Recently purchased a new cartridge - a Decca London Super Gold.
For various reasons, it's taken a while to set up properly, but now it is set up, good God. Incredible.

As you can see, it's an ugly ******, but the sound is unbelievable - the space, the realsim, the composure. I just can't stop playing LPs. Vinyl is king!!!

DF

P.S. Oh dear, that record needs a brushing!

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Have all those old issues of Decca carts causing record wear meaning that they are rendered unsuitable for other cartridges been sorted?

I have read, and have been reassured by other users of recent models that yes, the SG is now a kinder creature.
I havn't noticed any such problems, but obviously it's early days.

DF

Doc,
Was that your TT and cartridge guesting at the HiFi Wigwam Bake-Off?

Not mine no.
Gromit was using a Pioneer/Decca combination, as was Richard Dunn of NVA for some of the time.
You were there then...?

Yes - had a very enjoyable time. Unlike anything I'd been to before.

Yeah.
I loved the ethos. Lots of chaps proud of the music collections and hifis.
I heard more good systems there than I have at any other show (all of them trade shows) I've been to.
DF

Agreed.

Also, some interesting stories of how some of these systems came to be and more general thoughts on system building.

Not all the systems pleased my ear, but a good number seemed well-resolved at a reasonable cost.

I know you own NVA and on the back of your (and others') recommendation, I was really keen to sample the NVA experience - but the strange speaker choice left me completely cold. Maybe the speakers, maybe the room, but it didn't sound at all good.

This small disappointment aside, the event was good and I hope that Wigwam's attempt to bring our hobby back to the hobbyists returns next year and beyond.

Re. the NVA room - yes I agree. The sound was disappointing.
As the vinyl system was almost identical to mine, I assumed the sound was adversely affected by either the speakers (which I had not heard before) or that big room.

To be honest, based on previous NVA experiences, I had expected to hear the speakers, fall in love with them and buy them on the spot. That chain of events did not happen.

However, wanting to give them a second chance, Richard has kindly allowed me to borrow the speakers for a couple of weeks. In my own listening room they sound much better. Very different to my Dynaudios, and I'm carefully considering whether i want to keep them.

Will post soon with my final decision...

DF