Cartridges for WTA?

bernie_f · « **Reply #20 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 10:40 am »

I enjoy my SoundSmith Strain Gauge SG-200 very much. Fastest and most detailed pickup/pre i have ever owned. It replaced a ZYX Yatra that i can also recommend.

keep spinning
bernie

SirAndy · « **Reply #21 on:** 16 Dec 2011, 05:21 am »

Hi. I use a Benz ACE S moving coil on my WT Record Player and a friend of mine uses the high output version on his WTA. Both decks sound amazing.

Plink · « **Reply #22 on:** 29 Dec 2011, 05:36 pm »

Hi Doak, is this a newer Decca? Can you explain the setup...for example, how much the golf ball is damped and how slowly the arm drops to the record? I have been considering the same cartridge as I also thought the tailored damping of the WTA arm would be ideal. Do you have any issues with sibilance? Thanks!

Quote from: doak on 29 Jul 2011, 02:01 am

I'm using the WTA with a London Decca Super Gold cartridge - the "livest" sounding phono cartridge I've ever encountered. I bought the WTA specifically to use with this cart since it puts a substantial amount of energy into the tonearm. The WTA arm damps the resonances wonderfully and lets it sing. It is a near perfect match.

Doak

doak · « **Reply #23 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:20 am »

Yes, I'm using a new Super Gold. It and the WTA are "marriage made in heaven" IMO.

I started with a lot of damping on the arm - golf ball over 1/3 into silicone and VERY slow arm movement. I found this to over-damp things and the time for the arm to settle was WAY too long. I've been able to to raise the ball considerably, have very free movement of the arm - just a bit of resistance - little settling time, and experience no downside in sound -- actually it sounds even more lively.

I am using clay damping on the outside of the cartridge body and also a thin graphite sheet between the cartridge and headshell. Works for me!

Doak

Quote from: Plink on 29 Dec 2011, 05:36 pm

Hi Doak, is this a newer Decca? Can you explain the setup...for example, how much the golf ball is damped and how slowly the arm drops to the record? I have been considering the same cartridge as I also thought the tailored damping of the WTA arm would be ideal. Do you have any issues with sibilance? Thanks!

Plink · « **Reply #24 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 05:33 am »

Hey Doak, wow, thanks for the very detailed information. Is the clay damping something like bluetac on the headshell? May I ask where you got your Decca? Called Warren Gregoire today but he was a bit short. Seemed like a nice guy though. I have to admit being a bit nervous about the cart though. Seems like the upside is large but with some risk.

Yeah, I have found that the damping on the Well Tempered is nice (a luxury, really) but when it's too much, you lose much from the sound...dynamics, delineation, and pace.

Cheer, Paul

doak · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 10:16 pm »

This is modeling clay -- I thought it to be "lossier" than than the art tack.

I bought a "nearly new" SG off of Audiogon and had to send it to WG who found a bad coil. Seller paid but if I do it again think I'll buy from here:

http://www.divineaudio.co.uk/hi-fi/cartridges/london-decca-super-gold-cartridge/prod_999.html

If you're not in UK/EU subtract the 20%VAT. I've dealt with Divine Audio a few times and it's always been an absolute pleasure.

Believe me Paul, I went into the Decca realm with much trepidation but a lot of research. There's so much "stuff" out there about them it can scare the bejezziz out of you.

When I got the SG in my hands and in front of my eyes I laughed. Reminded me of the engineering/build of a '58 MG. Then I had to deal with a broken cart that had been promised perfect. When I got it back and set it up on the WTA and listened to it I just smiled and still do every time I play a record.

Here's a link to the Decca London Club on the Lenco Heaven Forum. Not a lot of action here but the posts are great for mining info on the carts.

http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=545.0

Doak

Quote from: Plink on 30 Dec 2011, 05:33 am

Hey Doak, wow, thanks for the very detailed information. Is the clay damping something like bluetac on the headshell? May I ask where you got your Decca? Called Warren Gregoire today but he was a bit short. Seemed like a nice guy though. I have to admit being a bit nervous about the cart though. Seems like the upside is large but with some risk.

Yeah, I have found that the damping on the Well Tempered is nice (a luxury, really) but when it's too much, you lose much from the sound...dynamics, delineation, and pace.

Cheer, Paul

phoner · « **Reply #26 on:** 6 Jan 2012, 12:55 pm »

hi there, i finally had the time to set up my wta, and guess what happened:
stylus killer syndrome 8(
so my dv 17d3 never get the chance to play correctly and i need a new system now.

my guess is that the "slow" arm in general matches better with heavier systems to get the most out of the groove.
and possibly with low compliance also?
what do you think about that theory?

i have not lookes into it but i heard good commends about the shelter 501 and the benz ace l or s also somebody positively mentioned the ortofon 2m black or maybe somebody actually heard the dv 17d3 on that table?
my price range would be 500 +- 200.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #27 on:** 6 Jan 2012, 03:30 pm »

Not sure what you mean by stylus killer syndrome. Did you break the DV? If so why not get it retipped/rebuilt?

