TIME to break in a Denon 103R

Hey Johnnantais, there's something I mostly agree with you on. And also what Patrickamory is saying. I've had the venerable V15VxMR and a Benz Glider against the 103R. Both of these MC's track as well as the Shure. The combination of 103R/Vector was easily my choice over the Glider on a Graham 2.2. Now maybe it wasn't the absolute best with micro-dynamics, buth the 103R on a Vector was very musical but also had much better detail, quite surprising detail and bass. I can understand why Thom Mackris used a 103R for so long when traveling around. I think this also is in parallel with what Physicanimal is saying regarding trackability. The arm really does have a great impact on how this cartridge performs. (Well, duh, Dan.) I've gone back to an RB 300 recently as a temp solution until new toys arrive, but I can readily see where the Rega is lacking after having some much better arms to listen with. Still, one could do alot worse.

Back on the subject of surface area and the conical shape. I seem to recall some pictures posted somewhere on this subject, and I do see this under magnification. If you look at the 103R stylus head-on it does have a conical shape. If you look at the stylus from the side, it more resembles a ax head. Like if you take a cone and stretch it along one axis that is parallel to the groove. This shape results in ample surface contact area even though it is not very deep in the groove. From what I understand about the development of this cartridge, it makes sense. Much like Psychicanimal has posted, many others have confirmed that the 103R does seem to play LP's that are not in the best of condition better than some other cartridges. I think it does pretty good on LP's that are in great condition as well.

This is getting good...

Can anybody offer their experiences on how long it takes a group of audiophiles to agree on whether a cartridge is any good?

I've heard anywhere from 5 years to 100 years or more. ;-)

Actually, Doug, there are several issues at once here, besides breaking in (an unavoidable process). Record wear, trackability, stylus shape, the inadequacies of the analog medium and the cash outlay necessary for making low output MC's (and other low output designs, like some moving iron cartridges). Something good should come out of this.

I recently found an Audio Tecnica AT-15S cartridge I was given by my father's friend who introduced me to high end when I was 14 years old. Also found a Shure V15 III he sold me for $30. I wonder if this $400 MM AT cartridge is essentially the same:

http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/it.A/id.3822/.f?sc=7&category=578

Perhaps John N. can shed some light...

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Psychicanimal, the vintage Audio Technicas sound nothing like the new family sound of overdamped bass and leaning-towards-the-bright current crop (which has advantages in too-warm or flabby systems however): they are rich, smoooooth and very very musical. The first of these superb vintage cartridges is likely the AT13 with various tips (Shibata/stereohedron, hyper-elliptical, elliptical, conical), moving through the AT-14, AT15 and then the AT20, each of which is superb, with the '20 likely being the best of the bunch. They still have a "neutral" flavour as compared with other vintage MMs like the ADCs. All of these are worth seeking out and trying, if one is into MMs. They also had a "TK" line (TK-9, TK-7, TK-5) which sounds rich and excellent. I haven't heard the latest '150, but I assume anyway it will have the current traditional A-T sound.

Hi Dan, while in Berlin recently I discovered an elliptical-tipped Denon DL-103 which I bought along with a new plain 103. I'll be comparing the two to see what pluses and minuses there are relative to each other, since there is some buzz that the conical tip is in fact responsible for its great sense of gestalt/organic wholeness. Phonophono in Berlin sells these retipped by a German fellow and orderable for 147 euros (!) from www.phonophono.de, though it isn't on their website (you'll have to ask for it specifically in an e-mail or phonecall). They are apparently modified from trade-ins by a man they call The Needle Man (apparently not many names for cartridge builder/modifiers). They claim this Denon DL-103"E" is greatly superior to the "R" version, to add to the confusion ;-)! In the meantime, I continue to be a great admirer of the plain DL-103. If the elliptical tip adds without subtracting I'll be one mesmerized fellow!