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Thread: What do we have here?........Denon 301 MK2

  1. #1
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default What do we have here?........Denon 301 MK2

    On loan from Jimbo, I have strapped this to my tonearm in preparation for a listening session tomorrow. Any one have any experience with one ?

    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    What is it? Looks like a DL something.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    The clue's in the title, daftee!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    Ah. Half asleep and shortly off to bed. You have to give the old guys a bit of leeway!

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Lol.... Don't forget your sleep cap and thermal PJs, granddad!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  6. #6
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Carlisle - UK

    Posts: 1,956
    I'm Ken.

    Default

    Yes I've used one, liked it a lot till the cantilever just fell out.

    Paired with a Pro-Ject Phono Box RS and a Trans-fi Audio parallel tracking arm on a Technics SL-1200 based, but highly modified deck.

    Good clean sound, punchy and detailed, maybe very slightly veiled in the lower mid range, but hardly noticeable. Much preferred it to a Goldring 1042 and Ortofon M2 Red in the same set up. Seems to handle surface noise very well.

    Hope that helps.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Looks good on that arm and matches your platter!

    I return to this cartridge often as it has a lot of great qualities and is certainly one you can sit back and enjoy. It lets you concentrate on the music and forget about analysing the 'hifi' aspects. It has a great midrange analogue sound and handles old records particularly well because of its spectacular lack of surface noise. This is the best I have experienced in that regard. Tracking ability is also second to none.

    For absolute detail and extracting the very last drop of information it is lacking but there again I don't think that this is what the Denon 301mk2 is about. It is really an easy listening, very good value for money MC cartridge which lets you simply sit back and enjoy the music. I would be interested to know how it compares with a 103 as it shares the same engine. Stylus profile,cantilever and body are however quite different.

    It is certainly a keeper in my book and a nice cartridge to have as a back up in the armoury.
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  9. #9
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    Looks good on that arm and matches your platter!

    I return to this cartridge often as it has a lot of great qualities and is certainly one you can sit back and enjoy. It lets you concentrate on the music and forget about analysing the 'hifi' aspects. It has a great midrange analogue sound and handles old records particularly well because of its spectacular lack of surface noise. This is the best I have experienced in that regard. Tracking ability is also second to none.

    For absolute detail and extracting the very last drop of information it is lacking but there again I don't think that this is what the Denon 301mk2 is about. It is really an easy listening, very good value for money MC cartridge which lets you simply sit back and enjoy the music. I would be interested to know how it compares with a 103 as it shares the same engine. Stylus profile,cantilever and body are however quite different.

    It is certainly a keeper in my book and a nice cartridge to have as a back up in the armoury.
    Well, Jimbo, that saves me writing what I think as it's like you've read my mind!

    Id also point out that it's sound has the right amount of "body" not thin, not warm but very believable. I like it.

    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bigman80 View Post
    Well, Jimbo, that saves me writing what I think as it's like you've read my mind!

    Id also point out that it's sound has the right amount of "body" not thin, not warm but very believable. I like it.

    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

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