Question on Denon DL-103 retipping options and preferences

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 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!    

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 

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. 

Chakster how many master tapes do you own.  What groups are they and and which albums.  What equipment  where  these tapes made on and what equipment did they play them back on to finalize  the finished product.  Also what  play back equipment  did you use in your  home to ,play the  master tapes back and what equipment  did you use to play your album on to know  your choices in cartridges  sound the same?

Also  on your reference system at home  does a Decca,  grado,  ortofon, AT,  grace,  denon,  sound like the master tape.  How about your  room at your house same condition  as the studio.   I am assuming  you have the same  speakers/ headphones as tape studio and equipment.  That just reminded me  all the studios did not  use  same equipment  so I assume  you have  list of the  studios equipment  which produced  the master tapes you own, so you can  set up  the right equipment  to AB to the cartridge  which is identical  to the master tape.

Are you using your 2 stage 2a3  SET amp to make these comparisons.   For the record I had a grace f9e for over 20 years  a nice polite  cartridge.  For rock and roll the denon will wipe the floor over the F9E.  A grado sonata will  beat up a F9e in rock and roll and was  never design  for that.  But maybe you do not  own a master tape with rock and roll on it.

Enjoy the ride
Tom

PS  I forgot to ask about the pressing  facilities and their equipment.   I have 3 different  labels for some of my favorite   albums . Quess what they all sound different.   Do not know which one sounded like the master , but I do have preferences  in my system.