Question for you Denon DL-103 folks


Hi folks,

I recently bought a new Rega RP1 and I love it. This turntable is begging for a good cartridge, as it comes with the Rega Carbon (a re-branded AT), which is a passable basic cartridge but falls wayyy short of what this table can do. I’m temporarily going to swap it out for my Grado Black +, but I do not intend to use it over the long term.

I’ve been researching cartridges in the sub-$500 range, and the choices are endless. One cartridge that has captured my interest is the Denon DL-103. The reason why this cartridge appeals to me is that, based on what I’ve read, it leans a bit to the warm side, in addition to being a superb performer for the price.  I bring up "warm" because I’m using a Parasound Z-Phono, a Rotel preamp, and a Musical Fidelity power amp to run my Magnepans. The last thing I need is a bright or dry-sounding cartridge.   I also read a review where they said it worked fantastic with their Rega tonearm.  

Because I’m not planning on buying a new phono stage, or a step-up transformer, you guys can probably figure out why I’m asking for opinions/advice. My Z-Phono, which I enjoy quite a bit, has MC gain of 61db, and the minimum recommended gain for the DL-103 is 60db. Would it be risky to buy this cartridge and hope that it works with the Z-Phono? Does anybody have any input here, or recommendations for MM cartridges that are similar in sound characteristics to the DL-103? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
easybigfella

Showing 1 response by mapman

I’ve been using DL103R low out MC with my Linn Axis for years and think that setup is the cat’s meow in terms of overall musicality (the best I have ever had and I’ve gone through many quality budget cart setups over the years) and would have to spend a lot to do better in that regard.

Others might have more exact experience but if the DL103 maches up within reason on paper, and the tone arm is at least moderate mass, I can easily recommend to give it a try.