the keester
I dig music.
I am running a SP10 mk2. Whats the best vintage (or new) tonearm for this cart?
Thanks
Thanks
Best tonearm for a DL103R?
- Thread starter the keester
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Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
This is a great question. Thousands of tonearms and one single cartridge to attach.
Any Denon follower would say a Denon tonearm would be best.
Since this cartridge has low compliance and needs to track at 2.5 grams, then a nice higher mass tonearm would be a good one. Leaving out a price range, well then get the best tonearm out there, some $10,000 high mass arm designed for a cartridge compliance of 5 x 10-6 cm/dyne at 100 Hz. The number that is frequently used to calculate resonance is the compliance at 10 Hz and this number will be higher but no where near the numbers of the high compliance Shures at 35-50 or so.
Fidelity Research FR-64s is highly sought after for the Koetsu which has lower compliance (5 at 10Hz) and this is one high mass tonearm at about 34 grams. You should avoid the low mass arms. But there are really too many good tonearms for this cartridge out there vintage (or new) to really tell you which ONE would be BEST.
Any Denon follower would say a Denon tonearm would be best.
Since this cartridge has low compliance and needs to track at 2.5 grams, then a nice higher mass tonearm would be a good one. Leaving out a price range, well then get the best tonearm out there, some $10,000 high mass arm designed for a cartridge compliance of 5 x 10-6 cm/dyne at 100 Hz. The number that is frequently used to calculate resonance is the compliance at 10 Hz and this number will be higher but no where near the numbers of the high compliance Shures at 35-50 or so.
Fidelity Research FR-64s is highly sought after for the Koetsu which has lower compliance (5 at 10Hz) and this is one high mass tonearm at about 34 grams. You should avoid the low mass arms. But there are really too many good tonearms for this cartridge out there vintage (or new) to really tell you which ONE would be BEST.
ETI_5000
Super Member
I have a 1979 review of a Denon DD turntable, which had a Denon S-shaped arm on it. They fitted a DL-103 to test it, and it was an almost perfect match to the tonearm fitted with a Denon PCL-5 magnesium alloy headshell. The resonance was at 9Hz, which is pretty good. So, obviously an old Denon s-shape arm would be good! I'd say that there are probably other similar s-shaped arms which would also be OK. As the DL-103R has the same compliance as the DL-103, it will also be good with the same arms.
the keester
I dig music.
Currently I am using an SME 3012 S2 with an Orsonic headshell. Although it sounds pretty good it still leaves a little something to be desired.
I get a slight 'glare' that is fatiguing and I am assuming that its not the best match.
I get a slight 'glare' that is fatiguing and I am assuming that its not the best match.
Best Tonearm For Denon DL-103R
Have you checked to see if there are any add on or heavier counterbalance weights etc for your present tonearm, SME 3012? I'v used a Audio Technica ATP12T tonearm with a Denon DL-103 and felt it sounded quite good. I'v seen the ATP12T used with the DL-103 on the Technics SP10MkII, a lot of professional/broadcast Technics SP10MkII TTs used the ATP12T tonearm. As far as tonearms go they arn't all that expensive, $250-$300 in nice shape.
Have you checked to see if there are any add on or heavier counterbalance weights etc for your present tonearm, SME 3012? I'v used a Audio Technica ATP12T tonearm with a Denon DL-103 and felt it sounded quite good. I'v seen the ATP12T used with the DL-103 on the Technics SP10MkII, a lot of professional/broadcast Technics SP10MkII TTs used the ATP12T tonearm. As far as tonearms go they arn't all that expensive, $250-$300 in nice shape.
ETI_5000
Super Member
There are probably others around that can tell you about the SME tonearms - I don't know much about the particular models. The best way to see whether the resonance is correct is with a test record. The Shure Era IV and V test records, which were free for buyers of the V15 IV or V, have test frequencies that allow the arm/cartridge resonance to be tested. They are regularly available used on Ebay at reasonable prices. If it's correct, then it's a good match - if it isn't, then you can sometimes add weight at the headshell, or use a lighter headshell, to correct it - ideally you need an arm/cartridge resonance of about 10Hz.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
The Denon DL-103 MC likes heavy arms with some mass. Arms like the Grace oil damped Gray clones, the Gray viscous damped arms, the SME 3009 II non improved, the Audio-Technica ATP line, and similar excel with one. The Jelco arms are also excellent here.
