Denon Dl-110 phono cart

Te DL-110 was a good cartridge, until they jacked up the price. $140 was more than reasonable. $300 is just greedy, and for that money, you can get something better. Gotta love the short-sightedness of the audio industry. Good thinking, Denon!

 

You can get the SAS direct from Jico, which is probably the cheapest option. For me the total cost after shipping to New York was about $180. That might be cheaper than LP Gear, unless LP Gear does free shipping. http://www.jico-stylus.com/product_info.php?products_id=1526

 

As mentioned by Thommo, replacing the tip is very simple. It just slides out. You may not need to realign, but it might be worth checking it again once you've installed the new stylus.

 

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you're aware of their costs/profits on that unit? if they didn't raise the price, would you have preferred it go away instead?

 

Cool

Cool, so it looks like I can buy it direct from JICO as well... Now do I set the tracking force or pressure on the sl1200 to what it recommends in the m97xe instructions or I think I read something else like 1.35g for the SAS? and the anti skate to the same and the height adjustment with the protracter that came with the Shure and still use my technics overhang gauge. ? I think when I set up the audio technica I matched the VTF and anti skate to the same value and it worked fine.

 

Also would i use the AT headshell wires still with the new SAS/97 combo? as they are OHNO cast and higher quality then the one's that initially came with the 97 cart?

 

Depends if you use the brush or not.

Between 1.25-1.50 with brush up and locked, 1.50-1.75 with brush down and engaged. Brush down worked better for me.

 

hmmm.. i have been doing a lot of research on the SAS and the DL-110 and now am caught between both LOL! they both seem to se be a good match to what i want to do.. part me of me is leaning towards the SAS but another part of me is leaning towards the Denon that just does it all in one cart with many fine characteristics!! Desicions , decisions.... I noticed that if i buy the Denon imported for 199.00 i get japanese instructions though.. ugh.. i wonder how difficult it is to set up ? I went on the Denon USA website and they didn't have any english instructions online! I guess there will be trade - off's for both... lol

 

The instruction manual has multiple languages in it!

 

cool, thats solves that one for the denon! I am having a tough time between that and the SAS

 

I have both. On balance I prefer the DL-110, although the Shure with SAS is a better tracker. The DL-110 tracks plenty well though, and I prefer its tonal balance.

 

I've been using Denon DL-110 carts for a few years now & they rule. The price-hike is killing me! Might send out my older 110 to Soundsmith for a re-tip...

 

Thanks guys!! Thanks for the comparison files on the Petty, flowering! I am listening , they seem close but the denon seems to do it all well where the Shure sounds good but rolls the highs off slightly but has more highs than the standard 97xe without the SAS but it seems both are much less sterile sounding than my AT440. Still trying to decide but that is what I think so far

 

Clearly not, I'd gladly trade a higher price for Denon's continued existence. Yet there's the problem of the "vinyl revival" and vastly increased record sales. These audio companies somehow managed to survive through the lean years. Why are they struggling now? Why can't they make money when so many new potential customers are available? The Denon DL-110 was a popular product, and we presume it sold well. Why such a sharp price increase?

This isn't to suggest that Denon and their peers are being dishonest; they are running a business and not a charity. There's nothing wrong with that. And sometimes factors beyond one's control (source materials or parts) become scarce, raising production costs. It's just something that happens, and one must adapt to survive.

And, it needs to be said, if there is a market that is willing to spend $300 for a phono cartridge that previously sold at $140, any smart business will jump at that. Nobody wants to leave money on the table. This is common with niche markets; customers are willing to pay a premium price.

For the record, my next phono cartridge will be a Denon DL-103R (with a wood or aluminum body, if possible). I'm a fan of the Denon sound and hope they'll continue to create amazing audio gear for many years to come. Every teue audio fan should have a Denon somewhere in their system.

But $300 is a bit much for a Denon DL-110. If they're going to do that, at least swap it for the DL-160 model.

 

My gripe is this: my first DL-110 cost $150 & my second one I got a smokin' deal on for $88. The performance I got blew me away. But $250 or $300? That roasts my marshmallows!

 

Well it is on Amazon for 199 with free shipping from japan FwIW right now the 110...

 

I'm not saying the DL-110 isn't worth $200, I'm just sayin' that I'm cheap.

 

For those claiming the DL-110 is not a good value at $249.00 (current price at Needle Doctor, it can be found for $200 on Amazon, but I assume without warranty), what high output cartridges in that price range would you recommend above it? At $249 it is in a similar price range to the Ortofon 2M Blue, the Audio Technica 440MLa, Grado Prestige Gold, Clearaudio Concept, Ortofon MC-1, Goldring G 2100, etc. Are these carts really that much better than the DL-110?

