Sound Smith modified DL 103 with various cantilevers?
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| Posted on October 19, 2014 at 15:56:01 | ||
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Posts: 2287
Location: Missouri Joined: August 8, 2005 Contributor Since: June 5, 2007 |
I'm wondering about experiences folks have had with their DL103 using the SoundSmith aluminum cantilever with an elliptical or contact line stylus, as compared to use with the ruby cantilever / contact line combinations. Differences, preferences? I've logged much pleasurable listening with a SoundSmith modified DL 103, and am now approaching my eight-year anniversary with it. Time flies! Anyway the cartridge is currently on its second ruby cantilever/contact line assembly and in the coming weeks I plan to send it back to Peter for another retip. But which one :) Thanks in advance, Jim  "Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal." Igor Stravinsky
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| The question to ask yourself..., posted on October 21, 2014 at 10:31:19 | |
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Posts: 6828
Location: Glen Burnie, MD USA Joined: December 18, 2003 |
Is how neutral is your system? Replacing the cantilever and stylus on a DL-103/103x cartridge does nothing but make the cartridge better. People who differ with that opinion are most likely to be those that create a system by balancing components with this weakness vs that weakness. I do not subscribe to that prescription. IMO, if you start by hiding weaknesses you will eventually have to deal with them or avoid improvements that would reveal that your system is too bright to begin with (for instance). Replacing the DL-103/103x cantilever and stylus does nothing but produce a cartridge that reproduces much more detail, especially at the top end of the frequency range. I have lived with one for some years now and I sincerely wish I took the plunge long ago. I too feared what the change would do to the sound. My fears were so wrong and misplaced I cannot describe the mistake adequately. If the change is not good for your system, then I respectfully submit there is something wrong or you are hiding some weakness in your system. The DL-103/103x is a very neutral transducer that is capable of much better reproduction and is held back by the limits of its stock stylus/cantilever. If you don't agree with me, that's OK. I'm just stating what I have found after supporting the same mistaken notion, for far too long. Ed Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
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