Denon DL-S1 MC cartridge

[oldius]

It's not a bass monster IMO. It delivers high resolution in a natural, unforced manner.

[Bigman80]

It's not a bass monster IMO. It delivers high resolution in a natural, unforced manner.

No it's definitely not a Bass monster. It does have bass though, just not the quantity I'm used to. Doesn't make it a bad cartridge!!

Lots here to rave about. I will too when I have had a lot of listening to it.

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[Marco]

It's not a bass monster IMO. It delivers high resolution in a natural, unforced manner.

Spot on, Geoff. It's the cultured and more refined cousin of the DL-103, which *is* a bass monster. Both Denons have their respective strengths, and which one you enjoy most will largely depend on the music and/or recordings you listen to.

Plus, if you use the DL-S1 on the right turntable/arm, both of which intrinsically have no shortage of bass, and through a phono stage with a goodly dose of 'grunt', you're unlikely to find it lacking in the lower registers.

In comparison with most Ortofon MCs, which tend to superimpose their bass onto every recording, whether it should be there or not (a bit like some speakers do, which are purported as having good bass, but simply exaggerate it), the DL-S1 could be perceived as bass-light. It isn't; it's just more accurate and natural/unforced in its delivery of low frequencies.

It's fundamentally a very 'honest' sounding cartridge, and one for purists who appreciate some of its remarkable talents.

It tracks like a demon and cruises over 'difficult' material that some rather more expensive cartridges struggle with, and has one of the most lucid/liquid sounding midranges out with of a Decca, with similar levels of dynamic 'attack'. Plus, one of the most open and sweet sounding top-ends I've ever heard from a cartridge, married to an uncanny ability to unearth previously unheard information in familiar recordings, which can at times be rather unnerving....

At least that's how it sounded in my system, so I hope that Ollie's getting a nice slab of that, too!

Marco.

[karma67]

thats the main reason i didnt like the 103m,the 103sa did the bass and left the 103m sounding top heavy and thin,as you put it at the time marco,they are yin and yang

[Marco]

Yup, although a 103M, in the right system, shouldn't sound bright or thin, but it certainly won't have the low-end wallop of a DL-103, 'SA' or otherwise.

Marco.

[RobbieGong]

Spot on, Geoff. It's the cultured and more refined cousin of the DL-103, which *is* a bass monster. Both Denons have their respective strengths, and which one you enjoy most will largely depend on the music and/or recordings you listen to.

Plus, if you use the DL-S1 on the right turntable/arm, both of which intrinsically have no shortage of bass, and through a phono stage with a goodly dose of 'grunt', you're unlikely to find it lacking in the lower registers.

In comparison with most Ortofon MCs, which tend to superimpose their bass onto every recording, whether it should be there or not (a bit like some speakers do, which are purported as having good bass, but simply exaggerate it), the DL-S1 could be perceived as bass-light. It isn't; it's just more accurate and natural/unforced in its delivery of low frequencies.

It's fundamentally a very 'honest' sounding cartridge, and one for purists who appreciate some of its remarkable talents.

It tracks like a demon and cruises over 'difficult' material that some rather more expensive cartridges struggle with, and has one of the most lucid/liquid sounding midranges out with of a Decca, with similar levels of dynamic 'attack'. Plus, one of the most open and sweet sounding top-ends I've ever heard from a cartridge, married to an uncanny ability to unearth previously unheard information in familiar recordings, which can at times be rather unnerving....

At least that's how it sounded in my system, so I hope that Ollie's getting a nice slab of that, too!

Marco.

Pardon - Not in my experience Marco and I've had a good few of the their mc's - not at all.

In my experience their mc's are as you describe the S1, honest and I've always had a sense of them being true to the groove as they say.

I've found recordings do not sound the same and a bass light one is bass light, If bass is prominant then again you'll hear the weight of the bass line.

[Bigman80]

I have to say, Ortofon have made the best cartridges I've heard. The Vienna is just a completely different level and the Kontrapunkt b is only a step off.

Never would I have suggested the Ortofons superimposed bass regardless of recording.

Had you said ZYX, I'd have totally agreed.

If anything, I'd have said Ortofons can sound a bit "safe" Especially their lower cost MC carts like the Rondo red. I know you've used the Ortofons, Marco. Your opinion on the ones you've used, I'll completely accept but seriously my man, if you can ever get a listen to a Vienna, you'll know why I look for one online, three times a day, sometimes more. THE best cartridge I've ever heard.



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[karma67]

you are spot on in regards to the Vienna mate.

[Marco]

Fair enough dudes, I've not heard a Vienna, but the modern Ortofons I've heard tend to have somewhat of an unnatural tonal balance, which to my ears is just so different from that of their earlier stuff, such as the MC10/20/30, and especially SL-15 (and SPUs).

If you compared the likes of an SL-15 with *any* modern Ortofon MC cartridge, you'd hear *exactly* what I mean, trust me

My favourite modern Ortofon MC is the Cadenza Bronze (now unfortunately discontinued).

Marco.

[Marco]

This would be a great buy for anyone wishing to hear how Ortofon used to voice their MC cartridges, and who loves a 'DL-103 type of sound', but mixed with some of the talents of the DL-S1:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-ORTOFO...75.c4#viTabs_0



Marco.