My five cents. What both posters above have said, evidently. So I am a sole Denon DL-102 cartridge user for more than 7 years now. And I am at my fifth Denon DL-102 from which 2 only were bought "new". So I do use them to the "bone". Originals have 'nude' styluses. I've had one re-tiped bonded and bought a used one re-tiped bonded. Both sounded different than the 'nude' (like a bit more "cold") and wore out faster. I will currently have one playing and four sent to be re-cantilevered with a nude stylus to the same specs as the originals. Honestly I can't go back to moving magnet cartridges anymore.
The Denon DL-102 requires very heavy effective mass on the tonearm to perform as it should though. Then loaded between 100 to 200 Ohms. On my system I've set by ear the capacitance to 100 pF and the gain to a loud 60 dB. It truly performs with depth, 'enough detail and is capable to present a big enough frequency spectrum to present a BIG sound stage. All of that, which is plenty enough for me while remaining very "musical". Much more than "analytical". Being no audiophile, I want my music to be rocking. This transcription cartridge does that perfectly for me. Only minding the stylus swap issue...
- Cart Denon DL-102 in bakelite Ortofon SPU 'G' type headshell
- TA SME 3009 'Improved' converted in heavy mass with detachable headshell
- TT Thorens TD160 'E' totally tweaked driven by an 'Eagle & RoadRunner' PSU & tachometer combo
- Matts top to bottom: leather, cork, felt & 12" vinyl
- Pre-amp 'Modulis' Isem
- Amp 'Exampli' Etalon 2x40W
- Speakers 12" Leak 'Sandwich' first generation creatively recapped