Decca Blue

[worrasf]

I have just acquired/purchased a Decca Blue cartridge from a well known and respected manufacturer of valve amps - it was one of his own collection and he kindly got John Wright at Decca to check it out ahead of the sale so I know the coils are spot on. His view is that the coils in the Blue were the best Decca ever made so who am I to argue. Anyway, again on recommendation I am sending it off for a full refurb and re-tip - currently awaiting quotes from Garrott Bros & Expert stylus.

I know little about this cartridge (but wanted one very badly :eyebrows:) so thought I would open a thread to (hopefully) spark some feedback. My first question is which of my arm/decks will it best suit? The Origin Live Aurora II/Origin Live Silver II which is currently sounding very nice thank you with a Reca Reson in situ, or my Technics SL-1210/Jelco SA 750D which is doing likewise with an Astatic MF-100.

Steve

[DSJR]

The one I had was fitted with conical tip and still tracked well at under 2 grammes in my then Dual 1229. There is a nasal "SNAP" through the speakers as the stylus enters the groove, and measurement shows that the standard article wasn't as well controlled as the hyper elliptical Gold models, let alone the Microscanner, which was one of the best behaved of them all.

I understand the coils are the same on all of them, but there are rumours that some early Londons had Alnico magnets. Now, my views on the changing values of alnico over the years aren't shared by people who rave about this material and as I've not researched the properties of alnico compared to ceramic magnets, the judgement's out in this house, except to say that the stylus and overall calibration of the cartridge is the most critical IMO.

Finally, ask the manufacturers how much they'd charge for a rebuild or re-tip. I mean, they make the parts and have diamonds grafted onto the armatures, which I assume are new ones, which may be the more flexible type fitted to the top models - can't remember if the Blue and silver Export ones had these as well.......

[hifi_dave]

Why not get John Wright to fit a stylus for you whilst he is checking out the cartridge. He's the man for the job.

[topoxforddoc]

I've just had my 1967 Decca C4E FFSS rebuilt by John Wright. Great job, very reasonably priced and quick. Out, back and fixed in ten days with no waiting time/booking. Total cost for rebuild, fine line tip, carriage and VAT was £168!!! Garrott Bros were AUD795 when I enquired a couple of years ago and EsCO about £250-280.

My C4E is transformed and the best cartridge I've heard in 30 years. It puts my original Garrott Bros Gold to shame and beats my exalted Allaerts MC1B as well.

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk

[worrasf]

My thanks to everyone for their helpful suggestions - really makes a difference. I love this forum,
I've sent the Blue off to Brian Smith at Presence Audio (http://www.presenceaudio.com/) very helpful and professional - no waiting to book like ES (found the attitude a bit arrogant) and a very reasonabl quote - not heard back from Garrott Bros as yet so clearly don't want my business.

Will report back when it's done and installed.

Steve

[Barry]

My thanks to everyone for their helpful suggestions - really makes a difference. I love this forum,
I've sent the Blue off to Brian Smith at Presence Audio (http://www.presenceaudio.com/) very helpful and professional - no waiting to book like ES (found the attitude a bit arrogant) and a very reasonabl quote - not heard back from Garrott Bros as yet so clearly don't want my business.

Will report back when it's done and installed.

Steve

You're unlikely to - the Garrott Bros entered into a suicide pact many years ago!

You won't be disappointed by the work of either Mike Wright or Brian Smith at Presence Audio: quicker turn-around and cheaper than ESCo.

Regards

[hifi_dave]

You're correct, the Brothers did commit suicide but I seem to recall that a Son (?) has re-started the business.

Having said that, Prescence will do a great job on Decca and their London cartridges at a very reasonable cost.

[flapland]

You're unlikely to - the Garrott Bros entered into a suicide pact many years ago!

You won't be disappointed by the work of either Mike Wright or Brian Smith at Presence Audio: quicker turn-around and cheaper than ESCo.

Regards

Do Mike and Brian only do Decca do you know or would they be able to consider a DL103.

Thanks Paul

[flapland]

Question related to my previous post for all of the experts on the forum, are there only about 5-6 companies on the planet who do re-tiping. Who do the Japanese send their vintage cartridges to for example.

[topoxforddoc]

You're unlikely to - the Garrott Bros entered into a suicide pact many years ago!
Regards

Yes, the Brothers and their Wives sadly all died in a suicide pact. However, Philippe Luder @ Audio Dynamics in Australia now runs Garrott Brothers. I gather he worked for the Brothers before their untimely death and retained the original equipment. He now provides a rebuild service similar to the one in the 1980s.

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk

[Barry]

Yes, the Brothers and their Wives sadly all died in a suicide pact. However, Philippe Luder @ Audio Dynamics in Australia now runs Garrott Brothers. I gather he worked for the Brothers before their untimely death and retained the original equipment. He now provides a rebuild service similar to the one in the 1980s.

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk

I didn't know the business was still continuing. Thanks for that. Do you know how their work compared with that of Presence Audio?

Can the present 'Garrott Brothers' still fit the Weinz parabolic stylus to a choice of cantelever materials for cartridges other than Deccas? I'm interested in having a Weinz tip on a boron cantilever fitted for an ADC cartridge.

Regards

[worrasf]

You're unlikely to - the Garrott Bros entered into a suicide pact many years ago!

Regards

Hi Barry,
I think the name lives on at http://www.garrottbrothers.com/ but is actually Audio Dynamics.

Steve

[topoxforddoc]

Barry,

The email I got from Philippe at Garrott a couple of years ago said that the Weinz tip has been out of production for decades, but they might be able to find one if necessary. They now use a Fritz Geiger FGS tip instead, The price then was AUD780 plus carriage. I have no idea as to the quality of the rebuild.

Hence when I got my C4E rebuilt last month, I just spoke to John Wright directly (01746 761739 email john@jwaservices.plus.com) and got it sorted with him instead of sending it to Brian Smith at Presence. My C4E rebuild was £168 (inc VAT & carriage) with a line contact tip - unbelievable value. I'm not sure whether John fettles other cartridges, but you could always contact him.

Best wishes,

Charlie
www.charlie-chan.co.uk

[worrasf]

My Blue arrived back today after an overhaul by Brian Smith at Presence Audio and has been running for a couple of hours - it is sounding absolutely wonderful. Dynamics (PRaT) are so much better, more detail right across the frequencies, lower bass with more slam, sharper highs. Just sounds so much more musical and "real" - and I was pretty pleased before :)

It tracks the first 3 BIAS test tracks of the HFN test record with ease and comes pretty darn close to tracking the 4th - no other cartridge I've had comes close - even my MM III


Steve

[topoxforddoc]

Steve,

Great news. Of course Brian just send the carts to John Wright, who always does a fabulous job.

Charlie