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In Reply to: RE: Why Does The Denon DL-103/103R Sound So Magical? posted by AudioSoul on June 20, 2017 at 17:57:06
Currently I'm using an ebony bodied DL-103R with oem cantilever and conical stylus. It does deliver on the essence. And it seems to get the midrange 'right'. There is enough substance in its presence to offer satisfaction. Bass is substantial. Not tight. Not loose. With the conical tip the upper frequencies are not in crisp focus as it is with other stylus shapes.edit/add: I'm loading this cartridge with a 30:1 turns ratio on the Beyer Dynamic step up trannies in use. This works out to a (52 ohm)* load. Internal resistance on the 103R is 14 ohms. It seems more 'dynamic' while being tone neutral in my system with this loading. I have also listened to it with a 10:1 turns ratio sut and also at 15:1. I prefer the 30:1.
Is this my be-all/end-all cartridge? Is this lomc the ultimate destination for me? -- No. -- Not by a long shot. It is what I can comfortably fall back on, however.
On the back burner; I'm plotting its replacement.
In the mean time I have another DL-103R in a Panzerholz body, SoundSmith/Ruby/FL tip. I managed to snap (in two) that incredibly ridgid and fragile ruby cantilever last year. I'm in no hurry to replace it.
I've managed to wear out a Shelter 501-II....twice. I do prefer its sound to that of the Denon.
At the moment I am focussed on scrounging around through the history of high end audio to find interesting cartridges from the past to listen to. This is just to satisfy my curiosity. At the moment I have a Technics EPC 205c mk2 being shipped my way. Let us hear how well this compares to the Denon.
I'll likely sample a Grace F9 sometime in the future. Just to satisfy my curiosity.
I've already been sampling another pair of interesting from the past cartridges; an ADC XLM-II and a Sonus blue. Those are good but not quite there for me.
Once I'm over this 'searching thru the past' phase, I'll find a modern cartridge that works for me on my TD124 with Graham 2.2 tonearm. It won't be another DL-103R. That is what I keep at hand as a spare.
-Steve
* correction noted re: John's and Lew's replies.
Edits: 06/21/17 06/21/17 06/21/17 06/21/17Follow Ups:
Nice looking 124. I always thought the Graham arm was low mass and might not be a great match up to a 103? I am also a unipivot arm fan, will be trying a Well Tempered Reference on my 124 soon.
"Nice looking 124. I always thought the Graham arm was low mass and might not be a great match up to a 103? I am also a unipivot arm fan, will be trying a Well Tempered Reference on my 124 soon."
The Graham is around 12gram effective mass. It is also quite adaptable and can gain mass by adding weight over the cartridge end. It also comes with a counterweight add-on ring that neatly bolts in place.
The ebony body adds mass giving a total cartridge weight of 11.5 grams.
I can further add weight over the cartridge if I want to. In short, the only trick the Graham arm can't do is get lighter.
Further, the Graham handles cartridge vibes extremely well.
The Denon behaves itself and it sounds quite good in this arm like this. If I want I can add a headweight to further tune to get the arm/cartridge system resonance lower. This last time, I did not feel like adding the head weight. It isn't hugely fussy.
I can add or subtract damping fluid in the Graham. (Graham uises a kind of silicon grease, blue stuff) With heavier less compliant LOMC cartridges, I use a somewhat larger amount of damping goo within the unipivot assembly.
-Steve
My Well Tempered Reference has similar ability to increase damping which is why it works well with the 103.
The Denon 103's sound great in this 12.5" ebony heavy arm. I know you like to tweak which I enjoy also.
Enjoy the ride
Tom
Because if there is the typical 47K ohm resistor across the secondaries of your SUT, my calculation says the cartridge is "seeing" a 52 ohm load. (47,000 divided by 900, which is the square of the turns ratio.) Not that there is anything wrong with that if it pleases you. And possibly you've changed the value of the internal load resistor, as John suggests.
nt
given your obvious knowledge and experience, that the first estimate was due to a slip of the brain. What with all the different turntables, tonearms, and cartridges that you play around with, it's completely understandable.
it comes and it goes.
thanks for the vote of confidence.
-Steve
> I'm loading this cartridge with a 30:1 turns ratio on the Beyer Dynamic step up trannies in use. This works out to a 205 ohm load.
Can you explain this in more detail. A reflected load to the cartridge of 205-ohms would suggest that your phono stage's input impedance is 184,500-ohms. Is that correct?
Thanks,
John Elison
"Can you explain this in more detail. A reflected load to the cartridge of 205-ohms would suggest that your phono stage's input impedance is 184,500-ohms. Is that correct?"
phono stage input impedence is 47kohms
my bad. relying on faulty memory rather than computing the new figures.
formula is: 47K / 30^2 = 52.2 ohms
I had used the 1:15 tap on my shelter 501-II which has an internal resistance of 10 ohms. That worked out to 209 ohms loading...which my faulty memory recalled for this exercise.
Any way; correction. I prefer the 52 ohm loading on the 103R to any other loading I've tried so far.
How's that John?
-Steve
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