Since we are beating a dead horse thread..
You also forgot to add the price of the $600 Shindo interconnect from the stepup to the preamp.
$400 cart + $1k Transformer + $600 interconnect = $2100
That's a pretty nice cart! |
Paul,like I said before.Just buy the 103 or 103r and try one.You can get exactly what you paid for them if you do not like either one.You can pick the 103 up from a guy on ebay in spain for 158.00.Mine arrived in a week.The 103r can be had for 229-259 out of Japan.There is a reason why almost all of the europeon and japanese custom turntable guy's use these.They sound really good.How many cartridges do you know with a following like the Denon's.You can also mod these very easily,nude,wood body.Even Soundsmith is selling modded and unmodded Denon's now.A guy named Uwe makes fantastic wood bodies for these.Takes the cartridge to another level for a 100.00 bucks.The Jensen and K+K transformer's would give you a real good taste of the denon's for under 300.00.Would not lose any money on these either.Give it a try you might get hooked.Have a Happy Holiday,KP |
Beragamo, the problem is that if I buy one I will then HAVE to have the A23 SUTs - that's just me. And there goes another $1500 with the IC. :)
I bought a Koestu Black that came DAMAGED. Eventually I will get a replacement. Even though the Black sounded like crap, that magic mid came through, and I think it might be the last cart I ever want. |
12-12-07: Paulfolbrecht
I bought a Koestu Black that came DAMAGED. Eventually I will get a replacement. Even though the Black sounded like crap, that magic mid came through, and I think it might be the last cart I ever want. Art Dudley reviewed the Zu DL-103 in the Dec. '07 Stereophile, not long after he'd reviewed the Koetsu Black. In his Zu DL-103 review, he recommended the K&K Audio transformer ($275 kit or $335 assembled) as an "excellent choice." Compared to the Koetsu Black he says (in part): ...the Zu DL-103 bowed to no other cartridge in its great sense of impact without the slightest sense of strain.
What would you get by spending more money--say, $1600 for the Koetsu Black that I reviewed last July? In my system, the Black has lots of beautiful tone and texture, while sounding less colored, less pungent, than either version of the DL-103. But for all that, the Zu DL-103 in particular was capable of sounding bigger, and had a better, more impactful way with uptempo music. In that respect, the Zu was more stirring--more involving--than all but my Miyabi 47. Really.
In many instances, the Koesu Black ... had a prettier, even more realistic sound--a flute with a clearer timbral signature here, a more realistic guitar tone there--but for sheer fun, the Zu was usually the one I turned to. |
At $2,100, that combo is certainly worth careful consideration but also worth considering is a $2,100 cart has a limited life whilst in the Denon/Step Up combo, most of your money is tied into the step up which will last a lifetime (in good care). Btw, I wouldn't opt for $600 interconnects. Grovers would do just fine or are those interconnects required? I suppose most carts can be retipped a few times, however. |
