Denon 103 Pro and his step up

[Historicus]

I have read on the audiocircle forum that Marco owns a Denon 103 Pro as I do.
A really great cartridge that has really more hights then the 103R and simply a better sound of another classe. I'm really happy about it (I use the 103Pro with a (japanese) Ortofon AS-309 S 13inch tonearm on an old Garrard 401 with a massive german plynth that sounds like a little Verdier!

I want to ask here if someone tried the step up of HIGHPHONIC HP-T5S with this cartridge and if it can compete with Denon's AU-S1 ?

Actually I use a twicked (better cables and cinches) Denon AU-300 that I want anyway to improve with a better product and that's why I'm asking your advice.

Ciao from Rome,

Piero

[Historicus]

Hi Marco, I need your answer!

Kind regards,

Piero

PS I choose the 103 Pro after reading an article of guru Reto Luigi Andreoli on the alternative magazine HiFi Szene from Swiss. This magazine doesn't exist anymore because was against any promotion and brain washing of the hifi industry. Reto Andreoli simply wrote what a nonsence was the philosophy of a VdH diamond referred on how records were pressed. For him a well combined 103 (heavy tonarm as Fidelity Research, Ikeda, 3012 + a massive player as a Verdier Platine) was the heaven of reproduction, at least, without any artefacts.
A swiss friend sold me one of his 103 Pro bought in Japan telling me that it was simply a cartidge of another level (better hights, great deepness, etc.) and he was really right!

[griffo104]

I use a Denon Au-300 with my Denon DL301ii, a nice little step up.

For Denon Dl103 (regardless of type) try and check the availability of an Audiotorium 23 (try googling that name). It's a German made step up transformer and is specifically made for the DL103. If you do a search on the Stereophile website you may be able to find the review on there (it was in Art Dudley's column).

By all accounts it's an excellent step up and Marco has used one.

[Marco]

Hi Piero,

Sorry for the delay, I've just been a bit busy lately

The Highphonic HP-T5S is a very good step-up transformer, and ideally matched to the 103Pro. I used to have one and sold it to Scoobs (Nick) who posts here before buying my Auditorium 23. He has since sold it on to someone else after himself buying an A23. It certainly works very well indeed but in my opinion it is not as good as the A23 or Denon AU-S1 (see links below):

A23: http://www.toneimports.com/auditorium23/a23stepup.html

Six Moons review: http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews...rium23/23.html

AU-S1: http://www.audiocubes2.com/product/D...ansformer.html

Much depends on how much you want to spend. The AU-S1 is priced on the Audiocubes website, and the A23 is £350 in the UK. You can email Tone Imports and find out how much they are to send to Italy and be informed of your nearest dealer. Keith Aschenbrenner, who designed the A23, is a lovely guy to deal with - a real enthusiast with a terrific ear for voicing hi-fi equipment.

He values tone and timbre, which sadly are qualities that are lacking in so much hi-fi equipment made now, particularly moving coil cartridges, which these days prioritise detail retrieval and 'clarity' (not how I would consider it in the genuine sense) above all else resulting in a somewhat 'forensic', clinical, portrayal of music that does not appeal to my ears. This is where classic cartridges such as the Denon DL-103, EMT TSD/XSD-15 and Ortofon SPU score over their 'forensic' counterparts. Keith also has a wonderful system which I'm sure you'll approve of!

You are absolutely right about the 103Pro. It is in my opinion the best of all the 103 derivatives, mainly because of the extended high frequency response to 55,000Hz (instead of the 45,000Hz of standard models). This gives it detail and clarity which other 103s can't manage, whilst retaining the bass drive and 'funky' sounding factor that the 103 is renowned for.

I hope that helps. If there's anything else you'd like to know just ask. If you'd like to know about the Audiocom modifications to the Sony X-777ES (as per your email) start a thread in The Digital Impression and I'll pop by and deal with it

Marco.

[Yomanze]

Hey Marco... I'm not sure if this 'extra clarity' will be due to the extended frequency range. Not even my STAX earspeakers go up to 55Khz and your Spendors are measured at 20Khz +- 3db. I'd not really expect to see anyone on this forum with speakers that extend past 30Khz.

[Marco]

Yom, you're right. But it's a bit like the effect of a supertweeter: you can 'hear' its effect, even though technically you can't, if you see what I mean. The extended high frequency response of the Pro also adds 'air' and 'space' to music.

It's about the knock-on effect, sonically, further down the frequency range where the ear is most sensitive that the extension to 55,000Hz is noticed. This is what makes the 103Pro special compared to other 103s

Marco.

