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Question on Denon DL-103 retipping options and preferences

I have been looking at getting a Denon DL-103 retipped and I have narrowed it down to getting it done by Steve at VAS or by Andy at Needle Clinic. 

Both companies approach to the DL-103 is very different and I am curious if anyone has heard cartridges from each or what you think that may be better for amazing sounding rock.

Steve recommends a wood housing and then will do a Boron/MR retipping, where Andy will modify the plastic housing on the DL-103 to convert it's enclosed outer body to a half nude body, lightening it up which he says will make it track better.  His conversion will be a micro ridge nude stylus (sapphire/boron cantilever) 

So as stated very different approaches, same cost for the most part, I have ruled Soundsmith out just based on time, I know Andy turns around in a day, but have read a lot about both so I figured I would ask the question to see where people lean more often.  I do already have an ebony housing, just want to get a cartridge that punches way above its weight.

If there is something I should look at outside the DL-103 I would be open to hear about it.

Just for the record this cartridge will be going on a SOTA Sapphire VI with an Audiomods series 6 tonearm and I have a McIntosh MP100 going to a tube rolled Schiit Freya+ driving by two Odyssey Kismet monoblocks and Martin Logan speakers.  
128x128justinrphillips
tomwh
150 posts
 
So if I understand  this correctly  you have had  this 103 and played it  long enough  to wear it out.  If this is the case what did you  like and  what did you dislike.  What kind of rock are talking about  Steely Dan or Metallica or  maybe some punk.  A  lot of rock albums  are lean.  A stock 103  can help bring them alive.  When you retip with the so called up graded cantilever and or stylus you give up some full body sound of the midrange for some  detail.  So depending  on gear, and tastes only you can make that decision.   For  the record I have  4 dl 103 and 2 103r.  2 retiped and 1 wood body.

Enjoy the ride
Tom
justinrphillips's avatar
justinrphillips OP
48 posts
 
So if I understand this correctly you have had this 103 and played it long enough to wear it out. If this is the case what did you like and what did you dislike. What kind of rock are talking about Steely Dan or Metallica or maybe some punk. A lot of rock albums are lean. A stock 103 can help bring them alive. When you retip with the so called up graded cantilever and or stylus you give up some full body sound of the midrange for some detail. So depending on gear, and tastes only you can make that decision.  For the record I have 4 dl 103 and 2 103r. 2 retiped and 1 wood body.
Not quite I was able to grab a 103 with a broken stylus for a steal (just the tip of the needed broken off) So I have a broken on I was going to get boron/mr work on with an ebony body which should only cost be about $560 when its all done $80 for the cart, $80 for the body, and $400 for the boron/mr work.  Not looking for the Denon sound (although now I am wondering) just looking for a great MC cart that will make me happy with rock and jazz until I can afford something a bit more expensive. 
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@chakster what would you recommend for rock? Want to keep it an MC cartridge.

Better value is MM or MI with user replaceable stylus, mid or high compliance, advanced stylus profile and the sound like a master tape with any genre of music including rock. Some nice MM cost no more than $700, but what is your budget? I like Grace cartridges (for example).

With any cheap MC you have only 600 hrs - this is more or less a life span of the elliptical tip (and you can’t replace the stylus yourself, so add re-tippers service fee, you already know it's time consuming process, in the end even "cheap" MC is not cheap, so many limitations). I like MC cartridges, but mine are expensive. There are no direct preferences when I compare some of the best MC and some of the best MM/MI. It's better to have both types!    


justinrphillips's avatar
justinrphillips OP
48 posts
 
Better value is MM or MI with user replaceable stylus, mid or high compliance, advanced stylus profile and the sound like a master tape with any genre of music including rock. Some nice MM cost no more than $700, but what is your budget? I like Grace cartridges (for example).

With any cheap MC you have only 600 hrs - this is more or less a life span of the elliptical tip (and you can’t replace the stylus yourself, so add re-tippers service fee, you already know it's time consuming process, in the end even "cheap" MC is not cheap, so many limitations). I like MC cartridges, but mine are expensive. There are no direct preferences when I compare some of the best MC and some of the best MM/MI. It's better to have both types!  

The real question is how do I stay an audiophile while going through a divorce and no longer have the budget I once had.  Some days I wish I picked a cheap hobby 
aberyclark
1,355 posts
 
You could get a cartridge like the Ortofon 2m Bronze and then upgrade the stylus to a 2m black down the road. If I recall, you can do the same thing with some lines of AT MM cartridges that share the same body. 
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