I am amused reading this post. 80% of what was written was emotional nonsense. Has anyone participating in this post actually designed and built phono cartridges? I doubt it. A novice in this hobby reading this post would likely think he would need to use a dust buster to vacuum up the vinyl shavings on his record after playing it with a Denon cartridge. Stylus shapes, just as cartridge designs are as varied as the marketing guys that dream up the ads for them. In the end, various types of cartridges play great music through both tube and transistor amplifiers, using belt drive, rim drive or direct drive turntables. Every design solution has it's advantages and disadvantages.
I decided to try the Denon 103R this past winter when my old Koetsu died. I was curious to see how these inexpensive cartridges performed based on all the raves by people in these posts. I find it isn't bad, but has not been without it's challenges. It is true this cartridge does not work well with a low mass tonearm like my SME309. I had to buy a 4gm mass from England, made for the SME/Denon combo to get the System Fn right. I also find it touchy regarding static charge. I have to be very careful to make sure my records are neutralized through both washing and using my Zerostat. The Denon required some adjustments to VTA, I found, as it progressed through break-in. It got very edgy after about 40 hours, but raising the back of the tonearm (less VTA) righted things. After 3 VTA adjustments over the break-in period it now sounds pretty good. It is no Koetsu, but I find it musical and enjoyable. It tracks as good as any cartridge that I have ever had. I just finished playing Dreamboat Annie by Heart. I have a London pressing, which, if you can find one grab it. This pressing, from 1976 is very quiet and of course, dynamic. I was getting goose bumps from this album. I love it when that happens, and it didn't take a $3000 cartridge to do it!
I decided to try the Denon 103R this past winter when my old Koetsu died. I was curious to see how these inexpensive cartridges performed based on all the raves by people in these posts. I find it isn't bad, but has not been without it's challenges. It is true this cartridge does not work well with a low mass tonearm like my SME309. I had to buy a 4gm mass from England, made for the SME/Denon combo to get the System Fn right. I also find it touchy regarding static charge. I have to be very careful to make sure my records are neutralized through both washing and using my Zerostat. The Denon required some adjustments to VTA, I found, as it progressed through break-in. It got very edgy after about 40 hours, but raising the back of the tonearm (less VTA) righted things. After 3 VTA adjustments over the break-in period it now sounds pretty good. It is no Koetsu, but I find it musical and enjoyable. It tracks as good as any cartridge that I have ever had. I just finished playing Dreamboat Annie by Heart. I have a London pressing, which, if you can find one grab it. This pressing, from 1976 is very quiet and of course, dynamic. I was getting goose bumps from this album. I love it when that happens, and it didn't take a $3000 cartridge to do it!