Denon | 110th Anniversary | Silver-Graphite Headshell and DL103

Nice, but 600 bucks? Is the headshell really graphite? Any graphite I have ever handled is usually quite lite-weight. I'm just glad they are making carts. The DL-103 and variants are my favorite carts.

BillWojo

I don’t think it’s heavy, the mass given for a DL-103 + Shell. Definitely not plastic like it was over 40 years ago. But the price is too high for a combo, this is why I’d like to buy just headshell, hope after anniversary adition they will make it available separately for realistic price. 

Do you have DL-103D ? @billwojo

I have a stock DL-103, a rebuilt DL-103S and a rebuilt DL-103 in a wood body. Both rebuilds were by Steve at VAS Audio. The 103S has an elliptical on the stock cantilever and the wood bodied 103 has a hyper elliptical with a new aluminum cantilever. I have a DL-103D and a DL-103R, both with broken cantilevers. I'll send them on to Steve down the road.
I know you don't like rebuilding carts but I have never paid more than 80 bucks for a "Core" that can be rebuilt. Rebuilding cost is very reasonable and I can just drop them off, Steve is only an hour from me.
I think the basic Denon DL-103 and it's variants have a dam good generator that makes a nice starting point. Heck, there is an entire cottage industry built around these carts.

BillWojo

So you never tried DL-103D with elliptical tip and higher compliance ? 
I bought this cartridge NOS just for fun, we will see 

I've heard good things about the DL-103D as well. Along with the DL-103S it's more a mid compliance cartridge so gets along with a lot more tonearms as well. It will be interesting to hear your comments on it. What arm will you mount it on? I'm thinking the Victor UA-7045 might be a good match.
BillWojo