Here are some of the other carts I've had on my Music Hall MMF-7 turntable: Grado Statement Sonata ($600), Grado Statement Sonata1 ($600), Grado Reference Platinum ($350), Grado Red ($170), Goldring Eroica H ($895), Shure M97xE with Jico SAS ($89 + $167=$256), Denon DL-160 ($180 at the time, but now discontinued), and probably some I'm forgetting. Some of these cost less than the current price of the DL-110, some cost more, but I'd take the DL-110 over any of these based on overall performance. The closest competitors would be the DL-160, which also sounded great, but had a bit less forgiving tonal balance (possibly a little more tipped up in the treble), and the Shure M97xE with Jico SAS, which sounds fantastic, but has a bit of a recessed upper midrange and is less forgiving of LPs in less than perfect condition.

It's a bummer that the price jumped from $140, but the truth is it was probably under-priced before. Denon had not raised the price of the cart significantly since the early 80s. It was punching well above its weight before, but to me it still looks like a very attractive option in its price range compared to what else is available. Keep in mind that Denon recently discontinued producing the similar DL-160, and I believe dropped some other cartridges from its range as well. They likely had to choose between discontinuing production altogether, or raising the price. Folks on this forum rave about the excellent value the Shure M97xE with Jico SAS stylus offers (and I agree with them), but in my experience it's not quite as good as the DL-110, and they are more or less the same price. The other thing I love about the DL-110 is that it is a relatively fuss free cartridge. With many of the carts listed above (including the Shure/SAS) I was constantly tweaking them trying to get optimal performance, and never ever felt like I quite got there. The Denon DL-110 on the other hand I just set up using my protractor, set the VTA so the tonearm was more or less level, set VTF at 1.75 grams, and have not messed with it since. I'm not eager to go back to a cart that needs lots of adjustment to sound its best.

I'll likely need to replace my DL-110 in the next year or two. What other approximately $250 cart will offer me the combination of relatively flat frequency response, low distortion, good channel separation, excellent tracking, and fuss free performance combined with a high enough output to work with a MM phono stage that I am currently getting from the DL-110? That's an honest question, I'd really like to know, because I'm not psyched to pay $100 more for the DL-110 next time, but I honestly don't know what I could get for the same price that would outperform it.

 

Nice price drop, thanks for the overview flowering!!! And I know for sure I will get a warranty fromND!!!

 

I'm seriously thinking of getting a 110 for my Denon DP-37F turntable. I'm hoping there'd be good synergy.

 

With bravery borne of payday, I pulled the trigger. $199.99 at Amazon with an optional $30 3-year warranty. I passed on the warranty ... if anything's wrong with it, it'll present within the first couple of weeks of use.

Can't wait to get it set up in my DP-37F and start spinning that table again. I love my Shure/Jico combo on my AT-LP120, but it's time for a change sound-wise.

It's NOT being shipped from Japan. It's imported from Japan but is already at an Amazon distribution center. Free shipping with Prime.

They have 3 left for anyone interested in grabbing one under the $200 price point.

 

I picked up one for $169. It's is certainly worth trying. My impression is that the suspension, although lower compliance, resists distortion at peaks very well, and tracks admirably well. I've loaded it from 100K to 2K, and find the tone can be shaped this way, from heavy and tight, to airy and loose. What works for you may relate to your speaker/amp combo. It measures very flat, with less bass roll-off than the AT carts I've owned. It is very midrange centric, and does have that broadcast presentation, which makes all the classic radio hits sound just like you might recall. It does not spotlight frequencies that bring out revelations, but the presence area is prime, and the extension is good. I find it very easy to align, and the low weight makes it very versatile, as mass can be easily increased. It also has nice sound staging abilities, presenting a wider, larger sense of space. Not much compression either. It does has stronger output, as some have measured and noted, so try the lower gain settings.

 

An Ortofon Super OM-30 has done all of the above for years for many people. Neutral, low distortion, nice soundstage, excellent tracker and groove tracing, and doesn't require a lot of fussing. YMMV and all of that. KAB sells the OM-30 stylus on an Omega body for $289.

 

awesome. $200 is about my max. thinking it's time for my 3rd one.

 

Just curious , how long will the DL110 last me before I have to get a new one ?I've read that it can sometimes last not as long as other carts? I tend to take care of my vinyl and clean it so I'm sure that helps.... I mean I probably listen about 3 days a week maybe 3-4 hours per day on average.... Just FYI