Good step up for DL103

[Cack Handed]

Can I have lots of suggestions of step ups to look into please chaps?

budget isn't set in stone but suggestions under £500 would be nice

Cheers,
"Bobby"

[Sgt.Pepper]

I would be tempted to give Audio Note a call on Monday,think their step-ups start at £500 ish,I borrowed a friends ANS2 not long ago and nearly wet my pants it was that good,bugger had the cheek to ask for it back too

[Songforyou]

Not sure if you are into DIY, but you can build one for about $150 (I'm in Canada). I'm not, so I had one built for me with Cardas RCAs and it was about $400. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find someone to do it for you.

I haven't heard the Au23, but it is around $1200 here. All reports are it does the trick and then some, but no one has ever felt short changed by the Cinemag. It is beautiful with the 103 (I have the Zu 103 on a KAB sl-1210).

Search the Vinyl Asylum for tons of info.

p.s. sold my Scout/Dyna 20x a couple of months back to buy a second sl-1200. Will be ordering another Zu 103 this week.

Happy Listening!

[Tony G]

Only 2 I have tried are the Denon AU300LC which certainly worked well (as one would expect) and the GSP audio Elevator Exp active step-up which is awesome - admittedly it is running into a GSP Reflex so some allowance has to be made for that - I found it hard to realise at first that what I had perceived as limitations of the cartridge were in fact limitations of the step-up transformer. The plain vanilla DL-103 through this pairing is one all singing all dancing class on a stick act.
IMO

[NRG]

Sowter make some really good sounding step ups. You'll need to house them yourself or find somebody to do it but its really worth the effort.

Some good info and chart here:

http://www.sowter.co.uk/phono-cartri...ansformers.php

[scoobs]

With that budget I would recommend the A23. There is only one supplier in the UK and they cost around £375 when I purchased one last year.

I would put the rest towards a re-tip for your 103, (£180) and then you'll really unleash the beast



Further info

[Cack Handed]

That A23 looks spot on, cheers for that.

Do you buy direct or through a dealer etc..?

[scoobs]

That A23 looks spot on, cheers for that.

Do you buy direct or through a dealer etc..?

thesoundpractice

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Cack Handed


Pure Sound have or are about to have a step up. If I know Guy, and I do a bit it will be a very good one. You could also look for a S/H High End Audio Devices (EAR) T4 The Head a Tim de Paravicini design... IMHO/E one of the best I have ever tried bar the very dear Audio Note ones. Carver MCt(an American company) also had quite a good cheap one...many years ago, for about £100 then....you might be able to get one S/H.

I also think Icon Audio have recently introduced one as well.

Some photos I have just taken tonight of the Step ups I have mentioned plus an Ortofon T20 mk2













I should point out however I have not tried any of these with a Denon 103.....perhaps Marco has and can comment tomorrow, when he's back from the show.

Regards D S D L----Neil

[Prince of Darkness]

You could give these a try,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PARTRIDGE-MOVI...3A1|240%3A1318

I got excellent results with something similar, and should be cheap. Alternatively you could try these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-AU-300LC...3A1|240%3A1318