Barry's radiogram, Part 1.5

[Barry]

First a couple of shots of the "cosy" living room:

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/001-1.jpg

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/002-1.jpg

Next one to show the clutter:

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/007-1.jpg

Now on to the important stuff:

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/007.jpg

and

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/008.jpg

Being reminded of some of the Decca "magic"; a Decca Mk VI (aka the Decca ‘Gold’) fitted in the GB mounting block and mounted on an Infinity ‘Black Widow’ graphite fibre arm. The switch box seen in the second photograph (apologies for the poor quality – I have rapidly learnt the need to use a tripod), allows me to play with the electrical loading.

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/011.jpg http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/012.jpg http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/014.jpg

The Decca cartridge mounted in an EIA fitting headshell fitted to an SME 3009/II arm with damper dashpot. Goodness, I hadn’t realised what a labourious affair it would be to set this combination up. Overhang, VTA and azimuth are all critical and must be spot on.

Now it’s happily tracking at 1.5g with 0.75g bias. At the moment it’s being loaded with 22KΩ + 3900pF. Wouldn’t surprise me if I’m up all night playing records and experimenting with loading – I’d forgotten how good the Decca could be!

Expect to spend the weekend optimising conditions, before it’s sent off to face the ears of the Grand Inquisitor of Wrexham.

Why ‘Part 1.5’? Well it’s not sufficiently different to be called Part 2. Part 2 to come …...

Regards

[Marco]

Looking good, Barry - I'm loving the attention to detail!


Why ‘Part 1.5’? Well it’s not sufficiently different to be called Part 2. Part 2 to come …...


Why not call it 'Barry's den of iniquity'? ;)

Btw, you have an important PM :)

Marco.

[Barry]

Looking good, Barry - I'm loving the attention to detail!



Why not call it 'Barry's den of iniquity'? ;)

Btw, you have an important PM :)

Marco.

Haha. No, you have the rights to that title: it's the room behind that little white door, between your Lockwoods.

[quadsugdenman]

Nice listening room Barry - and ohhhh those Decca cartridges. How many hours I spent trying to align mine in the Hadcock arm etc. I still to this day have never had my socks blown off by a cartridge like I did by the Decca London Gold!!! Not the smoothest, but the dynamics - frightening :stalks:

Lucky boy!!!;)

[Barry]

Thanks Garry,

I have used both the Decca 'Blue' and 'Gold' only in arms having knife edge bearings. I do have a couple of unipivot arms: a Keith Monks and a Decca London International, but have never used them with either Decca. In fact I have never used the Decca International arm - bought about 20 years ago and never been taken out of its box. :scratch:

The Decca/Hadcock was the combination to have in the late '70s, early '80s.

This time I am, as you have seen, using the Gold in a special mounting block and fitted into a substantial headshell supplied by Marco. The cartridge/headshell combination weighs 22.2g and is close to the upper limit of the counterbalancing arrangement of the SME 3009/II. Furthermore, this older SME model does not lend itself to easy balancing.

Worse still was the adjustment of overhang. I did not want to use the sliding base of the arm to implement this, as the cartidge is being loaned to Marco to try. He uses a Jelco arm wherein the overhang is (correctly) adjusted at the headshell end, by using a slotted headshell. It was making these adjustments that drove me round the bend. It took about 10 minutes to fit the cartridge into the headshell and about an hour to set up the cartridge/arm combination!

However my purseverance and patience has paid off - I'm reminded of how good the Deccas were/are. At the moment I'm experimenting with the electrical loading, but am so enjoying the Decca 'experience', that Marco may have to wait before he can get his hands on it! :lol:

Regards

[quadsugdenman]

The Decca/Hadcock was the combination to have in the late '70s, early '80s.

Yes I had mine in 1978 from Eastern Audio in Kings Lynn until late 1980 mounted in a Hadcock or Mayware Formula IV damped unipivot arms on a Thorens TD 160 II deck. Unfortunately whilst on holiday it was all stolen along with my first 33/303/FM3, Akai 4000DS etc. :(
I then bought the ex dem Linn (circa 1977 I am told) from WA Brady in Liverpool which I still have.