Hi to every one,
I like Denon DL 103 sound very much indeed.
My experience with the Denon Dl 103 and Tone arm it is as follow:
1) Rega 250 with stub and counter weight upgrade.
2) Spacer in brass between cartridge and headshell ny aluminum 3 grams.
3) Later made the spacer of brass 5.5 grams. This sounded much better an dwith this arm was my best setting.
Jelco: i bought a Jelco 750 12 ". I tune it up using silicone and on its hed shell a space of aluminum 3.5 grams. This was best setting.
After i built a DIY wood 12" unipivot tone arm with a mass od 30 Grams including cartridge and after i tuned it up sonded better than the Jelco, despite the toneram inner cable were from a mouse. Signal cable from tone arm to pre phono are my best in silver/gold.
I have packed the Jelco now and using only this tonearm. perhaps later i shall buy a Denon DL 103 R, though i do nt ecoect taht much being this pretty tune up well.
Pic here for your reference.
Turn table is DIY , Pre Phono ARIA version 1 by Audio Analogue tune up for the Denon and souns pretty pretty good.
Regards
Adelmo
I like Denon DL 103 sound very much indeed.
My experience with the Denon Dl 103 and Tone arm it is as follow:
1) Rega 250 with stub and counter weight upgrade.
2) Spacer in brass between cartridge and headshell ny aluminum 3 grams.
3) Later made the spacer of brass 5.5 grams. This sounded much better an dwith this arm was my best setting.
Jelco: i bought a Jelco 750 12 ". I tune it up using silicone and on its hed shell a space of aluminum 3.5 grams. This was best setting.
After i built a DIY wood 12" unipivot tone arm with a mass od 30 Grams including cartridge and after i tuned it up sonded better than the Jelco, despite the toneram inner cable were from a mouse. Signal cable from tone arm to pre phono are my best in silver/gold.
I have packed the Jelco now and using only this tonearm. perhaps later i shall buy a Denon DL 103 R, though i do nt ecoect taht much being this pretty tune up well.
Pic here for your reference.
Turn table is DIY , Pre Phono ARIA version 1 by Audio Analogue tune up for the Denon and souns pretty pretty good.
Regards
Adelmo
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Exactly what I recommend for a DL-103 or it's variants. And reasonably priced, takes standard headshells, well built, and simple and reliable. And commonly found in many a Technics SP line installation. Lots of this arm got used in AM and FM broadcasting, and they're pretty findable.
Not to be negative re the DL-103R but if the OP is into Technics SP-10Mk2 territory for a turntable it isn't mandatory but to keep everything in perspective performance wise the SP-10Mk2 deserves to be matched to a quite decent tonearm, maybe a Technics EPA-100, and a like equal cartridge. I'd be picking my components in this order, table first, tonearm second and last the cartridge to match the tonearm compliance, all at a fairly equal level of performance. I tried a plain DL-103 with a Audio Technica ATP12T tonearm and used a heavy headshell but I felt the arm and headshell still didn't have the weight to get the compliance where it needed to be. The DL-103R may be closer with the ATP12T, In the end I wasn't satisfied with the results and sold the DL-103. Other experiments with the Denon line of cartridges were excellent, DL-207, DL-303 and DL-103D which was outstanding and much easier to get a tonearm to match.
AvFan
Super Member
I have run my 103 and retipped 103R on my ATP-12T and they have been fine. Maybe it is the nature of the SoundSmith retip and its plastic body but I prefer the 103 over the 103R on the AT arm. I use a 12gr head shell to get the EM up to about 23 gr. Gotta say, I am seriously considering replacing my ATP-12T with a Jelco 750D to pair with my SP-25. The other arm I keep drooling over is the AudoMods Series 5 as it is designed to handle a wide variety of cartridge compliances and weights.
