Denon DL 103R cartridge holy crap!

Unless they've changed their practice, they do test the carts individually for L/R channel output and impedance, which is how they arrive at the different grades they offer (their manual states that those carts that don't measure within 3% of the stated specs aren't used in the various grades they offer for sale).

 

I stand corrected. Do you happen to have a copy of the test sheet enclosed with a Zu? I'd be curious to see one
in terms of whether their test results in essence differ from those of Denon's on a specific cartridge and how that
is detailed and impacts their grading.

In other words, if they are actually testing, or simply "culling" based on the existing provided Denon data and identifying
as such.

If anyone else has one and can post a pic, that would be interesting.

 

Note this is the standard grade.

 

Excellent-looks good! Looks like they find a very slight deviation between channels on that one on frequency response
and even output although Denon seems to have the channels perfectly matched.

Very impressive.

 

It's interesting to note that a previous standard Denon 103 I bought a few years ago measures at 0.40/0.38 on the supplied Denon card. Good enough, but not the claimed match Zu provides. It makes me wonder if I just got lucky or if even the standard grade Zu's are cherry picked. At any rate, it's a good sample. I'll probably listen to it a couple of more times before sending it off for a sapphire microridge upgrade so I can make apples-to-apples comparisons with my similarly fitted Zu 103R.

 

At one time, Zu was buying nearly all of Denon's production runs of the 103, and perhaps do the same for the 103R. They state that they go through a bunch testing them, so in a very real sense, the buyer is paying for someone to cull the ones that don't meet their minimum spec. It's not as cheap as buying the unmodified version, but it's not bad for the weeding out process (and the rebodying and potting that are done).

BTW, where did you get your 103R retipped?

 

That's interesting. It makes me wonder if the loose spec 103 I bought on Amazon wasn't a Zu reject. They're going somewhere, after all.

I use phonocartridgeretipping.com.

 

I dont think there's a better deal in the analog world then the Denon DL-103R. It's a classic. I dont know any spherical stylus MC under a few grands. everyone should at least own a the dl-103r

one must spend close to triple its price point to get a "upgrade"

 

That very well may be. I'm sure they don't sit on them because they don't measure as well as the ones they choose for their modification.

 

That looks like one I got. It is impressive work. I once heard PQ of Audio Note UK talking about how huge a quality-impact this 'hidden' technique makes to his E speakers - crossovers+driver matching and the sense of realism that can be gained as result.

The normal 103 items are still within manufacturing spec and are *not* rejects. Denon's QC is decades strong.

 

What phono preamps are you guys using with your Denon cartridges?

And what parameters (gain, capacitance, etc.)?

If you don't mind me asking.

 

I use a Graham Slee/Accession + Elevator. Love the combo. Might I add looking at the Paradox-Plus housing. Nice upgrade.
If you are like me and have fumble fingers he will mount your 103 in the case and test it for an extra $50 bucks. well worth the price to upgrade the 103/103R. You can also wait till the 103 needs a retip and upgrade to a nicer tip config, and then send it in for the body mod.

Home

 

Hard to say. You would need to know more about the testing that Zu actually does. The differences might be attributed
to using a different test record (looks like Denon is using the JVC TRS-1005), using a different load (kind of weird that
Denon loads the 103 at 1K ohm for testing and I seem to remember them loading the 103R's the same which is even
more "unusual"). Or even temperature or tracking force.

I can recall one of my 103R's being within 1 dB of , channel balance (at least according to Denon) at around .31 &
.32 mV; the other one was out by .2 mV I think and had a slightly lower output, around .27 and .29 I think.

I'm really not sure it would make that much of a difference: a .1 mV difference in output is going to translate to about
.27 dB difference in output at the speakers apparently. There's probably a much bigger imbalance in the rest of all our
equipment, including speakers, as well as the records themselves that we play.

That's not to say that rebodied and retipped Denons aren't great cartridges. They are and they can compete and not
be embarrassed by much more expensive cartridges.

 

Phonomena II+ 60 db, 243 ohms, 1000 pf. Just fantastic sounding together. Clean and and natural. I'm on my third 103r. and recently got the itch to see what an upgrade would cost. As mentioned above, it's roughly four times the cost, and I'm not sure I can justify that especially without actually hearing them. I'm talking about the Shelter 501 mk iii, Hana ML, and the Phasemation ppp-300. I'm using a Thorens with the TP-11 arm that is considered the higher end of medium with an effective mass of 16.5 gr. My understanding is the 103r really loves the higher mass arms of 20 gr. +

 

Denon AU-305 SUT into the phono input on my marantz.

I had a Pro-Ject Tube Box, DS and didn’t think that it outdid the marantz.

 

I use a 1:20 SUT into my Leben preamp. 1:20 with a 103R gets you 5v at 117 ohms, which is about perfect.

 

Yes am still in the early break in stages of my 103R with Nasotec body... Am using with the Vista Audio Phono 2 pre amp set at 100ohm at 60db.
So how many hours before you noticed it opening up?

 

I use a Zu DL103, and thoroughly enjoy it. Don't plan to change anytime soon. It sits in an SMEIV (with optional damper) on a Garrard 401. And feeds into a current input mode phono stage, which means that it drives into zero ohms load. That really seems to suit the DL103.

The DL103 has been in continuous manufacture since 1962, which is totally amazing. The only cartridge that has been around longer is the Ortofon SPU series, which started life in 1958.

 

You sure that's standard grade? Your test sheet says it's Grade-1, which is one level up from Zu's standard grade (Standard ≤ 2.5% | Grade 1 ≤ 1.0%). Just sayin'.

 

Not to hijack but if there any links to your DIY phono stage I would like to learn more.

 

I found that both the 103R's that I used really "bloomed" at around 15-20 hours. Before that they were just a bit steely and edgy comparatively but
still sounded pretty good. But pretty big changes around 15-20 hours with the bass also really filling in then.

From there some minor improvement still to around the 50 hour mark.

 

That's interesting and I'm glad to hear it. I've been using an Aqvox phono stage for years now-also a current mode stage-and they're typically purported to be a better match with lower impedance designs. I found modified 103R's (body, cantilever, stylus) to work quite well with the Aqvox but that was the highest impedance design I've used here at 14 ohms; more recently the cartridges I've used have had internal impedances in the 4-5 ohm range.

But I recently acquired an SAEC C1 to rebuild that has an internal impedance of 40 ohms, exactly the same as the 103, so I'm glad to hear your 103 works so well with your DIY current mode stage. The fixed input on these stages is very low (maybe from 2-10 ohms-I believe my Aqvox is 10 ohms) but typically not zero. Is yours actually zero?

 

I admit I wondered that. I didn't pay for anything beyond the standard, but the box says Grade-1+ as well. Maybe they acknowledge me as being an important player in the Denon 103 community and felt I deserved a special influencer upgrade.

 

I noticed on Zu's site they're now allowing you to send them your own cartridges for the body upgrade for $200, so one can sort of cheat now if they're not into the matching aspect.

 

@Anj The Vista Audio and Denon should work well together- and rock too!