That cartridge mounting clamp looks a real beast, are they still around? I am hankering after the Decca 'sound' and you guys are doing me no favours parading those delights in front of me. I would have to look at another TT as the Linn was not recommended for the Deccas if I remember.
Thanks for the memory !!! :)

[Spectral Morn]

Really nice set up Barry.


Regards D S D L

[Barry]

Yes I had mine in 1978 from Eastern Audio in Kings Lynn until late 1980 mounted in a Hadcock or Mayware Formula IV damped unipivot arms on a Thorens TD 160 II deck. Unfortunately whilst on holiday it was all stolen along with my first 33/303/FM3, Akai 4000DS etc. :(
I then bought the ex dem Linn (circa 1977 I am told) from WA Brady in Liverpool which I still have.

That cartridge mounting clamp looks a real beast, are they still around? I am hankering after the Decca 'sound' and you guys are doing me no favours parading those delights in front of me. I would have to look at another TT as the Linn was not recommended for the Deccas if I remember.
Thanks for the memory !!! :)

Rubbish! In those days the Linn/Decca/Hadcock was a very popular combination. Dave Berriman had one and so too did Christopher Franklin (before he got his head so firmly stuck up the arse of Ivor Tiefenbrun that he was incapable of seeing/hearing impartially!). The only thing to be aware of when using a suspended suspension deck (such as the Linn or a Thorens 150/160) with a unipivot arm, is to lower the arm very carefully, so as not to set the whole thing wobbling like a jelly.

Alas, the GB clamp is no longer made. It was designed by the same man who designed the wonderful Zeta arm; in fact he used the Decca during the development of the Zeta.

I haven't used my Deccas for a long time - I returned to moving coils: early Ortofons and EMTs. The only reason I dug out the Decca was because Marco was interested to hear one. I'm glad I did! At the moment I'm a bit like a kid with a new toy; the Decca does have weaknesses - but Hell, it's sure a lot of fun at the same time. A more measured review will eventually follow, either from Marco or myself.

Regards

[quadsugdenman]

Thanks for the advice. Yes they did 'bounce' if I remember and were very susceptible to where the deck was situated. Anyway, I will see if I can follow this up. I look forward very much to your reviews. ;)

[James G]

Nice bonsai. Mine's still a baby, too young to trim. Two years and it's hardly changed at all! :scratch:

[Barry]

Nice bonsai. Mine's still a baby, too young to trim. Two years and it's hardly changed at all! :scratch:

Mine's artificial! :lol:

Regards

[James G]

Maybe that's why mine hasn't changed much either!
I'd better go check it to make sure! :lol:

[Barry]

Maybe that's why mine hasn't changed much either!
I'd better go check it to make sure! :lol:

That thought did cross my mind James. :lolsign:

[James G]

Whew, it's real! I think she just needs a bigger pot now. She loves to be outside.
I'm just letting it grow out all crazy-like at this point.

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss213/jgjpn/bonsai.jpg

[Barry]

Whew, it's real! I think she just needs a bigger pot now. She loves to be outside.
I'm just letting it grow out all crazy-like at this point.

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss213/jgjpn/bonsai.jpg

Looks good! You'll be getting into that whole Japanese philosophy thing: rock gardens; ichibana; zen, 'the sound of one hand clapping', etc. Not sure what its called, wakiwashi (?) or something like that. Perhaps someone can correct me on this.

Bonsai are miniaturised trees and are therefore not indoor plants. They should be outdoors most of the time and only brought indoors occasionally. There is great art and skill in pruning and caring for bonsai. I just don't have the patience.

Look after yours

Regards

[James G]

You're talking about wabisabi I think.
No, I just think bonsai trees look cool. I saw one that was about 70 years old and it looked amazing. I'm gonna be scared when it's time to trim it. If I screw it up it will take a long time to undo.

[Rare Bird]

I prefer Cack-tie

[Barry]

I prefer Cack-tie

Matches you prickly character? :eyebrows:

Regards