From the 'sublime' to the 'ridiculous' 🤪
It seems that with careful selection, one can get what one pays for with phono cartridges....
The best (in my case) being the $5,000 LONDON DECCA REFERENCEÂ and the $10,000 AS PALLADIANÂ
But the majority of audiophiles are not in the market for that kind of expenditure on a cartridge.
What can one purchase for a more modest $450...?
For decades....thousands of audiophiles have used the DENON DL-103R as their 'budget' LOMC cartridge.
Then there is the venerable SHURE V15/IIIÂ which can be purchased 'used' for less.
But most audiophiles will not accept or buy a 'used' cartridge with unknown provenance and usage hours.
For $200, one can purchase a 'used' V15/III WITHOUT its original stylus 😀Â
For $200 more....one can purchase directly from Jico....their famous SAS stylus on a Boron cantilever or for $250, the SAS stylus on a Sapphire cantilever.
This will give you, essentially a 'Brand New' Shure V15/III which is much improved over the original because of the radical profile of the SAS diamond and the more sophisticated cantilever.
Which one is better....? 🤔
DENON DL-103R
A 'Wall of Sound' that would make Phil Spector blanch...
SHURE V15/III/SASÂ
SHURE V15/III/SAS
DENON DL-103R
Listen at the 0.49 second mark for the 'ice pop' in the Scotch 🥃Â
It seems that with careful selection, one can get what one pays for with phono cartridges....
The best (in my case) being the $5,000 LONDON DECCA REFERENCEÂ and the $10,000 AS PALLADIANÂ
But the majority of audiophiles are not in the market for that kind of expenditure on a cartridge.
What can one purchase for a more modest $450...?
For decades....thousands of audiophiles have used the DENON DL-103R as their 'budget' LOMC cartridge.
DENON'S involvement with moving coil cartridges dates back to the 1930s when they were engaged in a joint R&D effort with NHK to produce a high performance and high reliability cartridge for broadcast use. The legendary DL-103 moving coil phono cartridge was introduced in 1963, which became one of the longest running products in audio history.ÂIt can still be bought today, 'brand new' for $450...
Denon collaborated with the Japan Broadcasting Corporation Technical Research Laboratories in 1963 to make this extremely reliable, high-performance low-output phono cartridge. As the first moving coil cartridge, the DL-103 will always be the standard of reliability in every aspect, even the price.
Then there is the venerable SHURE V15/IIIÂ which can be purchased 'used' for less.
But most audiophiles will not accept or buy a 'used' cartridge with unknown provenance and usage hours.
For $200, one can purchase a 'used' V15/III WITHOUT its original stylus 😀Â
For $200 more....one can purchase directly from Jico....their famous SAS stylus on a Boron cantilever or for $250, the SAS stylus on a Sapphire cantilever.
This will give you, essentially a 'Brand New' Shure V15/III which is much improved over the original because of the radical profile of the SAS diamond and the more sophisticated cantilever.
Which one is better....? 🤔
DENON DL-103R
A 'Wall of Sound' that would make Phil Spector blanch...
SHURE V15/III/SASÂ
SHURE V15/III/SAS
DENON DL-103R
Listen at the 0.49 second mark for the 'ice pop' in the Scotch 🥃Â