Has anyone heard the Denon 103-SA?

Dear Mapman: It fit in your tonearm or any other just like any other cartridge. This P-mount cartridge design comes with an universal 1/2" mount adaptor.

Mapman, the Azden is a vintage 15-20 years old cartridge with a quality performance that even any top rated cartridge at any price. Is there any risk? there is the risk usual in a vintage cartridge but maybe less because this one is a NOS sample.
In the last four years I bougth more than 30 vintage cartridges that till today performs splendid and when some one needs a new stylus/tip I send it to Van denHul and he fix it to original and new condition.

If you want to know more on this cartridge it is better that you go to the MM/MI thread where you can find some Azden cartridge owners that are satisfied with and that can tell you is worth every single cent on its very very low price.

If I was you I just buy it while it last, it is a jewel/gem that maybe in 48 hours you can't find it any more.

Anyway, your call: I don't receive any benefit if you buy it or not other that you be an Azden satisfied owner.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

I've been using Denon 103 variants continually since 1974. The SA has the essential qualities of the 103r, but with the usual advantages of a stiffer body. The advantages over the 103r aren't as great as, say, the ultra rebody and potting of the Zu103, but it moves the stock lossy body 103r in the same direction of more incisive, resolving, wideband sound.

Had an Azden back in the day. It was a startlingly good cartridge for its modest cost, but incapable of delivering the tonal density that makes a 103 so involving. Azden just delivers something good that's completely different.

All you youngsters relatively new to the 103 (ten years is nuthin'), keep a sharp eye out for any chance to land one of the increasingly scarce 103D versions. All of these hot-rodded 103 iterations -- good as they are (and I have some) -- bow to the elliptical errant lost son of the seminal 103.

Phil

In respect of its lowest possible price on the market, DL-103SA is well-built, sturdy, stable, with excellent trackability, suitable for a wide variety of medium and medium-high mass tonearms, low in residual/surface noise, not too "nervous" on older records, etc.

If your system can reveal the subtle sonic differences, the detail retrieval of 103SA is a tad better than 103R. In brief, it's one of the best MC carts made by Denon. But, IMHO, not a giant killer, just another reasonably priced MC carts. I still keep it as a back-up reference.

Best regards
Dan

I've migrated through the various 103's. Started with the original which is a great sounding cartridge for the money - in my opinion beats any MM or MC in the price range. I bought a lightly used 103R that I've been using for the past year. The 103R is definitely a step up from the 103 without losing any of the good qualities of the 103 like the solid bass. It just has more refined highs. Finally, 2 weeks ago I purchased a 103 SA. I found Needle Doctor to have the best price. My SA only has about 15-20 hours on it, but I find it slightly more detailed than the 103R. I love the 103R and to my ears, the 103 SA is better - not by a huge margin, but noticeable.

Question.

When one replaces a used cartridge with a new one of similar design in good working order, doesn't the new cart almost always sound better? Styli are subject to wear and tear every time you play a record and should be replaced or retipped periodically. High end and perhaps resulting detail are usually the first thing to be affected.