Collin1141
Well-Known Member
Yeah, was news to me too after about 40 years
Perpetual motion machine of the internet
Denon 103, 103R, 301......Which one would you get?
- Thread starter Jim Creek
- Start date
Perpetual motion machine of the internet
I've tried many cartridges in my system including Ortofon VMS20E, 2MRed, Shure M91ED, Grado F3E+, Denon DL-110 but the one that delivered the best performance was the plain vanilla DL-103. It might or might not work for you. Synergy is the key.
Pronto
Active Member
Collin1141
Well-Known Member
I don't know that this means?
beatcomber
AK Member
Ah yes... That's right.
What I meant was, with some additional mass added the bass filled out more. Not in a bloated sort of way either... it also gained more texture and extension.
beatcomber
AK Member
Here's a 24/96 needledrop FLAC I did not too long ago using my DL-103 on the TD-124/Jelco, using a Shure SUT and Rega Brio-R.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ck5v7q70j9buqa4/11.You Set The Scene.flac?dl=0
The record is "You Set the Scene" by Love, from the MOFI 2x45 of "Forever Changes."
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ck5v7q70j9buqa4/11.You Set The Scene.flac?dl=0
The record is "You Set the Scene" by Love, from the MOFI 2x45 of "Forever Changes."
I cleaned up all that off topic junk. Please stay on topic and be civil or you will be out.
totem
Addicted Member
You can occasionally come across the Denon 103S type which was elliptical "like" think they called it special contour or something
like that.
Collin1141
Well-Known Member
ripblade
Super Member
Don't forget the 103D and M, among others. It seems everytime Denon sought to improve the 103 line, the went with higher compliance and elliptical, and sometimes metal bodies*. Maybe these were the testing grounds for their other lines.
*edit: after reading through Collin1141's link I guess not. Still, it was and still is a fairly common upgrade.
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Tdogzthmn
Active Member
I'll soon be running a DL301mk2 along with my current favorite which is the DL103. I had read mixed opinions about the DL103 on the Technics 1200 but it seemed like an affordable entry to MC carts and I'm really glad I got it.
Made me curious about the next step up with the 301mk2!
Made me curious about the next step up with the 301mk2!
Collin1141
Well-Known Member
They're two different animals
Collin1141
Well-Known Member
Besides compliance, the most important difference is output followed by stylus type
Proper loading will differ in order to realize the full potential of any of them
Depending on whether you use a transformer, a head amp or if your phono amp provides the gain needed, that will be the ultimate deciding factor as for the most overlooked aspect of all of this as far as rewards go
Noise floor
And that will determine the overall arc of performance to a LARGE degree, i.e. - inner detail without the veil and good transient response
You can't have it all without being able to control or adjust the variables, not just the cartridge itself
The higher the cart's output, the greater the chances are for raising the noise floor
It all depends on your hardware (how much flexibility or what you have) AFTER the cart
Proper loading will differ in order to realize the full potential of any of them
Depending on whether you use a transformer, a head amp or if your phono amp provides the gain needed, that will be the ultimate deciding factor as for the most overlooked aspect of all of this as far as rewards go
Noise floor
And that will determine the overall arc of performance to a LARGE degree, i.e. - inner detail without the veil and good transient response
You can't have it all without being able to control or adjust the variables, not just the cartridge itself
The higher the cart's output, the greater the chances are for raising the noise floor
It all depends on your hardware (how much flexibility or what you have) AFTER the cart
Collin1141
Well-Known Member
SUTs can be ideal if you feed them into a good quiet phono line stage
The only drawback is that all SUTs won't work optimally with all low output transducers (low output moving coils) giving rise to the possibility that you may need more than one if you have more than one moving coil (with different output voltages) in order to realize the different cartridges' full potential
Obviously they should be matched as best possible
If you've found a good match that makes you happy then stick with it
No need to fool with a good thing
I gave up on SUTs when OP amp based phono stages made gain and loading changes possible with well designed all in one units - simplicity and flexibility - and they are QUIET
This being one instance where I have come to appreciate good ICs from folks like Analog Devices and Texas Instruments (Burr-Brown) rather than a combination of passive married to discrete archetecture
Took a while for the "new technology" to catch up with the old
