DENON DL-304. Is it the bargain sound or not?

I have experience with a 1970's predecessor to the Grado Gold and have been using an AT150MLX for the past three years. I have no experience with the Ortofon Black or other carts with Shibata stylii.

I will say that the diamond on the AT150MLX is extremely fine and well cut. It's a micro-line diamond, and the few other carts with micro-line stylii are much more expensive (~$2K) moving coil cartridges. It's similar if not identical to the micro-ridge stylus of the late lamented Shure V15VxMR.

The diamond on the AT150MLX seems to have a knack for sitting in a quiet unworn part of the groove (I have lots of used LPs). Being so precisely cut, the stylus rewards you with careful setup and easily reveals differences in VTA, overhang, and VTF.

The AT150MLX impressed me as a legitimate entry in the world of high end. It has a quickness, trackability, and resolution level I've never heard at that price or below. I can listen to very expensive rigs at my local high end stores, come home and spin up something with the AT150MLX and not feel like I'm missing much if anything.

I'd say it's at least the equal of the Rega Exact.

I would advise the Grado for your preamp.
The 304, as well as most modern MC carts, are not a good match for your preamp.

In any case, I have found the 304 difficult to set-up properly with a number of preamps and phono stages.

The 103R has been a whole different story, very easy to set up and easily matching phono stages or Sowter step up transformers.

I guess the more expensive 304 is more picky in its companions!

Thanks both of you for your answers!

Psam, the Grado gold I think that is a very good cart, but I suppose that is not properly shielded. I agree with you for 304, it is very difficult to match with my preamp and with more of other companies.

Johnnyb53, the Rega Exact has an output of 7,2mV vs AT that has 4mV! Although it has almost the double price of Audio Technica 150 MLX and better output, the AT kills Rega??
Wow! I think i should be run to buy it immediately! :-)

I will put it first in my list and I suppose that will be my final choice!

Johnnyb53, the Rega Exact has an output of 7,2mV vs AT that has 4mV! Although it has almost the double price of Audio Technica 150 MLX and better output, the AT kills Rega??

I'm not sure what the limitations are on your phono stage, but my AT150MLX has worked very well into the MM phono input of an Onkyo A-9555 integrated amp, the Cambridge Audio 640P, and my current phono stage, the Jolida JD-9A. The main setup limitation with the AT150MLX is that you keep the capacitive load including phono cable at 100-200 pF, preferably 150.

As to comparing it to the Rega Exact, I've heard the Exact several times at my local Rega dealer on a P3, P5, and P7. I've gone from that showroom immediately to my house 4 miles away and played the same LPs on my rig, and yes, the AT150MLX can extract an equivalent level of detail, fullness of body, and musicality, and track as well or better than the Exact. I don't think the Grado Gold is in the same league.

Hi John!!
In the below links you can see the specs of my phono stage Onkyo P-304 preamplifier:

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8180/onkyop308preamppage12ph.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6859/p304ompage10.jpg

I suppose that the phono input has 180pf (as shown from the schematic diagram)

My Technics turntable SL-1210 MK2 has the factory original cablew. This turntable is the last of Technics product production. The manufacture date is "October 2010), so the cables are from the last factory modification.

Can you help me to find the final capacitance, including cables & phono stage?

Thank you very much for your great support!!!