Denon DL 103 on a Rega RB300 ??????

[Floyddroid]

At the moment i am using a Denon DL103 on my pimped 1210 in the sharp end of a Rega RB250 which has a metal end stub. Due to the arm developing an earth problem i decided to replace it rather than rewire it. I tracked down an RB300 with an upgraded bearing and i am in the process of bolting my Denon into it. To get some tips on earthing etc i decided to hit the internet. Imagine my horror when all the folks out there in Nerdsville advised that this was not the match made in heaven and that technically speaking the cartridge should be in a much heavier arm and works best in 12" arms :baa: All this time i have been enjoying the Denon in the 250 and i shouldn't have been! From my readings i also gather i need shims????? What shims? and where do i get them, further more where do i put them? The only reason i researched the combo was to ascertain whether or not i need to buy a cork washer to put between the arm and the origin Live mounting plate i have fitted to my 1210 (answers on a post card please) otherwise i would have just been happy in my ignorance because to me the Denon sounded pretty damned good in the RB250. Thank you for your patience, rant over:steam:

[Haselsh1]

How wrong they can all be...!

It is pretty obvious from your own personal experience that you have had perfectly satisfactory results already but now you are forced to question it. For what it is worth I would just carry on regardless and continue enjoying what is supposed to be a damn fine cartridge. My guess is that the new arm is an upgrade from the previous arm so what are you worrying about ;)

[Wakefield Turntables]

I tried a Technoarm "A" on my 1210 and didnt like it. I think this may have been due to using an Audiotechnica cart for a wee while. The Rega arm is a great little thing and I'm glad your getting good results!

[YNWaN]

I wouldn't use a cork washer.

[Floyddroid]

Thanks for that Mark. The RB300 has a Cardas incognito kit si it has a separate earth wire. Thanks for the advice.
I wouldn't use a cork washer.

[Floyddroid]

Thanks for the support guys. Got my foo fighting gloves on. Whilst i don't for one minute challenge the more informed about this matter i do really have to trust my own findings. Sometimes devices can kick back at the science and conventional wisdom of such subjects and it just simply works. I hear a lot about the 12" arm debate etc and seriously thought about one until i recently borrowed a table with one in situ. I simply couldn't get along with it and it reminded me so much of a Commer van i once drove to gigs in with a rather long gear stick. It was awkward, flopped all over the place and not to my liking. In my opinion the Denon deserves a little better than a stock Rega but one that has an appropriate counterweight and properly set up plays damned fine music.

[hifi_dave]

"Nerdsville" is about right as is 'forum myths'. In the 32 years since Rega introduced the RB300 arm, I have installed and used thousands of very different cartridges in Rega arms and never had any problems at all.

You have used an RB250 with good results, so you can expect better with the RB300. If you do require a bit more mass, you can make or buy a headshell shim from Brass or Lead, to go between cartridge and headshell. Failing that but it looks horrid, a blob of Plasticene or Blu Tak on top will also do the job.

By "shims" I suppose you mean the spacer washers to go under the arm to raise it for correct VTA. Rega do a stainless 2mm spacer for £8.50.

[NRG]

Have you heard the 103 in a heavier mass arm? If you are enjoying it in the RB250 then that's great but just think how much better it could sound on a better matched arm. :D :D

[Box13]

At the moment i am using a Denon DL103 on my pimped 1210 in the sharp end of a Rega RB250 which has a metal end stub. Due to the arm developing an earth problem i decided to replace it rather than rewire it. I tracked down an RB300 with an upgraded bearing and i am in the process of bolting my Denon into it. To get some tips on earthing etc i decided to hit the internet. Imagine my horror when all the folks out there in Nerdsville advised that this was not the match made in heaven and that technically speaking the cartridge should be in a much heavier arm and works best in 12" arms :baa: All this time i have been enjoying the Denon in the 250 and i shouldn't have been! From my readings i also gather i need shims????? What shims? and where do i get them, further more where do i put them? The only reason i researched the combo was to ascertain whether or not i need to buy a cork washer to put between the arm and the origin Live mounting plate i have fitted to my 1210 (answers on a post card please) otherwise i would have just been happy in my ignorance because to me the Denon sounded pretty damned good in the RB250. Thank you for your patience, rant over:steam:

When it comes to turntables and arms Droid, you are always safest choosing the preferred choice of the manufacturer. Without exception this is the same make. Trust them, they have probably tested exhaustively and with many items that would cost you a great deal to acquire.

[walpurgis]

When it comes to turntables and arms Droid, you are always safest choosing the preferred choice of the manufacturer. Without exception this is the same make. Trust them, they have probably tested exhaustively and with many items that would cost you a great deal to acquire.

A knowledgeable enthusiast will get fine results mixing and matching components of varying makes. A manufacturer will obviously tout their own products. I'm not saying 'one make' assemblages will not work, but there are always good alternatives.

[Joe]

A knowledgeable enthusiast will get fine results mixing and matching components of varying makes. A manufacturer will obviously tout their own products. I'm not saying 'one make' assemblages will not work, but there are always good alternatives.

The trouble with mix and match (an approach I use myself) is that the permutations are endless, and there are too many 'experts' out there giving conflicting advice on what combinations will and will not work. Trial and error OTOH can be expensive and frustrating.

[walpurgis]

Don't do it if you haven't a clue! Simple.

[walpurgis]

As to the original question. I've used the DL-103 with numerous arms. It will works in Regas, but is probably not at it's best. In my opinion, for similar money, an economic and better matched option would be a Linn LV-V with a beefy headshell. That works and sounds pretty good.

[Stratmangler]

Where's Marco when you need him?
I would have thought his experience with DL103s and tonearms would have been made a sticky.

[twotone]

I use a 103 on a Micro Seiki MA 202 9"arm it is sounds very good to me but my arm is from the same era as the Denon or almost.

[Barry]

I use (am using at the moment) a 'cooking' DL103 in an SME 3009 Mk.II arm fitted into the SME S2-R headshell with an additional lead shim. And it works very well, without any need for damping.

I suspect it might work better still when fitted into a Fidelity Research headshell, as they are heavier. I have on order two FR headshells: the S/2 at 10.2g; the S/3 at 20.6g which I shall compare with my S/4 shell at 14.6g.

Watch this space! :eyebrows:

[walpurgis]

Yes. That combination should work. The FR headshells will definitely add to the equation.

[twotone]

I use a MS HA 202 headshell, weighs about 10.7g I think and the cart has an isokinetic 3g weight glued to it so about 23g in total, I have another 2g weight that I could use on the headshell which I have tried but didn't notice that much of a difference though.

[337alant]

Steve,
I Have use quite e few RB250 and RB300s and they are good arms and could never understand the comment that they sound tonally Grey?, the Audiomaods kit opens them up significantly but I also noticed a significant step in the direction I like with a rewired SME 3009 ser 2

Alan

[Pete The Cat]

I enjoyed many a happy spin of a DL-103 on a RB300 (with a Garrard 401) a few years ago. There was nothing "wrong" with it IMHO. While there are obviously better arms around, I've had a heap of joy from several Rega / Origin Live arms.

Pete

[Marco]

Of course a DL103 will 'work' adequately well on an RB300, just not as well as it will on an arm that's better suited to the job in the first place! ;)

However, based on the sonic standards one is used to, one man's 'works' or 'adequately well' could be another's poor or distinctly average......

Marco.