London (Decca) Series: Reference

The London Cartridge Sound : Review by Robert H. Levi (full review)

Not only is the performance of the London a game changer, it reproduces the superior musicality and definition of LPs while flawlessly tracking every record I tried...tracking was previously a challenge for the London (Decca) design. It exhibited unsurpassed definition, speed, snap, linearity, dynamic range, and master tape-like timbres I have only dreamed about experiencing. Riding on the E.A.R. Disk Master Magnetic Drive Turntable was icing on the cake and sealed the deal.

The London Reference makes all other cartridge designs sound thin or thick and rather artificial by comparison. I am stunned by its performance. As I report this, my only negative comment may be the London sounds too real, at least for some folks who are used to a more laid back or liquid romanticized sound. With the London, prepare for SACD and CD playback to sound a bit thin, unresolved, and lacking dynamics by comparison! I compared the 200 gram Classic Record LPs of Blues in Orbit and Jazz Party with their CD and SACD counterparts. Forget it. The LPs played with the London are dramatically superior with high end extension and a sense of reality that’s unsurpassed and unbeatable.

Orchestra, string quartet, organ, any jazz, all sound fabulous. Vocals and massed chorus are divine and in the room alive! Original Mercury's, RCA's, and classic jazz Columbia's are a wow! Imaging is rock solid. Depth is clear, open, and almost totally lacking in phase distortions of any kind. You want master tape sound, here it is folks! Older LPs reveal vast new levels of definition and new releases will transport you to nirvana. This is fasten your seatbelt sound. Every LP you play with the London will be an experience to savor!

London (Decca) Series: Jubilee

The new London Decca Jubilee has retained and enhanced the legendary musical realism of its predecessors, but also achieves "world-class" tracking ability, at only 1.8 grams (VTF). A damped tone arm is not necessarily required, and unlike most high quality moving-coil designs, the electrical output level of the London Decca Jubilee is among the highest- 5mV, needing no pre-preamp or step-up transformer.

The London Decca Jubilee is individually hand crafted, using coils wound of oxygen-free copper conductors and high flux samarium cobalt magnets. Its cartridge body is machined by computer from a solid block of aluminum, and shaped to hold the motor assembly and the polished, natural grain--oriented, line contact diamond stylus with absolute precision. This acoustically inert cartridge body contributes to the Jubilee's low-coloration music reproduction, and provides a firm flat mounting surface with internal threads to facilitate installation.

London (Decca) Series: Supergold

A line contact, polished, grain-oriented diamond stylus, similar to the Jubilee's, mated to less costly generator coils and housing. If you have never heard music through the $1750 London Decca Jubilee, you may well think the SUPER GOLD is the world's best cartridge! Subjectively 90% of Jubilee's world-beating musical realism. Frequency range: 20Hz to 40kHz.