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In Reply to: RE: Get a plain jane DL-103 at the lowest price you can find, then posted by AudioSoul on June 03, 2017 at 03:07:09
I have been using varients of the 103 for the last 20 years. Recently tried the 301/II and there is no going back. Just a more well rounded cartridge, lots more detail, good drive and available for $285 on ebay. A really nice, overlooked cartridge IMHO.
Follow Ups:
I did look at those but my arm is 16 gms. effective mass and is two heavy for that cart. The 301 mk II is higher compliance that the DL-103 series carts.....
Opus 33 1/3
Hi
Just interested in what your impression of this cartridge was and what put you off. I have two samples of this and they both perform very differently to each other (technically). One is a superb tracker easily getting 80um, and the other fails to get to 60um even at max VTF. For me, the common theme between them was that they sounded rather "dark" and "shut in" at the top and lacked the neutrality and clarity I would expect from an MC. An analysis of a white noise test tone revealed a very similar response as the Shure "Audiophile curve" cartridges like the M97xE. The DL304 is quite a different animal being much more neutral and is currently my favourite LOMC.
Just wondered how our experiences compared!
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
"Dark and shut in"? That is EXACTLY the opposite of the way I would describe the 301/II.
What loading were you using? On my Well Tempered Reference arm, Grace 707 and SME M2, I hear open, detailed, fast, dynamic, reasonably well balanced and fairly transparent sound. I packed up my Zu103 (my second one, I DO like this cartridge), it just is not the well rounded performer the the 301/II is. The 103 sounds great but leaves a lot out.
I think the 103 is certainly an easy and reasonable recommendation, but not the one cartridge I can live with anymore.
The Denon cartridges have quite a high output impedance so I load them at > 400R with 800R being my "normal" setting. Any less than 400R and the output level rapidly drops.
I should add that I didn't dislike the DL301/II as such (that was Opus), but that it very definitely sounds "dark" and "shut-in" compared to better LOMCs which have a flat response of which I have several. The tonal balance is very similar to the Shure M97xE. For certain types of music, it sounds good, but can sound a little bloated at the bottom end which is not attractive for vocals. It all depends on what you want out of a cartridge, but "neutral" it isn't!
For example, it does not have the analysis and neutrality of the DL304 which is currently my favourite LOMC and achieves all that I require - flat/neutral response, superb LF tracking ability and low tip mass. If you are used to a cartridge like the DL304 or OC9MLII (which sounds and measures very flat in my system despite complaints to the contrary on this forum) and then immediately put a DL301/II on, it will always sound shut in and dark. It appears to be a specific voicing characteristic and not related to compliance/arm interactions - my DL304 is even lower compliance than my "low compliance" version of the DL301/II that I have. The 2 samples of DL301 I have which have very different compliances. One is much lower than the other and gives a LF resonance just under 9Hz in my 12g arm compared to just over 7Hz for the high compliance version - this sample had an even more obvious suckout in the HF band.
I don't have a DL103, nor would I get one or recommend one - a spherical tip is just not going to meet my technical requirements!
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
So the DL-301 II is compatible with the Grace 707?
Yup, 301/II works well with the 707. Try higher loading with the 301/II, it certainly should not sound shut down or dark.
Vinyl, beer and Jazz! A great combo!
when you experiment with loading.
Opus 33 1/3
... well then you needed a higher value! LOL
I found that 500 sounds a lot more joyful. I way prefer the 301 II to the 103.
It might also depend on system synergy. I played a DL-301 II for a couple of years on my Thorens TD-126 / SME III . It sounded just fine to me with 100-ohm loading on my Mark Levinson No.28 preamp.
Best regards,
John Elison
I was happy when I found a buyer for it.
Opus 33 1/3
I didn't care for the 301 mk ii either. It sounded more like a MM cart. than a MC. I had mine installed on a Jelco SA-750D. It could have been a tonearm cartridge mis-match...
for under $50. The 750 with its fluid damping should not be a mismatch for the 301 .
Opus 33 1/3
None of mine sound "dark and shut-in" to me. MM's are no different from mc's in that some suck, some are middling, and some are VERY good.
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