the DL-304 that jnorv sent me - OMalley

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the DL-304 that jnorv sent me

Posted by OMalley on September 21, 2006 at 17:52:48

Thanks, Jim, for sending me this cartridge. I really helps to get a chance to trial these things directly.

The 304 is very smooth but without the verve of the 103 or 160. The top end is very present and some events shoot out at you.

Starting with Ricky Lee Jones ~ Pirates, the drums sounded nice with a sound of skin. Attention getting. Her voice was followed easily by the 304, not as easily done on the 160, and then 304 didn't miss a beat. Can't remember how it sounded with the 103 but I wasn't paying that type of attention with the 103. BUT by the third song it was tiring. It became bloodless.

Maybe I was wrong so I put on Benny Carter ~ Additions to Further Definitions. That is a very sweet record and the 304 didn't capture the soiund nor the spirit. the sound was too light. The 103 brought the weight of the event previously but the 304 couldn't swing it.

In comparison the 103 was weighty and toe tapping but utlimately, for me, too heavy and missed out on excitement factor. The 304 was bloodless, events did not hold together like the 103 did. There is something scattered about the 304. I kept listening 'at' it. I kept the 304 on the arm for days trying to tweek it into a better sound, it had drawinging power. The 304 had to come off after one side and less than one song.

Now with the 160 back on and it can be seen how grainy it is in comparison to the 304 but who cares? When I put Benny Carter back on it was like "Yeah, that's it!" It swung.

I think that the 160 is a very 'musical' cartridge, now. Detailed and I thought it was smooth until I heard the 304. (I can do without the detail that the 304 brought out because who could care if the spirit is not there?) It renders everything with enough weight and agility and with an eveness of range. It has a big sound and dynamic but it is not congested or peaky. It is thin in comparison to the 103, but airy and open in a way that the 103 was not. It doesn't throw things out at you like the 304 and it is not laid back like the 103. It is the baby bear mush.

When I read descriptions of the Dyna 20X it sounds a lot like the 160 but better... so maybe that's the next cart. I will keep looking, but not for a while. I think I can be happy with this 160 for years.

Big thanks again, Jim. The loan made me appreciate what I already have.

~Slainte,
The OMalley

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Topic - the DL-304 that jnorv sent me - OMalley 17:52:48 09/21/06 (18)

Re: the DL-304 that jnorv sent me - stuck.wilson@gmail.com 06:03:37 09/22/06 (1)

I was going by this review - OMalley 12:20:09 09/22/06 (0)

Re: the DL-304 that jnorv sent me - Werner 00:18:21 09/22/06 (9)

not so , Werner - OMalley 05:01:23 09/22/06 (8)

Re: not so , Werner - HenryH 05:54:53 09/22/06 (7)

trouble is - OMalley 06:04:46 09/22/06 (6)

I have my load set at 185 ohms. - jnorv 08:14:43 09/22/06 (0)

Keep it for another week. - jnorv 08:02:41 09/22/06 (1)

spelunking - OMalley 08:33:07 09/22/06 (0)

Re: trouble is - Werner 06:42:42 09/22/06 (1)

my bad - OMalley 08:30:30 09/22/06 (0)

Sorry bout that. Try to at least get down to 100 Ohms. /nt\ - HenryH 06:14:05 09/22/06 (0)

This is what I love the most about this asylum..... - tubesforever 20:47:48 09/21/06 (3)

want to buy an AU300LC? :-) - OMalley 05:58:40 09/22/06 (2)

So how do you like the sound of the Thorens????? - tubesforever 06:55:23 09/22/06 (1)

Re: So how do you like the sound of the Thorens????? - OMalley 08:35:28 09/22/06 (0)

And the nice thing is - jnorv 19:28:36 09/21/06 (1)

you bet - OMalley 20:25:38 09/21/06 (0)

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