?? Best cantilever and tip for a Denon 103

[Wakefield Turntables]

Guys, I have a Denon 103, its rebodied in Aluminium and has equal mV output to left and right channels. I'm in the process of refining my Valve system and would like help/advice with regards what constitutes the best cantilever/diamond setup. All comments and suggestion are most welcome. :)

[Tarzan]

ESCO:)

[NRG]

Nah! You'll wait 6 months to get it back. Send it to Goldring along with the original plastic body and ask them to rebuild it and put the plastic body back on. ;) How's that for out of the box thinking!

[Marco]

Why has this been posted in Past Masters? Honestly, I give up! :doh:

Marco.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Why has this been posted in Past Masters? Honestly, I give up! :doh:

Marco.

It's a classic piece of hifi kit.

[Marco]

Yes, but it's still in current production, daftee... Check out the 'Analogue Art' section, and count how many threads about the 103 already exist there, and that might provide a clue as to where this thread should've also been started! ;)

Marco.

[StuN]

I use a 103r which is now in an Aluminium body. It cost next to nothing as it had no cantilever, so I sent it to Soundsmith for their alloy cantilever and basic elliptical diamond. My reasoning was that each model of cartridge has a 'voice' and as the original 103r came with an alloy cantilever, that is what I chose for the rebuild. I suppose I was trying to get as close to the original but with better tracking from the new diamond. Is it the best? I doubt it. Would a ruby cantilever be 'better'? Well, almost certainly 'different', but at much greater cost. Do I enjoy it? Most certainly. Would I do it again. Oh yes! I think it is the most cost effective mod to the 103r while keeping nearly all of what we loved about it in the first place.

[Tarzan]

Why has this been posted in Past Masters? Honestly, I give up! :doh:

Marco.


Sheep playing hard to get Marco?



:ner:

[Wakefield Turntables]

Sheep playing hard to get Marco?



:ner:

+1 the grumpy old bugger. :ner:

[anubisgrau]

I think no retepper has such a reputation of an expert for Denon 103 like Thomas Schick in Berlin.

[Theo]

I know that the ESCo recommendation has been smacked down due to timescales in completing the work, but if it's a second cartridge and you're prepared to wait, the sapphire cantilever and Paratrace stylus that ESCo install turns the 103 into a truly wonderful musical communicator: it has the best qualities of the original 103 and gives it steroids. I waited three months for mine (a second one, as the first cantilever was torn off by an errant duster), but it was worthwhile. When I finally wear this tip down, I'll get it retipped again.

Cheap tip: as the aluminium bodied DL103 has no stylus guard, I now use an old opaque 35mm film canister over both cart and headshell to protect that delicate cantilever.

[Barry]

I know that the ESCo recommendation has been smacked down due to timescales in completing the work, but if it's a second cartridge and you're prepared to wait, the sapphire cantilever and Paratrace stylus that ESCo install turns the 103 into a truly wonderful musical communicator: it has the best qualities of the original 103 and gives it steroids. I waited three months for mine (a second one, as the first cantilever was torn off by an errant duster), but it was worthwhile. When I finally wear this tip down, I'll get it retipped again.

Cheap tip: as the aluminium bodied DL103 has no stylus guard, I now use an old opaque 35mm film canister over both cart and headshell to protect that delicate cantilever.

How much do ESCo charge for such work?

Good tip re using a 35mm film canister as a cartridge protector. :)

[Theo]

Mine was done 18 months ago: from memory I think it was £250. It's worth giving them a call to find out what the current costs are.

[Barry]

Mine was done 18 months ago: from memory I think it was £250. It's worth giving them a call to find out what the current costs are.

Thanks Theo.

[dario1954]

I had a 103 heavily modified by Torlai from Italy, boron cantiler, Geyger 2 diamond, resulting in a very good sound.

Torlai offers different rebuild/upgrade options, everyone should find what's suits own needs.

BEWARE:
I'm in no way related to Torlai, I can speak ONLY about what he did for me.

[kor952]

This one did my 103R with alu cantilever and shibata for less as 150 Euro about 18 months ago within a month.

http://www.nadelspezialist.de/index1a.htm

[dhemen]

Does retiping changes the characteristic of the denon's sound ?