Interestingly enough

Posted by EdAInWestOC (A) on March 17, 2012 at 04:10:14

In Reply to: RE: What, in your opinion... posted by bluemooze on March 17, 2012 at 02:48:01:

Your description of the DL-160 vs the DL-301II is exactly opposite as I have heard them described and does not reflect what I have heard.

The DL-160 was a good cartridge but lacked the low level resolution that its LOMC cousins have. All the same it was pretty good but missed on the resolution that one expects from a good LOMC.

I have used variations of a DL-103D since 1979 and have never wanted for another cartridge. It is not the last word on any front but its combination of traits leaves little to want. I have tried it on three different phono preamps and it has never sounded anything but neutral since 1979.

Retipping the DL-103D increased its high frequency resolution. Some people call this an upset to a cartridges frequency balance but I have found it nothing but an improvement. Its difficult to tell what people are talking about since so many describe things very differently.

An increase in HF resolution makes the cartridge sound more accurate and more relaxed at the same time. I'm sure its a reflection of the ability of the stylus to more acurately trace the groove walls. Like replacing the tires on a car with something much better, its handling has improved.

There are too many people who use Denon cartridges and a cottage industry has existed for years hot rodding the 103 family in particular. Many of these users swear by the brand when first exposed to its sound and the DL-103 family still has healthy sales for both new and used models.

Like I said, I am a long time DL-103D user but I too tire of reading about the 103 family. There are other good Denon cartridges and the DL-S1 deserves some consideration for those interested in a cartridge in the 1000-2500 range.

Its main weakness in the fact its is a very LOMC cartridge and this requires a very good phono preamp to handle its output. Matching a transformer is also a bit of a challenge since its has very low output and unlike many other very low output MCs it has a relatively high output impedance of 33 ohms. This makes matching it to a transformer a bit of a challenge.

Most trannies with sufficient gain for the DL-S1 are designed for cartridges with very low output impedance (in the range of a few ohms). It makes perfect sense since most cartridges with this low an output have very few windings and therefore have a low output impedance.

Trannies designed to work with cartridges in the 33ohm range are almost all 1:20 trannies and that is insufficient to make the cartridge work with a lot of phono stages. It doesn't make it impossible but the results are harder to predict with these considerations.

As a result most sucessful users of the DL-S1 will probably be using a very good phono preamp with an outstanding low noise MC head amp built in. There are a handful of seperate headamps that can be used with the DL-S1 that have sufficient gain and low enough noise to do the job.

Add to that fact that amplifying this low a signal is tough to do without screwing up something and you have a problem to handle. I believe John E has a Pass labs Xono phono preamp which is one of those top quality preamps that possess the ability to handle a cartridge like the DL-S1.

Even some very well respected phono preamps will come up short when dealing with a cartridge like the DL-S1. They were just not designed to handle the very low output and relatively high output impedance of the cartridge. There was a transformer made specifically for the DL-S1 by Denon. I have not heard this trannie but I have seen them for about $600 on the used market in Japan.

That transformer is fairly rare but would likely do a very good job with the DL-S1. Or one would expect so.

Ed
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - A cart that sounds like a Grado from midrange upward but...? - hesson11 21:16:37 03/13/12 (13)

You spell that sound characteristic...DENON - EdAInWestOC 05:30:13 03/15/12 (6)

I can hear the character ... - TBone 09:41:42 03/16/12 (5)

What, in your opinion... - genungo 01:01:51 03/17/12 (4)

RE: What, in your opinion... - bluemooze 02:48:01 03/17/12 (3)

Interestingly enough - EdAInWestOC 04:10:14 03/17/12 (1)

Great info. (nt - genungo 09:24:27 03/17/12 (0)

Synergy is what matters most, I think. - genungo 03:16:13 03/17/12 (0)

Thanks, folks. I appreciate it. n/t - hesson11 21:14:48 03/14/12 (0)

AT 33 ev - mark111 16:31:48 03/14/12 (1)

Ditto... - Waxxy 15:26:36 03/15/12 (0)

Not south of a grand, but go up the Grado line to a Master 1. nt - Rick W 12:43:22 03/14/12 (0)

RE: A cart that sounds like a Grado from midrange upward but...? - sjg 06:16:15 03/14/12 (1)

RE: A cart that sounds like a Grado from midrange upward but...? - michaelhigh 11:59:45 03/14/12 (0)

Follow Ups

Interestingly enough - EdAInWestOC 04:10:14 03/17/12 (1)

Great info. (nt - genungo 09:24:27 03/17/12 (0)

Interestingly enough

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