My 103D experience

Posted by Curious (D) on August 26, 2013 at 14:03:10

In Reply to: Retipping A DL-103? posted by abs1 on August 26, 2013 at 09:24:12:

I own one. Having set it up on 3 medium mass arms, I came away feeling that the 103D was totally overrated. It was a quiet cartridge, for sure, but the thing sounded soft and uninvolving, just like 16/44 red book.

A gent here at the VA was kind enough to point out to me that the 103D was actually a high compliance cartridge, and would be better off installed on a low-mass tonearm. At the time, I had a Signet XK-50 tonearm mounted on a Luxman PD-444, so it seemed like a good situation for the 103D. It was.

I put on some regular old, 2 dollar copy of "Kind of Blue". Believe me, this particular pressing is nothing special, and yet the imaging, detail and dynamics were really good! The 103D looks a bit big at the end of a XK50, disproportionate actually, but man was that combo really wonderful.

So the XK50 is a low mass arm, made during the ultra low mass craze. Like the ADC and Grace arm-cart combo's, the Signet/ Audio Technica arm/cart combos have a great synergy, and that synergy is not limited to these combos. There are matches between companies that are magic, like the Denon/Signet.

Or course, your challenge is to match your 103D, once gotten, to the right low mass arm. If you are unwilling to do this, then you'll have to ask the Soundsmith to rebuild the suspension and lower its compliance so that it is a better match with your medium to higher mass tonearm. As Harry Weisfeld of VPI stated on this forum within the last few days, most of his clients problems are the arm/cart interface, much of which stems from compliance mismatches.

"Hope is a good thing. Maybe, the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Retipping A DL-103? - abs1 09:24:12 08/26/13 (19)

My 103D experience - Curious 14:03:10 08/26/13 (1)

Come to think of it... - EdAInWestOC 07:31:40 08/27/13 (0)

I've owned a DL-103D... - EdAInWestOC 12:09:15 08/26/13 (7)

I've been enjoying the 103D on my JMW9 for several years (nt) - nutbatter 16:58:18 08/26/13 (0)

RE: I've owned a DL-103D... - AudioSoul 16:51:30 08/26/13 (1)

That may be the problem...nt - EdAInWestOC 07:26:42 08/27/13 (0)

Hey Ed, don't you mean... - Curious 13:10:43 08/26/13 (3)

Its specified at 12 x 10-6 cm/Dyne... - EdAInWestOC 07:25:41 08/27/13 (2)

I've mounted my DL-103D in medium- and low-mass arms - mr.bear 14:24:21 08/27/13 (0)

RE: Its specified at 12 x 10-6 cm/Dyne... - majick47 13:22:11 08/27/13 (0)

Highly recommended - texanater 12:02:45 08/26/13 (0)

RE: Retipping A DL-103? - AudioSoul 11:36:23 08/26/13 (0)

Been thinking about that route with my "buggered" wood body 103. - Opus 104 10:45:07 08/26/13 (4)

RE: Been thinking about that route with my "buggered" wood body 103. - abs1 15:00:10 08/26/13 (2)

You're more likely to reach him by phone. /nt/ - Jeff Maxson 16:30:47 08/26/13 (1)

RE: You're more likely to reach him by phone. /nt/ - abs1 08:16:05 08/27/13 (0)

RE: Been thinking about that route with my "buggered" wood body 103. - Crazy Dave 13:19:09 08/26/13 (0)

RE: Retipping A DL-103? - Cuernavaca 10:00:38 08/26/13 (1)

RE: Retipping A DL-103? - louie3 11:38:00 08/26/13 (0)

Follow Ups

My 103D experience - Curious 14:03:10 08/26/13 (1)

Come to think of it... - EdAInWestOC 07:31:40 08/27/13 (0)

My 103D experience

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