Cartridges.

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Paul Barker
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#1 Cartridges.

Post by Paul Barker »

Pooh, was setting up my Mayware formula IV after many years in mothballs. after finished saw the cantilever of denon 103 bare bent ta 90 degrees. Naturally tried to bend it back which completely finished the job of destruction.

So, one reason Ive been quiet in here but by no means not the only reason, other reasen better not voiced, is that now I work in social housing sector and see so much abject poverty hardship and life ruination due to the vicious vindictive austerity measures, that I am not here to debate with you. I see the result which is sending real living people toward destruction and unbelievable hardship.

So, my resources are following my heart. I cna no longer justify the luxuries of this persuit we are here on that I have reveled in myself.

But I think I could justify a cartridge fix as when I put my old Ortophon sl15 on inplace it sounded so much better thatn digital sources. But its really time to decide now.

Options are send my dvxx1l to Dom (probably would use Dom) for repair. Or Send my hiphonic to Dom. Or buy a cheap cart i.e. another Denon 103 basic which I would bare as that seems to improve them for me.

Any votes or alternative ideas?
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#2 Re: Cartridges.

Post by cressy »

Ive a 103 you can have for Nowt, and an m55 with a new stylus I could send up to you Paul?,
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Ali Tait
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#3 Re: Cartridges.

Post by Ali Tait »

Nick sent me a 103r retipped by Van Den Hul to try which both Andrew and I thought better than a standard one.
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Paul Barker
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#4 Re: Cartridges.

Post by Paul Barker »

cressy wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2017 1:48 pm Ive a 103 you can have for Nowt, and an m55 with a new stylus I could send up to you Paul?,
Yes please?
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Paul Barker
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#5 Re: Cartridges.

Post by Paul Barker »

Ali Tait wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:38 pm Nick sent me a 103r retipped by Van Den Hul to try which both Andrew and I thought better than a standard one.
Thanks for the info.
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#6 Re: Cartridges.

Post by cressy »

Pm me your address Paul i'll get it off today
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#7 Re: Cartridges.

Post by cressy »

Also look at the audio technica at f7, i know I keep banging on about these, but i think that for the money (around 200 quid) that they punch above their weight by a long way
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#8 Re: Cartridges.

Post by DSJR »

You're gonna kill me but a Denon 103 in that resonant old tonearm designed for high compliance ADC's? The only time I heard a Formula 4 sound any good (I set up dozens in my former life) was with a Sonus Blue and the pair really sang together. As any Sonus cartridge would be suspect today, I'd suggest an AT440MLb or AT150 as a modern alternative that needs a little damping or possibly an Ortofon 2M Bronze at a pinch.

Some people feel that MC types really are better than MM's and maybe because the vinyl loses so much, the extra 'dynamics' in an MC kind of makes up for the losses in the vinyl. The AT F5 was always a rather rude-n-crude but eternally endearing cartridge well suited to an RB 300 for example, the F7 should hopefully be better. Again, I have doubts as to whether the very low mass Formula 4 is suitable, but it's suck it and see time I suppose...

Save the 103 for a massy damped tonearm, the Jelco being about the cheapest. No idea if they ever come up, but the Grey (Gray?) tonearm could be an amazing match to a 103 (same 'period' too), although I've never used one.
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#9 Re: Cartridges.

Post by DSJR »

P.S. Sadly, Audio Technica are playing the inflation game as Dynavector and Ortofon have done over the years. The 440MLa became the 440MLb for a while and the price rose a little, now the 440 is called a 540ML and the price has shot up to around £250 or so. If the AT-F7 appeals, grab it before it has a tweak (audible or otherwise) and goes up to £300 :roll: :evil:
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Paul Barker
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#10 Re: Cartridges.

Post by Paul Barker »

Thankyou for that info. Shows how little I know.
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#11 Re: Cartridges.

Post by DSJR »

I bet you know plenty :D I just happened to be an eager player at a prime central London HiFi store in the late 70's setting up most of the turntables we sold, including a growing number of LP12's :oops: :alien:
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#12 Re: Cartridges.

Post by shane »

Having used a Formula 4 with a Denon 304, it helps to slide the VTF weight right up behind the head shell. Not only does this put some useful mass right where you need it, but it also means that the counterweight has to be moved much further back to set the VTF, thereby increasing the overall effective mass, which increases with the square of the distance from the pivot.
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Paul Barker
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#13 Re: Cartridges.

Post by Paul Barker »

That is where it is Shane by luck rather than judgement.
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#14 Re: Cartridges.

Post by IslandPink »

With the Mayware for the 103R you put a 6g ( or more ) weight of lead plate on the headshell and a heavier counterweight. It's not at all resonant - that's the point of why it's good. I moved from the Origin Live Illustrious to the Mayware with the 103R and with the mods I made , never looked back. This was advice from James D , who you newcomers don't know. I can't think of anything that James advised us that was wrong.
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#15 Re: Cartridges.

Post by pre65 »

When I used a DL 103, I had a 20p coin on the headshell and balance weight further back. Might even have been a heavier balance weight, can't remember.

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