Decca Deram cartridge replacement - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Stozzer · 1st Oct 2023, 8:10 pm

Hi folks,
I'm trying to renovate my sister's old Decca 205 Deram player.
I'm looking forward to the mechanical servicing, assuming it isn't a dead duck electrically!
My initial tests show that the amplifier works (although very low volume). However, the first sticking point is that there is no output from the cartridge (new stylus fitted and arm contacts soldered in). The cartridge is a white body Deram and the turntable is a Garrard one, I think AT5.
There doesn't seem to be a replacement Deram available so can anyone recommend a compatible pickup that I can replace it with? I see ceramic pickups for sale, but they all seem to have modern mountings, not the single screw mounting that this deck's headshell has.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Craig

See_Mos · 5th Oct 2023, 10:55 am

A photo would help. I have some old cartridges but the Deram does not ring any bells and pictures that I found on the net show two different types.

Stozzer · 19th Nov 2023, 12:04 pm

Thank you MOS, I did find a pair of matching ones on eBay last week. Now I just need to sort out the amplifier, then service the mechanism.

paulsherwin · 19th Nov 2023, 1:19 pm

The Deram was actually a very high quality ceramic cartridge used by the BBC in some studio grams. I'm not aware of anything of such quality today, but if it's just for a record player you could fit one of the well known Chinese 'red' cartridges in a suitable clip. These certainly aren't as good as a Deram, but they don't sound bad and are very cheap.

1st Oct 2023, 8:10 pm	#1
Stozzer Diode Join Date: Oct 2023 Location: Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2	Decca Deram cartridge replacement Hi folks, I'm trying to renovate my sister's old Decca 205 Deram player. I'm looking forward to the mechanical servicing, assuming it isn't a dead duck electrically! My initial tests show that the amplifier works (although very low volume). However, the first sticking point is that there is no output from the cartridge (new stylus fitted and arm contacts soldered in). The cartridge is a white body Deram and the turntable is a Garrard one, I think AT5. There doesn't seem to be a replacement Deram available so can anyone recommend a compatible pickup that I can replace it with? I see ceramic pickups for sale, but they all seem to have modern mountings, not the single screw mounting that this deck's headshell has. Any advice greatly appreciated. Craig

5th Oct 2023, 10:55 am	#2
See_Mos Hexode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ossett, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 470	Re: Decca Deram cartridge replacement A photo would help. I have some old cartridges but the Deram does not ring any bells and pictures that I found on the net show two different types.

19th Nov 2023, 12:04 pm	#3
Stozzer Diode Join Date: Oct 2023 Location: Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2	Re: Decca Deram cartridge replacement Thank you MOS, I did find a pair of matching ones on eBay last week. Now I just need to sort out the amplifier, then service the mechanism.

19th Nov 2023, 1:19 pm	#4
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,177	Re: Decca Deram cartridge replacement The Deram was actually a very high quality ceramic cartridge used by the BBC in some studio grams. I'm not aware of anything of such quality today, but if it's just for a record player you could fit one of the well known Chinese 'red' cartridges in a suitable clip. These certainly aren't as good as a Deram, but they don't sound bad and are very cheap.