For one week only: the Goldring G99 turntable and Decca arm and cartridge
I shall be putting this combination through its paces, in order to assess the performance for a potential buyer. This is a real blast from the past: a Goldring G99 idler drive turntable with a Decca Mk. IV cartridge, the H4E, mounted in a Decca ffss Mk. I ‘Super’ arm.
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The Goldring G99 has, until recently, been a bit of a sleeper. Designed by the Swiss company Lenco for their UK distributors Goldring and manufactured in the UK, this turntable was intended to challenge the hegemony established by Garrard with their 301 and 401 models. The first turntable made by Goldring was the model G88, intended to rival the Garrard 301. The G88 was given a cosmetic ‘make-over’, to rival the Garrard 401. Such was the worldwide following of the Garrard models, that the Goldrings were neglected. With the Garrards becoming harder to track down with commensurate increase in prices obtained from eBay auctions, enthusiasts started to look at the Goldring models. As such prices for the Goldrings are now climbing rapidly.
The Goldrings differs from the Garrards, in that a vertical idler wheel drives the platter, the idler itself running against a tapered horizontal motor drive shaft. Speed changes are effected through moving the idler up and down the tapered drive shaft. This means that the Goldrings can run anywhere between 33 and 80 rpm. The speed control is marked for four speeds 16, 33, 45 and 78, though there is no fine speed adjustment for the 16 2/3 rpm speed.
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The arm and cartridge are the Decca ffss Mk. I ‘Super’ arm carrying the Decca Mk. IV H4E cartridge. Whilst Decca did produce a Mk. IV cartridge with ½” fixing holes (following successful lobbying by Decca enthusiasts), Decca were always of the opinion that the arm and cartridge should be treated as a single entity and designed to compliment one another. What this means is that before the introduction of the universal Decca ‘International’ arms, previous Decca arms could only be used with Decca cartridges. The cartridge takes the form of a ‘head’ that clips directly onto the end of the Decca arm. This way the counterweight is automatically set so as to counterbalance the mass of the head and to provide the correct tracking force. It also means the stylus tip is automatically placed at the correct geometrical point for minimum tracking error.
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For the sake of expediency I’m running the cartridge into a Hafler DH 101 preamp and thence into a lightly modified Quad 405-2 power amp and Quad ’57 speakers.
The deck arm and cartridge are probably at least 30 years old, so I was curious to find out how they sounded. The first record I played was Beethoven’s 9th symphony (the ‘Choral’). Yes the Decca ‘magic’ was there: providing a generous, wide soundstage with good depth. Once again, I was impressed by the wonderful focus created by the Decca: the individual vocalists were spatially distinct and clear. Bass was deep and full, and the Decca was well behaved with the higher frequencies. The portrayal of brass instruments was notably good, having the correct ‘rasp’.
Other notable aspects were a pleasing layering of the orchestral instruments, and clarity of subtle detail. The excellent attack for which Deccas are legendary was there, but not to such an impressive extent as that displayed by the later models. Even so, the finale gave me ‘goose bumps’.
But such is the excitement and life that all Deccas generate, that LP followed LP.
Next up was Randy Crawford ‘Now We May Begin’. Crawford was nicely centred with the midrange beautifully rendered by the Decca. Percussion instruments were accurately portrayed. All in all, an enjoyable experience.
At no time did the Decca combination mistrack or display ‘end of side’ distortion.
It’s amazing how good some ‘vintage’ equipment can sound - a testament to the skill of the designers of the time.
