Denon DL103, DL103R, DL103D, etc

[corrsty]

Last Saturday, the DL103R cartridge I ordered from EIFL arrived. The total waiting time: less than 3 days. I cannot commend Koji of EIFL enough for being super fast and efficient with the transaction. Anybody who is interested in what he sells (some a bit pricier but he accepts credit cards) should be rest assured of quality service. www.eifl.co.jp

I haven't mounted the cartridge yet. I'll need the expert skills of a certain eyes and ears doctor

Anybody with experience with this particular cart? I posted this question in AA and got few replies (btw, thanks Noam for the reply ) Did I make the right choice (as against the standard version (depending on where you buy, the 103 version is cheaper than the R version by USD70, USD50, USD145, etc.) or should I have been better off getting the D version which according to most, is the version to go for (USD30 more than what I paid for my R version)

Sorry if I'm being paranoid. Any "calming" info. will help.

If the standard 103R is better than the standard version by a bit, I'll be a happy camper

Regards.

[vintage_dog]

hi edrich,

congrats. the dl103 is a fine cart...a lot of detail and air. am sure the 103r will be as good if not better..

[Noam]

You will be happy.
make sure you have enough gain or use a step-up..

[arnoldc]

hey corrsty, how was the operation done by doc on your TT?

[corrsty]

thanks guys!

doc as usual, did a magnificent job on setup. thanks gerry

compared to the goldring 1012gx I was using, the dl103r seems to be better in every aspects. bass is tuneful, unknown details were rendered without making the music "analytical", PRAT is way better than the goldring, more forgiving on ticks and pops, and most specially, it is darn musical. I've yet to it on my other preferred types of music but I'm very optimistic that it'll be great as well.

on the downside, there's a bit of hardness in the sound ....should be break in issues. I'm using it together with my Black Cube phono and loading is 100ohms. i've yet to try the 47kOhms or the 80ohms.

This will only get better and better.

Edrich

[m_shoe_maker]

Aba, yung 103 ni corrsty has arrived!

Blow Out!

Baka break-in lang ang katapat ng "bit of hardness" na yan. If it does not go away, try slightly lowering the butt of your arm. Experiment on VTA.

[corrsty]

yup, probably its break in issues. the sound is now a bit smoother. I've tried Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat last night. On the Joan of Arc track, on my previous cart, it cannot track the music properly, the music was so shrill and harsh. Using the Denon, the shrillness and harshness are gone.

Also, the Beatles never sounded this good on my previous cart.

happy, happy happy me!!!!!

[m_shoe_maker]

Hey corrsty,

Lets run your 103 "Off-Road". Wana try Telarc's 1812 Overture?

[arnoldc]

I WANT THAT VINYL!!!

[corrsty]

Hey corrsty,

Lets run your 103 "Off-Road". Wana try Telarc's 1812 Overture?

Sure thing! All I need of course is a copy.

[Noam]

yup, probably its break in issues. the sound is now a bit smoother. I've tried Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat last night. On the Joan of Arc track, on my previous cart, it cannot track the music properly, the music was so shrill and harsh. Using the Denon, the shrillness and harshness are gone.

Also, the Beatles never sounded this good on my previous cart.

happy, happy happy me!!!!!

Hi Edrich; I never noticed Joan Of Arc being more difficult to track than other tracks on FBR. Maybe I should check again. Or I wonder if setup was the problem; typical setup errors can cause distortion on inner groove tracks (tracks closest to the record label). Another possibility is that your copy of FBR was played by someone with a misaligned cart and suffered some inner groove damage, which somehow the 103R is more forgiving of. That's doubtful though.

Glad to hear you're enjoying the Denon!

Noam

[corrsty]

Hi Noam,

Before, I was resigned into thinking that the FBR copy I own was owned by someone with a bad stylus. Inner groove distortion on JOA was there when I was still using my MMF5, it was still there when I change table and arm but using the same Goldring cart. The Goldring was mounted on my current tt/arm by the same person who mounted the Denon so I discounted setup problem. In any case, the problem is gone with the 103R and I'm very happy.

One thing I like about this cart is that it has very good timing. Attack is superb. My rock lps now rocks!!! Either it really has good PRAT or the Goldring was too warm for my system.

Noam, I would love to hear your take on your Denon.

Thanks.
Edrich

[Noam]

Edrich,
I went from a Koetsu Black to the DL103D about a year ago. I kept the Koetsu around for a while and then sold it after comparing the two back to back. The Koetsu was a little warmer (maybe too syrupy for some people, but not to me) and it also had a little better detail retrieval, which I miss a little, sometimes. But the Denon is noticeably FASTER, and, I think has a much flatter frequency response than the Koetsu. At the risk of repeating what many others have said, it is just verrrrry musical, and I don't think any cartridges under $1k really compete well with it, when you factor the price in I mean. (and there's no $1k Koetsu any more... well, in Asia maybe there is, but not here)

Another friend here replaced his Benz Glider ($750) with a DL103 regular version and he's also very happy with the change.

One of these days I'll make that CD-R and send it over..

Noam

[corrsty]

thanks Noam for your insights! I'll have to wholeheartedly agree on what you said as I own one of its variants

i'll eagerly await the CDR

thanks.

[arnoldc]

where can i buy DL103 in chicago?

[billfort]

I just picked up a DL103 from Lowther Club Canada for $230.00cdn (about P8000). Don't know what would be involved with getting it to Chicago - maybe drop Scott an email and see what he can do. I'm also getting him to build me a step-up transformer using vintage Altec mic trannies. Just waiting for a few alignment tools and I'll be joining the Denon 103 ranks as well - from all I've heard (opinions & listening), this is a great cart. for the bucks.

http://www.lowtherclub.com/

Billfort

[Noam]

I just picked up a DL103 from Lowther Club Canada for $230.00cdn (about P8000). Don't know what would be involved with getting it to Chicago - maybe drop Scott an email and see what he can do. I'm also getting him to build me a step-up transformer using vintage Altec mic trannies. Just waiting for a few alignment tools and I'll be joining the Denon 103 ranks as well - from all I've heard (opinions & listening), this is a great cart. for the bucks.

http://www.lowtherclub.com/

Billfort

Hey, I built that web site!

[ambel]

For under a $1000 I think the Denon 103 family is hard to beat
the other contender is the Shelter 501 II.
The regular 103 is the the biggest bang for the buck.
For me the use of step-up for MC cart is a must. I don't want to use
an active device for the MC stage I use to have the CAT SL1 Sig.
pre-amp and the phono stage can handle MC cart. but when i use
a step-up it just opens up everything.
And you don't have to spend a lot of money on step-up you can use
the Altec mic input transformer stay away from the Altec/Peerless
4722 the green can while they are good they are pricey. You are
competing with Japanese. Just look for the Altec 15095A red cans
they are just under $100 a pair. There is also input transformer from UTC
the A-10 is also recommended and this is one sleeper that you can have
for $40 or less the McGohan MC-2 or MC-1 mic transformer compared to
the red Altecs this one is more transparent.
For the phono stage definetely you need tubes just use octal tubes.
I think that the CAT phono stage is one of the best but when I built
the Loesch phono stage the CAT was gone. But i ended up using the
the RCA phono using the 6SL7.

[m_shoe_maker]

Hello Ambel,

Where did you get your Shelter 501

How much

[ambel]

Japan Audio Trading kay Akio san.
But Shelter severed the ties with him.