Can anyone tell me what the differences are between the Denon103 and Denon 103r and how this difference affects acoustic presentation of the cartridge? Are both these cartridges still available?
Can anyone tell me what the differences are between the Denon103 and Denon 103r and how this difference affects acoustic presentation of the cartridge? Are both these cartridges still available?
Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702
Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2
I think that one has very pure copper and the other dosent. Yep both still available as far as I can remember.
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
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They do sound different. They share the punchy bass character and there's some similarity in the decent mid presentation, but the 'R' is considerably better, far more refined, detailed and cleaner at the top and I'd say more open sounding. I've used both side by side. The 'R' is well worth the extra money over the basic 103 and has little or no real competition at its price.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
Location: Serbia
Posts: 37
I'm Nebojsa.
Thanks for this thread Jim I'm very interested in the Denon 103 so Ill go for the 103R in stead
Alan
Turntable - Garrard 401/Jelco 750L/Ortofon Kontrapunkt B, Pioneer PLC 590, Micro Sieki MA505 , Denon DL103R - DIY Paradise Phono stage - Reel 2 Reel Studer A810, Otari MX55,Tascam BR20, Revox A77, B77, PR99, TEAC X1000 & 3440, Digital HTPC / Young Dac - Preamp - DIY B4, 821, Power Amp's DIY Avondale NCC300 Mono Block, Speakers Wilmslow Kit Volt BM220.8 / Scanspeak D2905/9500
Location: Glasgow, UK
Posts: 2,077
I'm Tony.
Guys
Just owned a denon 103R. Its really a good cart. First of all it has a warm sound. It makes you feel that you are listening a vinyl.
But ı wonder with which settings we can get %100 of its performance. I mean vta, vtf, how much ohms etc? For xample ı heard that it is recommended to increase the arm to have better performance. Has anyone experienced any of these?
Thanks a lot.
Location: belgrade serbia
Posts: 840
I'm gordan.
Gordan.
Speakers: Oris Swing MkII
Amps: Thomas Mayer 300b/ Hiraga La Maison de L'Audiophile 20
Preamp: Silver AVC by eng. Ferenc Lazar
Phono Preamp: Shishido LCR by Solaja Audio
Decks: Garrard 301 Martin Bastin reworked/plinthed with Fidelity Research FR64fx
Garrard 401 in eng Ferenc Lazar solid wenge plinth with SME 3012/2
Cartridges: SPU Spirit/ Koetsu Black revisited by eng. Salai/ Miyajima Shilabe
Step Up Transformers: Tango MCT 999/ Ortofon T-5000/ Lumiere SUT
Digital: Shigaclone by eng. Ferenc Lazar with Lampizator Amber II
Wires: of sufficient length
Location: Glasgow, UK
Posts: 2,077
I'm Tony.
Just received my new (to me) Denon 103 with isokinetic weight stuck to it, cart and weight and fixings are about 13g and along with my headshell (MS HA-202) the combined weight is about 23.5g.
I've mounted it on my MS MA-202 arm and used the supplementary weight for the back of the tonearm to balance out the cart and first impressions are very very good, I'm listening to a stereo version of Kind Of Blue through the MC module of my Quad 34 pre-amp.
Sound is quite old fashioned but in a good way, quite dark, I think, like being in a nightclub, losts of low notes kind off heavy sounding I think but not horrible or anything like it just different sounding from my Reson MM cart.
Bass is full and piano is pretty good to, think I like this cart with jazz.
Should I add more weight to the headshell guys, I've a 3g technics weight that I could use and that will get the arm up at the cart end slightly too?
Surface noise is almost non-existant on this record which is an old 1964 CBS pressing but I know it well.
I'm tracking at 2.5g with the anti skate the same, dead easy to set this up on the MS arm BTW.
Toe tapping stuff this cart.
Tony