[Chris]

Hi Marco et al.,
I´m using an AT-650 with my 103Pro into a P10/Sugden a21SE. It´s the only SUT I´ve heard and, living in the Canaries, am likely to hear unless I buy blind as I did with my 103Pro. How does the AT compare ? I´m having a Kondo rewire on my Ittok LV111 for Christmas and hopefully I will then be in a better position to appreciate what one of these SUTs can do. I rather fancy the Highphonics one - any idea of the price ?

By the way, would you contemplate a retip job for the 103Pro or do you favour staying with the original spherical one ?
Chris

[Marco]

Hi Chris,

Mmm, where should I start... First of all I rate the P10 and Sugden as excellent bits of kit, so you're fine there. However I'm afraid that an Ittok just isn't really suitable for a DL-103Pro, or otherwise. It's an excellent arm, but it really needs a Linn or a Lyra cartridge, or perhaps an OC-9 or AT-33PTG, which would work well with your AT-650 step-up transformer.

The problem with a 103 on an Ittok is that a) there isn't sufficient effective mass, particularly at the headshell, to optimise its performance, nor is the headshell large enough to accept its physical size comfortably, and b) the Ittok's mid-forward sonic signature doesn't suit the 103, as it possesses similar traits in that area. I'm sure you're getting acceptable results but it's far from an ideal combination.

The other thing is that I suspect your AT-650 will not provide the correct loading and impedance values which the 103Pro (or otherwise) requires. Ideally, although I appeciate the challenges in your part of the world, MC cartridges and SUTs should be purchased together as a combination and both designed together from the ground up. This is what happens, for example with the Denon AU-300 and AU-S1 devices and Denon cartridges, and what has happened with the likes of the A23 - it's why they work so well.

Depending on what's most important to you, I would either keep the Ittok and find a cartridge which suits it better, or if you really like the 103Pro, find an arm which it'll work with - something high-mass with a detachable headshell would be ideal, athough these are pretty thin on the ground, and then buy either one of Denon's own SUTs, a Highphonic, or an A23. You don't say what deck you've got. Given that you're using an Ittok I'm presuming it's an LP12. If so, again this is not the ideal deck to use with a DL-103.

As for re-tips, personally I'm not a big fan as I feel that they remove some of the original sought after character from cartridges, even though certain sonic improvements may be gained in other areas. Troikas are a good example - I don't think the ESco re-tips sound as good, and I've heard similar things happening with DL-103s. I'd be interested to hear how Nick (Scoobs) gets on with his recently sapphire-modified 103Pro. Perhaps this will be an exception to the rule

Marco.

[scoobs]

Hi Chris
Would I be right in guessing you post as Alvolake on the wam?

The Highphonics SUT new from Japan will set you back around £220 with import tax etc. I sold mine to a wammer (musicbox) who has recently been trying to shift it on...have you not seen it? I think he still has it.

Being the grateful recipient of Marco's hand-me-downs I also have a 103pro too...well it was a pro, it is coming back hopefully tomorrow with a sapphire cantilever and fancy paratracer stylus. Trouble is the guys at Expert Stylus Co have taken over 2 months to do this which is killing me now as I hadn't budgeted for a back up cartridge, and had I asked previously they would have sent me a stock 103 as a courtesy car(t) as these fellas work on 1908 timescales not 2008 I just hope I'm back tomorrow singing their praises as they are just meticulous.

You should also consider nuding your 103pro, as it responds well to the additional mass, and if, like me you're not convinced by the poor headshell/cart coupling interface of the 103.

Regarding the Denon AU-S1. I think this is really aimed at the ultra high compliance and ultra low output DL304 and top of the range A-S1. The best options for you would be the hiphonics, or a really nice letter to Santa asking for a Auditorium23, or perhaps a CimeMag. Have a butchers here for details.

[Marco]

Regarding the Denon AU-S1. I think this is really aimed at the ultra high compliance and ultra low output DL304 and top of the range A-S1.

Did you mean the DL-S1?

I'm pretty sure that's not the case, mate, regarding the DL-304. If anything it's the opposite. I'd imagine that the DL-103 and top of the range DL-S1 are more fussy with step-up transformers than the DL-304. I know where you're coming from, and I could be wrong, but most people I know who run DL-304s do so quite happily into active transistor MC stages.

With a 103Pro the best SUT, IMO, is either the top Highphonic one (I forget the model number, but it's up from the HP-T5S), a Denon AU-S1 or an A23.

Hey, you could have grown a big bushy beard by the time ESco have taken to do the mods on your cartridge!

Marco.