Denon 103 review

[Marco]

Cardas is the one, Ian, as it's tried and tested with the Techie arm.

Don't go for anything silver, though - just the best copper cable you can afford, terminated in high-quality Cardas phono plugs at one end, and at the other, use Cardas headshell leads with your Sumiko, to keep the cable loom the same

Marco.

[UV101]

Something like this??
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=170389558244

Also, would you make your own headshell cable with the leftovers??

I can find plated gold plated brass Cardas PCC EG clips but nothing of pure copper??

[Marco]

Hi Ian,

Yes, that's the stuff! I don't see why you can't make your own headshell leads from bits, although you'll have to shield them, and they might be a bit thin and easily broken... The separate headshell leads from Cardas are normally a bit more durable.

The HSL PCC are the best: http://www.cardas.com/content.php?ar...&content_id=27

The long-length Cardas 'push on' cartridge tags are the ones you want (if you're making up your own headshell leads), but I think they only come in gold-plated brass

Marco.

[mike1210]

Marco with your Jelco 750D, did you use the Jelco heavy counter weight along with the Ortofon LH-9000 headshell?

[Marco]

Hi Mike,

Yes. It works superbly, as you can get it right up next to the arm's pivot point and still achieve 2.6g VTF with the 103!

Marco.

[UV101]

I don't see why you can't make your own headshell leads from bits, although you'll have to shield them, and they might be a bit thin and easily broken... The separate headshell leads from Cardas are normally a bit more durable.

The HSL PCC are the best: http://www.cardas.com/content.php?ar...&content_id=27

The long-length Cardas 'push on' cartridge tags are the ones you want (if you're making up your own headshell leads), but I think they only come in gold-plated brass

Marco.

Are the cables normally shielded?

Are the VDH ones any good? They seem a bit cheaper than Cardas.

[Gerry]

Hi Mike,

Yes. It works superbly, as you can get it right up next to the arm's pivot point and still achieve 2.6g VTF with the 103!

Marco.

Marco
That will lower the effective mass of the arm!

You want the weight away from the pivot to increase the effective mass ...just adding a heavier headshell does not work on it's own.

This is what makes calculating effective mass of tone arms so very complicated.

[Marco]

If the HSL PCC are too pricey, then try the HSL PCC E (shown on the link I posted earlier), as I don't really rate the VDH cartridge leads. They won't be any better than the ones supplied with the Sumiko...

Btw, I meant insulated, rather than shielded - soz!

Marco.

[Marco]

Marco
That will lower the effective mass of the arm!

You want the weight away from the pivot to increase the effective mass ...just adding a heavier headshell does not work on it's own.

Indeed, Gerry, but it lowers inertia, which is a good thing. If you don't have to increase mass, tonearms sound best with the c/w positioned as close to the pivot point as possible

I don't need to increase the mass of the Jelco, because it's quite sufficient as it is with a 16.8g Ortofon headshell fitted, excluding what the stainless steel armtube itself weighs!

Marco.

[Gerry]

Marco
I hear what you say, and it was what all the mags suggested...however I find my FR arms and a few other heavy weights (Grace's, Audiocrafts with the high mass arm tubes on, etc) work much better with the 103 and the weight not up against the bearing housing. However each to his own.

I have had numerous heads-hells for years....Phasetechs, Ortofons, Oyadies etc. but the best ever, with a 103 is the Audiocraft AS-4PL, which was designed for the 103.