Denon 103 Pro and his step up

[scoobs]

Funny enough Marco, I haven't shaved since last friday, as I have the week off work.

Just looking at that link again and came across his 1210 page...interesting.

[Marco]

Interesting link (the first one). The CimeMag looks like another viable SUT option. I had to chuckle at this bit, though:

As has been recently said:

"The Denon DL-103 enjoys to right since 1962 (!) Cult status with innumerable music lover. In spite of the bargain entry, this system resides almost always in very expensive and ausgefuchsten units. For the Japanese broadcast conceives, conquered this hochaktuelle classic, style just in heavy, robust tone arms e.g. a SME 3012-R since then the entire world. The DL-103 is with security of one of the tonal most balanced cartridges, that there is. It plays warmly, mightily, voluminous, incredible dynamically, enormously bass festival and in addition with a means area and high tone area breach loose subsequent itself."

"As has been recently said" indeed! Yeah, I couldn't agree more

The stuff in the second link is a bit too 'home-made' looking for me. I'm not sure I'm into strapping brass pipe caps to the end of my tonearm. I'd far rather have one of Thruno's lovely polished solid brass designs!

Marco.

[scoobs]

Hmm...now I just need to remember where I put that whale oil I had hanging around, and Marco needs to recall how J7 flushed out and re-oiled his bearing. lol

[Marco]

LOL. Indeed, but that made a big difference and doesn't look butt-ugly!

Marco.

[Mike]

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

Well, in their defence I feel obliged to point out it's a very small and very busy outfit.

On a positive note; when I've used them in the past I've never had ANY complaints whatsoever about their craftsmanship. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[SPS]

I'm also interested to see how these retips sound

a few months ago i got my hands on an old 1962 shure M3D, they are quite rare broadcasting mm cartridge, and where in the same price league as an spu, it has an orginal stylus, but it is damaged..

About a month ago i got hold af a jelco replacement, and it has taken some breaking in and setting up..
but i've got there, it produces a big smooth musical sound now, records sound like music, not fantastic detail but very good, more listenable than the kesiki or the lyra i had before it.

it needed alot of mass, i have it on the fidelity research arm, on a thorens 124
i've had to add even more mass to the headshell..

i have been pondering about getting the original sylus retipped

must say i'm very impressed as it is...

steve

[scoobs]

Well, in their defence I feel obliged to point out it's a very small and very busy outfit.

On a positive note; when I've used them in the past I've never had ANY complaints whatsoever about their craftsmanship. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Yes they are very busy, especially with this new 103 mod, and I feel guilty for saying what I said. It's just I've have had two separate delivery dates come and go now Here's to another evening of CD replay.

[Chris]

Hi Scoobs,
yeah, you clocked me good and I used to be no-vice on the Mana forum which is where Marco and I first met. He´s responsible for the dirty great 6 gram glob of Blutak I have on my Ittok ´tho Thrunobulaxx has since made me a rather spiffing brass weight for my headshell which I haven´t yet fitted ´cos my arm is about to travel tae Glasgae ta see yon J7 for some Kondo stuff - if the effect of the Cardas rewire on my mate´s Ittok is owt to go by, the SUT, whichever one I finally go for, is up for a kick in the ass.
Will report soon.
Chris

[Marco]

Hi Steve,

a few months ago i got my hands on an old 1962 shure M3D, they are quite rare broadcasting mm cartridge, and where in the same price league as an spu, it has an orginal stylus, but it is damaged..

Like this? http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...3-04-06238.jpg

They're excellent old things and have soul, emotion, and realistic 'tone' in spades, similar to the DL-103 and SPU - exactly what is missing with about 95% of modern cartridges. Any true vinyl aficionado should do themselves a favour and hear one with a suitable turntable and tonearm. For a similar thing try a Shure SC35C, which is the modern equivalent (the body is unfortunately plastic but the generator and stylus assembly, though detachable, are similar):

http://www.bswusa.com//product_popup...shur_sc35c.jpg

It's touted these days as a 'DJ/scratch cartridge', but mounted on the right turntable and arm, it can sound truly magical (it also has bass to die for) - and it's cheap as chips, as with the DL-103 for very similar reasons (economies of scale).

About a month ago i got hold af a jelco replacement, and it has taken some breaking in and setting up..
but i've got there, it produces a big smooth musical sound now, records sound like music, not fantastic detail but very good, more listenable than the kesiki or the lyra i had before it.

Lyras are clinical, frigid, things in comparison. Jonathan Carr seems like a lovely chap, but I hate the way he voices his cartridges!!

it needed alot of mass, i have it on the fidelity research arm, on a thorens 124
i've had to add even more mass to the headshell..

For an elegant solution, since you've got a detachable headshell arm, use one of these - 18g mass and with almost zero resonant properties:

http://www.audiocubes2.com/brand/Aud...ead_Shell.html

But the cost might be an anathema to your D.I.Y sensibilities

Marco.

[Marco]

Well, in their defence I feel obliged to point out it's a very small and very busy outfit.

Don't get me wrong, Mike, I know where you're coming from but I have to disagree. I run my own business from home as a 'one-man band' and have in the past taken on more work than I can realistically handle. Thing is, it's ultimately counter-productive because when you can't deliver orders placed by customers in the timescale agreed then in the long term it's doing your business more harm than good as customers will get fed up waiting and in future go elsewhere.

There is simply no excuse for an established company like ESco, who've been trading for a number of years now, taking months (in Scoobs' case) to deliver orders. You take on more staff, move to bigger premises, or do whatever you have to do to guarantee an efficient service. If you're getting enough business (which by all accounts ESco are) then you should be able to afford the cost of higher overheads - even if you have to increase your prices slightly most customers would rather that than having to wait months for their goods!

Much as I sympathise with running a business myself, and being under pressure to deliver products often within very tight timescales, there is simply no excuse for such production delays. I certainly wouldn't give ESco my business, no matter how good the job was, for that reason because all they're doing is trying to make as much profit as possible at the inconvenience of the customer, hoping they'll put up with it, instead of investing profits made in more manpower, machinery and/or bigger premises to cope with the demand for their services and thus pass on increased production efficiency to the customer.

That's a no-no in my book!

Marco.