Denon 103

andrew Ivimey · Post by **andrew Ivimey** » Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:41 am

I've been messing with an MM cartridge but thought it was time to get back to the real needle for vinyl reproduction.

I set teh 103 up for 2 grams and it sounded BAD, so moved to 2.3 grams and then remembered that I can't remember what the ideal tracking weight was.

So..... is it 2.3 grams or 3.2 grams - give or take, please ?????

pre65 · Post by **pre65** » Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:45 am

see this

http://www.avland.co.uk/aasp/denon/0920/dl103/dl103.asp

or

Denon DL-103 low output moving coil cartridge DL103

Denon Original moving coil stereo cartridge
Superior stability
Double layer cantilever construction
One point suspension
Output voltage 0.3mV (1kHz, 50mm/sec)
Frequency response 20Hz-45kHz
Output impedance 40ohms
Load impedance More than 100ohms
Channel separation More than 28dB (1kHz)
Channel sensitivity difference 1dB or less
Tracking tip 0.2mm special round
solid diamond
Compliance 5x10-6 cm/dyne (100Hz)
Tracking force 2.5g ±0.3g
Weight 8.5g

andrew Ivimey · Post by **andrew Ivimey** » Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:54 am

hmmmmmm okay. I'll sperryment.

Graeme · Post by **Graeme** » Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:45 pm

Ive been playing with Phils old 103 recently.

I can fully endorse removing the body and mounting it on an ally plate.

Ive also cut the cantilever off and spliced on a very nice tapered alloy one with a nude hypereliptical diamond.
This has made a huge improvement.

Is my 2nd attempt at this mod, i have one last cantilever which im going to use on a 3rd attempt, fitting it properly rather than splicing.

I keep toying with re-winding the coils in silver but could do with a broken 103 to try it out on first.

As for VTF, i was running at 2.6, running around 2-2.3 with the new diamond though.

andrew Ivimey · Post by **andrew Ivimey** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:07 am

Hmmm chopping chunks off the body is just going to make things less heavy! innit

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:29 am

Replacing the body altogether is recommended by quite a few http://www.cabezon.eu/product_info.php? ... aba97101e5

andrew Ivimey · Post by **andrew Ivimey** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:34 am

Yeah I know but what do you think the result would be if I took up a scalpel .... Would I still be interested in the faithful reproduction of music?

I'm doubtful.

I know a couple of peeps who have done this; plastic to naked to wood to aluminium. Stopping at a wooden body is the favoured flavour.

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:04 am

Thing is the aluminium body would give you plenty mass and would not distort from cartridge bolt over tightening, as well as removing the need for nuts to go on the cartridge bolts.

I understand your hesitance about using the scalpel though......

cressy · Post by **cressy** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 11:37 am

i took the body off a 103 and there was definitely an improvement, didnt add another body though. it was a pig of a job though. nerve wracking in the extreme. sadly it got broken very easily though. i used it on the idler i made out of a lenco and an lp12 before it got trashed

IslandPink · Post by **IslandPink** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:07 am

2.3 to 2.4g in my experience Andrew.
A bit more dynamics and tone there than at 2.5 . I know James agrees on this one too .

Anyone want a 103 btw ?
I have at least one surplus low hours one, just bought another 103R ...
Will advertise it some time soon .

Mark

audio-talk

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