Deep breath- carts for around £300

[muffinman]

Ta for the ideas. I'm posting on my breaks atm. Leo, the expert cartridge link gives me no clues. Do I ring them and ask for one?

[Dave Cawley]

I'll beat anyones prices, provided you mention AOS of course!

Dave

[lazyscott]

Leo, the expert cartridge link gives me no clues. Do I ring them and ask for one?

Hi,
yes, just give them a call 01372 276604 or email info@expertstylus.co.uk and have a chat with paul or if you're lucky wydnham. The mod is a sapphire cantilever with their own diamond - that costs £180 + cost of doner 103 (£100)

if you can find a trashed one they will check it suitability for modding for £40 which they take off the cost of the work should you go ahead - (that's what i did)

Leo

[lazyscott]

Hi Marco
thanks for the reply, i had obtained some headshell weights from J7 @ Audioorigami, but have yet to try (need to find longer screws) i did try sticking the weight from my cartidge scales (5gms) onto the headshell - did beef up the sound though looked erm daft!

Leo

[muffinman]

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for not getting back sooner. I've been busy at work, reading your posts with interest and doing some ringing around.
Many thanks to Dave Cawley for his kind offer

i've sourced decent prices for most of the mentioned carts.
However i've got a really good offer on a dl304. i've had one before and was very happy with the sound (until the stylus went missing).
I'm a touche concerned about the low output but that would also be the problem with the SA
basically outputs are:
304 - .18
103 - .25
AT - .4

and my current cart outputs .3
I think the 304 will sound great on the terminator - any thoughts?

[Tony G]

The DL-301 II is probably cheaper than any of the above and provides 0.4mv output - which addresses your output concerns.
Check the review on the wam and make sure to follow to post # 22 for final conclusion after adjusting VTA, his initially lukewarm response changes to very positive.

My own observations on his review, he is using the same arm as I do, he is also (at the time of review anyway) using the relatively cheap Denon AU300LC SUT - which I also used initially.
Using those components he is preferring it over his previous Lyra.
I changed from the SUT to a GSP audio Exp and the improvement was not subtle.

From a purely selfish POV, I would be more interested if you try one of the lower compliance cartridges, just so I can read about how the Terminator handles it, but I can give very serious recommendation to the DL-301 II as a ridiculously good cartridge at a very competitive price.
Also worth noting is that the poster (think he has posted here also) is not apparently a fan of the DL-103 from some of his other remarks.
Given the improvement I heard in the plain vanilla DL-103 with the Exp v the AU300LC - I have to wonder how many have heard what that cart can really do given the opportunity.

[Sgt.Pepper]

Do you think the trannys in the ps3 would not be upto the job?

For me the DL103 sounds best with the PS3 SUT's at 10X loaded with 100R on the primary and 1M on the secondaries, do use good quality resistors for this as it does show poor ones up,I used AN tants 1w on the primary and some Takmans on the secondary.
Do a search on WD forum for more info about the loading.

If you go for the 304 just use the same loadings but with the SUT's wired for 20X,sorted ,fab cart.

[muffinman]

Cheers Paul.
I got my PS3 just around the time my stylus started to disintigrate so never really heard it through the amp. When I had it on my dino+/evo/gorb I was well happy with it

Couple to the fact that I'm getting it for 100 of your earth pounds less than the other carts mentioned - I think my mind is made up. Hell, if I don't get on with it, I should be able to sell it straight on without too much loss

[jandl100]

The DL-301 II is probably cheaper than any of the above and provides 0.4mv output - which addresses your output concerns.
Check the review on the wam

I've recently picked up (boom-boom! ) a Mk1 DL-301. And very nice it is too - I prefer it to my old 103.

Here she blows ...

[Tony G]

Good to hear it is doing well.
Not hard to see the family resemblance to the DL-110/160 body and stylus guard arrangement.
IIRC I read, some time ago, reports of unused DL-304s occasionally being defunct after long storage and warnings regarding buying NOS on that account.
Just a BTW comment, yours is obviously fine and I do not recall the reports extending to the 301 anyway.
I very much like my mark II, particularly with classical.