Still waiting on my DV, but they are said to be good matches.

Also not clear what you mean about the arm being slow...

threadkiller · « **Reply #28 on:** 7 Jan 2012, 03:15 am »

Agreed, Roscoe.... I re-read the post above yours 5 times and still can't understand it. Stylus killer? Slow arm? What???? I'm lost here. Sorry to be so obtuse.

code4246 · « **Reply #29 on:** 7 Jan 2012, 07:17 am »

A case of butterfingers breaking the DV17D3 ?

Not going to get any of those cartridges (Ace, 501/II, DV17D3) for $700, unless you buy used.

Plink · « **Reply #30 on:** 7 Jan 2012, 09:49 pm »

Phoner the arm is only slow depending on how much damping you have.

I have tried low compliance cartridges: Ortofon SPU Royal, Pickering 380, Denon 103. All worked good. The very heavy Pickering is fab in this arm.

For high compliance, I have a Shure M97x with JICO stylus in the arm right now. I think people would be amazed by this combination.

My opinion is that the arm is more versatile than most but I would think medium and high compliance cartridges would work the best. There are of course anomalies like the Decca, which likes unipivots and damping (very akin to the WTA arm). I think the suspension in moving irons would work well in an arm like the WTA. It is a different suspension than moving coils.

I have had very heavy 12" tonearms and have a heavy arm on my Lenco right now. The Denon 103 (low compliance) performs better in those arms but not by much. I never really tried to dial in the Denon on then WTA so I might be wrong.

Plink · « **Reply #31 on:** 7 Jan 2012, 09:50 pm »

phoner · « **Reply #32 on:** 8 Jan 2012, 05:36 pm »

hi there,
i am not a native speaker so tech talk maybe somewhat missleading from my side, sorry for that.

plink is right, i am referring to the high degree of damping when i say slow.
but also to the observation that with lp's which are not completely flat the arm would have more resistance to follow the bending of the surface, thats what i actually meant with "slow".

i thought heavy systems would go quite well, but thats not quite right because they would sink faster than a light system on a down-slope but rise slower on the up-slope of a bend. so it is really a stand-off on that part between light and heavy systems.

for the compliance, if i understand that right, high compliance means soft suspension of the needle and low compliance a hard suspension, right?
therefore i think it would be good to have a quick needle, tracking the groove in combination with the slow moving arm. that would be a high compliance i guess?

last but not least, with stylus killer syndrome i meant that i broke a needle once again, butterfingers lol.
thx to roscoe for the reminder, that the dv could be retipped evt. , i will look into that.

threadkiller · « **Reply #33 on:** 8 Jan 2012, 09:41 pm »

You're doing fine... it was me who needed sorted.
Too bad about your 17... Yes, get it re-tipped, by Dynavector.
Best!

roscoeiii · « **Reply #34 on:** 8 Jan 2012, 09:45 pm »

Soundsmith is cheaper...

And not like Soundsmith has a shoddy rep...

threadkiller · « **Reply #35 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 12:26 am »

Lol... But it ain't no Dynavector!
( who knows, maybe it's better.)

roscoeiii · « **Reply #36 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 12:47 am »

True. I have heard this from a number of Dynavector purists. And your decision will likely depend on what you can afford. Never heard any Soundsmith rebuilds badmouthed. And getting the repair from Dyna isn't in my budget right now.

threadkiller · « **Reply #37 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 01:20 am »

Hi you... Not necessarily a purist here, just like to keep things sorted. I do indeed want to hear about it when you get it going again..
Question... Can't remember, did you get it and listen before it was damaged? If not, have you ever heard that Dyna in the same setup?
Take care!

roscoeiii · « **Reply #38 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 01:42 am »

Got the Dyna damaged and had it shipped off. But a buddy is a forkmr Dyna dealer so maybe a chance to compare at some point. I will surely let you know what I can hear.

catastrofe · « **Reply #39 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 02:03 am »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 8 Jan 2012, 09:45 pm

Soundsmith is cheaper...

And not like Soundsmith has a shoddy rep...

I don't think you can go wrong with Soundsmith. I called them this morning, expecting to leave a message for someone to call me back regarding their cartridges. Peter Lederman answered the phone, and spent about 30 minutes discussing various options. You can't beat that kind of service on a Sunday morning. . .