Marantz 2230 with a Denon DL-103R Moving Coil cartridge

[codyhale]

*first time post*

so today i purchased a Luxman PD277 Turntable that has a Denon DL-103R Cartridge with it. I got it all for $375 which seemed like a fair price for both. upon coming home to hook it up to my Marantz 2230 and Dynaco-a25's i was getting a really bad buzz when i had the 2230 in phono. after doing a little research i realized that the Phono preamp of the 2230 is a Moving Magnet and the Cartridge is a Moving Coil. Do you guys have any suggestions on how i should go about this? i thought about getting a Pro-Ject Phono Box and just running that as the phono preamp through the aux on the Marantz. also, thought about just selling the cartridge and getting a nice moving magnet cart instead. thoughts?

 

[Freddymac2]

Do not sell the cart for a MM. There are cheaper units than the project, but it is a pretty good value. In general I find MC carts to have finer definition and air. The arm on the 277 may be a tad light, but my experience is with the 103 and not the 103R. You may have other grounding issues, and placement and cables can effect this problem. where are you?

 

[codyhale]

as in where am i located?

 

[fernarias]

Yes, sell it. Buy an Nagaoka MP110 and don't look back. The cartridge makers have been abandoning the MC market since the MMs have gotten better than the MCs. Also, you'll lose your aux input to the Project phono box. The project phono box has a 68db signal to noise (terrible).

 

[sqlsavior]

Usually another option would be to get a step-up transformer, or head-amp. But that won't make the 103R a good match for the Luxman arm, which is pretty slender and light, if stock. The 103R has a stiff cantilever, and prefers a heavy arm. You could add weight to the headshell and get a heavier counterweight, but it seems an uphill battle. If you can trade the cart for a high-compliance MM or MI, that would be easiest. Or just buy another cartridge outright, and start looking for another turntable with a higher mass arm (usually S shaped...) to run the Denon!

 

[codyhale]

Usually another option would be to get a step-up transformer, or head-amp. But that won't make the 103R a good match for the Luxman arm, which is pretty slender and light, if stock. The 103R has a stiff cantilever, and prefers a heavy arm. You could add weight to the headshell and get a heavier counterweight, but it seems an uphill battle. If you can trade the cart for a high-compliance MM or MI, that would be easiest. Or just buy another cartridge outright, and start looking for another turntable with a higher mass arm (usually S shaped...) to run the Denon!

Do you have any recommendations on a good TT for that denon cart?

 

[Chrisxo55441]

The cartridge makers have been abandoning the MC market since the MMs have gotten better than the MCs

which makers are abandoning the MC market ?

 

[sqlsavior]

Do you have any recommendations on a good TT for that denon cart?

I ran my regular DL-103 (not the R version, but similar compliance) on a Denon DP1200 turntable, through a Denon AU-300LC step-up transformer. I think most S-shaped arms of medium mass or higher would qualify, especially with a heavier headshell. Some folks go all-out by restoring an idler-drive table such as a Garrard or Thorens, making a custom plinth, and using a new Shick or Jelco arm, or a vintage Fidelity Research arm or like.

BTW, welcome to AK!

 

[KentTeffeteller]

The Luxman has a lowish mass tonearm, not what I'd recommend for a DL-103R. I'd go Nagaoka on the Luxman, the new Grados would be also nice.

 

[mjw21a]

Yes, sell it. Buy an Nagaoka MP110 and don't look back. The cartridge makers have been abandoning the MC market since the MMs have gotten better than the MCs. Also, you'll lose your aux input to the Project phono box. The project phono box has a 68db signal to noise (terrible).

Something of an odd comment. There is no shortage of MC carts on the market. That said, the 103 does prefer a heavy tonearm so isn't at its best on that arm. That said, I'd source a SUT and once the diamond is worn change the body for a closed wood body and send to soundsmith for a line contact tip and Ruby cantilever. The wood body will add mass.

 

[fernarias]

Something of an odd comment. There is no shortage of MC carts on the market. That said, the 103 does prefer a heavy tonearm so isn't at its best on that arm. That said, I'd source a SUT and once the diamond is worn change the body for a closed wood body and send to soundsmith for a line contact tip and Ruby cantilever. The wood body will add mass.

MC carts are now in the realm of magic. People buy them, spend a horrendous amount of money and say things like "I spent $3000 dollars on the cart and paid full price but it was worth it"(they'll also spend thousands on MC amps that have 62db signal to noise, if they even bother to produce specs, terrible). The reason I'm saying that they are abandoned by the market is that there are no entry level MC carts. A healthy market is a tiered market. You have your entry level for when you are starting out, you have your mid ranges as you do better and you have your high end when you've made it. Each tier feeds the next one over. When manufacturers abandoned entry level, they were admitting defeat. The MM market is healthier, entry level - check, mid range - check, high end - check.

 

[NAD80]

Have a high output MC Dynavector 10X4 on my Dual 607 TT. Use a NAD 3140 with a higher gain phono 1 stage. Output is 2.5mv. Tracking force is 1.7 grams

 

[mjw21a]

MC carts are now in the realm of magic. People buy them, spend a horrendous amount of money and say things like "I spent $3000 dollars on the cart and paid full price but it was worth it"(they'll also spend thousands on MC amps that have 62db signal to noise, if they even bother to produce specs, terrible). The reason I'm saying that they are abandoned by the market is that there are no entry level MC carts. A healthy market is a tiered market. You have your entry level for when you are starting out, you have your mid ranges as you do better and you have your high end when you've made it. Each tier feeds the next one over. When manufacturers abandoned entry level, they were admitting defeat. The MM market is healthier, entry level - check, mid range - check, high end - check.

Sure there's an entry level. It's MM/MI carts

 

[codyhale]

so i ended up trading the dl-103r for a Grado Prestige Black Cartridge with a Grado 8MZ V stylus. some might say i took a bit of a loss on that trade but i didn't feel like waiting to sell the Denon. Also, this cart & stylus sound fantastic on the Luxman. I