Denon DL103
Posted by: nsy on 05 July 2003
Hello.
Does anyone know the difference between DL103, DL103R, DL103D, and other iterations? Also, do you think this cartridge will match my SME 3009S2?
Thanks.
Does anyone know the difference between DL103, DL103R, DL103D, and other iterations? Also, do you think this cartridge will match my SME 3009S2?
Thanks.
Posted on: 05 July 2003 by fatcat
Hello NSY
I have searched the internet extensively for information on the DL103 over the past few months, (I will probably purchase one myself in the near future). I have come across people using them with 3009’s but I believe a 3012’s is the ideal arm. In fact somebody kindly posted a reply stating this when I ask if it would work with my Musician arm. A High Mass arm seems to be what is required. Everybody thinks they are a bargain at £100.00. With regard to the 103D, I am not 100% certain but I think it has an elliptical tip as opposed to the standard spherical tip and it is a lot more expensive. I do not think it is available anymore but if you know of a supplier please let me know.
There is a website that gives extensive specifications of all the variants of the DL103, if I can find it I will let you know.
Fatcat
I have searched the internet extensively for information on the DL103 over the past few months, (I will probably purchase one myself in the near future). I have come across people using them with 3009’s but I believe a 3012’s is the ideal arm. In fact somebody kindly posted a reply stating this when I ask if it would work with my Musician arm. A High Mass arm seems to be what is required. Everybody thinks they are a bargain at £100.00. With regard to the 103D, I am not 100% certain but I think it has an elliptical tip as opposed to the standard spherical tip and it is a lot more expensive. I do not think it is available anymore but if you know of a supplier please let me know.
There is a website that gives extensive specifications of all the variants of the DL103, if I can find it I will let you know.
Fatcat
Posted on: 05 July 2003 by coredump
http://www.vinyl-lebt.de/SME/DL103/Thumbnails.html gives you an overview of the existing variants; however, technical descriptions are rare, so it's more or less an image gallery.
If memory serves, the SME 3009II is an arm of medium weight; that should make it a good partner for the DL-103.
But I'd be glad if someone with greater SME expertise than mine could comment on this
If memory serves, the SME 3009II is an arm of medium weight; that should make it a good partner for the DL-103.
But I'd be glad if someone with greater SME expertise than mine could comment on this
Posted on: 06 July 2003 by fatcat
If you go to the link coredump has kindly provided, but do not left click on the thumbnails, just point at them, some technical details will appear.
103 spherical tip, VTF is 2.5g, Imp 40 Ohms, Output 0.3mV
103D eliptical tip, VTF is 1.5g, Imp 33 Ohms, Output 0.3mV
103R spherical tip, VTF is 2.5g, Imp 14 Ohms, Output 0.25mV
Fatcat
103 spherical tip, VTF is 2.5g, Imp 40 Ohms, Output 0.3mV
103D eliptical tip, VTF is 1.5g, Imp 33 Ohms, Output 0.3mV
103R spherical tip, VTF is 2.5g, Imp 14 Ohms, Output 0.25mV
Fatcat
Posted on: 06 July 2003 by nsy
Thanks fatcat and coredump for your replies.
Actually, I have been searching the net also for information about Denon DL103 but unfortunately not much can be found. Ok Fatcat, I will let you know if I could find a supplier of DL103D.
Thanks again.
Actually, I have been searching the net also for information about Denon DL103 but unfortunately not much can be found. Ok Fatcat, I will let you know if I could find a supplier of DL103D.
Thanks again.
Posted on: 06 July 2003 by coredump
fatcat, those details were successfully hidden from me by my browser :-/
I'm glad you saw it.
Best regards,
Oliver
[edit: typo]
I'm glad you saw it.
Best regards,
Oliver
[edit: typo]
Posted on: 07 July 2003 by jacques (JD12)
From Analog Addicts archives (mine) :
A 103C has a conical stylus, a 103S has a shibata stylus, and a 103D has an eliptical stylus.
Hope it helps.
Jacques, ARO+DL304 owner
A 103C has a conical stylus, a 103S has a shibata stylus, and a 103D has an eliptical stylus.
Hope it helps.
Jacques, ARO+DL304 owner
Posted on: 08 July 2003 by Rob Doorack
It appears that the only source - possibly worldwide - for DL103Ds is Denon USA's parts department. I bought one from them in December for about US$320; the guy I ordered it from said they sell quite a few and try to keep it in stock. I don't know if they'll ship outside the US. Search the archives at Vinyl Asylum for the phone number and ordering instructions.
Not so - I'm happily using a plain 103 in a Rega RB900, a medium mass arm, for example. Denon's compliance spec for this cartridge is useless since it's measured at 100 Hz and not at resonance.
quote:
A High Mass arm seems to be what is required.
Not so - I'm happily using a plain 103 in a Rega RB900, a medium mass arm, for example. Denon's compliance spec for this cartridge is useless since it's measured at 100 Hz and not at resonance.
Posted on: 11 July 2003 by fatcat
Hi Rob
What phono boards do you use? S or K.
PS. You may be happy with your RB900, but you may be happier with a heavier arm.
Fatcat
What phono boards do you use? S or K.
PS. You may be happy with your RB900, but you may be happier with a heavier arm.
Fatcat
Posted on: 11 July 2003 by coredump
quote:
Not so - I'm happily using a plain 103 in a Rega RB900, a medium mass arm, for example. Denon's compliance spec for this cartridge is useless since it's measured at 100 Hz and not at resonance.
Seconded. I'm using one in a RB-300 with good results; the only thing that struck me though was a certain fuzziness about the tracking weight. With my setup it has to be 2.5g (as recommended by Denon) bang on. Anything else sounds worse.
Best regards,
Oliver
Posted on: 11 July 2003 by Rob Doorack
quote:
What phono boards do you use? S or K.
Linn Linto. I know mixing Linn and Naim electronics is heresy but I live in an area with high RFI. There are four or five TV and radio broadcast masts within 2 miles of my home and both of the Naim low output MC phono boards proved to be unusable here due to the interference. They buzzed so badly I thought I'd damaged them. The Linto seems to be completely impervious to the RFI and sounds terrific too.
quote:
you may be happier with a heavier arm
Why? The resonances of my plain 103 (I'm not using the D right now) in the '900 are 11 Hertz lateral and 12 Hertz vertical, right in the desired 8 to 15 Hertz range.
I do have a Schroeder 2 lying around waiting to be mounted. Its effective mass is specified as 12 gm, 2 more than the RB900.