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LONDON Decca, Tzar DST and similar cartridges

I have always been curious about these phono cartridges and the Stereophile review of the Tzar DST has heightened my interest. When I read about the peculiarities of these cartridges, I am put off from trying them. Can anyone offer persuasive reasons to try them and also provide real practical advice on how to make them work reliably?  Tonearm suggestions? Phono preamp suggestions? Damping recommendations? How badly do they grind out record grooves?  Any other words of advice? Thanks. 
kmccarty
hwsworkshop
36 posts
 

I have read a lot of what has been written here, the Tsar as mounted up on my massive gimbaled 3D arm on the Avenger Direct Drive is as good if not better than the Atlas and the Ortofon A95, which means it is as good as it gets with even more life than either of them.


You could pick some items from all three that you love the most but overall the Tsar is state of the art in phono.  I have an Ampex ATR-102 running 1/2 track masters and this is as good as it gets on vinyl.  If you have a disc with the hole in the center, a massive yet damped arm, the system warmed up, and your speakers broken, in this combo will put Gary Karr and his 400 year old contra-bass in the room.  I am stunned!!!

As close to master tape as I have ever heard.


HW

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
I finally got around to checking out the website of Schiit Audio, the company selling the new products from Mike Moffatt, designer of the initial Theta Digital gear. Mikes focus with Schiit is on very inexpensive offerings, and his $129 phono amp is interesting in that in his description of its design on the website, Mike states that the lowest gain setting (30dB) is for very high output 5mV cartridges, specifically naming the Decca/London. For $129, sure worth a listen! Mike also mentioned that for that price, he couldn't include adjustable loading, no doubt referring to the requirements necessary for getting the optimum performance from the Decca/Londons, which he said could be added after purchase.
exlibris
392 posts
 
I just came across this old thread and as an owner of a London Decca Reference I thought I'd respond.  I've had mine for a couple of years but have always loaded it at 47k.  I was interested to read the suggestion of loading it at 15k.  I'll give that a try.  Thanks.
topoxforddoc's avatar
topoxforddoc
313 posts
 
I spoke to John Wright on the phone and by email, when he rebuilt my FFSS MkIV C4E with a fine line tip. He told me to load it at 33k. hence I had Graham Tricker build me a TRON Seven Reference to match this. GT spoke to JW as well just to check before he built this for me. Great match and sounds fabulous. But just not as good as 1/4 inch 15 IPS master tape, but hey LPs are a lot cheaper :)
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
That's the cartridge I'm looking for myself, topoxforddoc. I already have a London Super Gold with Decapod and a Reference, but the Decca MkIV C4e has it's own, unique, qualities. Regarding the loading of the Reference, John Wright himself recommends running it at 15k ohms and with about 220 pF of capacitance. That's the only way I've heard it.
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