
I've worked on quite a few of those Lecson amps in my time and rebuilt a few.... Not the best of British I'm afraid.... especially the pre amp which is truly awful! (sorry!). Had STD 305M with Formula 4 arm in the past...hmmm..
yes the old Lecsons were a little unreliable but just had to have the thing up and running after so long. i am pretty pleased with the sound overall. The Beaulieus are excellent as ever. one day maybe change the amp. The Decca is the best of the system and to my ears is perfectly happy in the formulae 4 arm !
Virtual-Symmetry
09-05-2016, 19:20
Those STD 305 M were a good sounding deck. Even the cheaper 'S' was a good un.. All the black crackly paint mysteriously flaked off the top of mine when i got it back out of storage..
Guess I have been lucky with my 305D looks as good as new and is totally silent, even the drive belt had not perished. Problem now is the setup is all here and my LP's, except two, are in London!
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