London (Decca) Reference/SME V/Aesthetix Rhea

Pablo -- Thu, 09/04/2008 - 06:04

Hello everybody,

Just signed up so this is my first post and,yes,I am looking for help.Two queries:-

1.I have bought an ex demo London (Decca) Reference (reviewed a couple of years ago I think by Jonathan Valin).My reference turntable is a SME/30/SME V on which I have a Lyra Titan i.The Decca is currently on a Moerch tonearm on a Clearaudio Master Solution.Does anyone have experiance as to whether the Decca will work well on the SME before I give it a crack (I HATE changing cartridges!)I know damped unipivots tend to be recommended.

2.I have two pre amps ,a Nagra PL-P and and an Aesthetix Rhea.The Decca is fine into the Nagra but hums like a drain into the Aesthetix.I have tried different earth arrangements and there have been improvements but on most music the hum intrusion is not acceptable.

Many thanks

Tom Martin -- Thu, 09/04/2008 - 15:22

I don't know about the cartridge, but I have a Rhea and have had hum battles. First, what gain setting are you using? Second, have you tried different cables? I was amazed that different cables impacted the hum I heard.

CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC

Jonathan Valin -- Fri, 09/05/2008 - 01:35

Pablo,

Yes, I did review the London Reference in TAS several years ago. It truly sounded great. The only problem I had with it--and this is generally the trouble with the virtually undamped London/Decca cartridges--was occasional but annoying mistracing. I used the Reference in two straight-line-tracking arms, the (original) Walker and the Kuzma Air Line, and it occasionally misbehaved in both. I can't tell you whether it will work well in the SME V, but if you're not having any trouble with tracking or tracing when the London is mounted on the Morch tonearm and don't like the hassle of changing cartridges, why tempt fate? (For the record, the London was more or less designed to be used in a damped uni-pivot arm like the long-defunct Decca International, so a uni-pivot like the Graham Phantom would probably be the safest bet.)

The worst hum problems I've ever experienced with a phonostage were with the Aesthetix Io Signature. While it is true that I have had hum/RF problems with most phonostages because of the abundance of broadcast towers in my urban neighborhood, this was ridiculous (and unlistenable, which is why I stopped using the Aesthetix Io and Callisto, in spite of their undeniably great sound--oh, there was also the little problem of blown rail fuses every time I turned the things on). Switching interconnects did nothing to solve the hum/RF problem for me. And I did try this. In fact, I tried everything I could think of with no success.

Jon

Pablo -- Fri, 09/05/2008 - 09:25

Jon/Tmartin,

Thanks for the responses.

As regards the Rhea I have had no hum problems with moving coils.It is nevertheless a noisier (in the hiss sense)phono stage than the Nagra.With three valve stages I cannot see how it could be otherwise.However it is remarkably palpable and (just) bests the Nagra overall.I have not yet had the opportunity to try the new Nagra VPS but have heard from trusted sources that it is superb.No funds at the moment to risk being tempted!

Best regards,

Pablo

Pablo,London