What is "rich mans" DL-103?

I think "delicate" is often quite desirable actually. If the real thing is "delicate", then it should be reproduced that way, but I'm not sure reality is always necessarily "delicate" or even "subtle". It may not be as pleasant or perhaps even as perfect to listen to, but a lot of live music is definitely not "delicate" nor "subtle".

So if a cart always sound "delicate" or "subtle" that may be a pleasant and even desirable thing, but not necessarily "real".

I suppose one way to look at it is if "real" could always be made to be "delicate", that might not be a bad thing.

I was running a Dynavector XX-2 and tried the Zu. Sold the Dyna and never looked back. The Dyna had slightly sweater highs, but overall the Zu was better to my ears, and tracked better. I had siblance on a few albums I could never get dialed out, but with the Zu there's not a hint of it. For $400 it's a steal and I'm not so paranoid about someone bumping into my TT anymore either.

I am enjoying my zu 103r very much, I just added the rim drive to my tt which made a gigantic improvement to my setup, but nonetheless it's the zu that's playing and it's great.
Upon listening to ela, just sounds so damn live it's shocking! I am not regretting any decisions on which components I gathered.
Next move will be to put back the atma-sphere m60's to use.

Unrelated and boring: Can someone explain the sonic difference between the 103 and 103r?

I recently mounted a Uwe wood body (Panzerholz)103 on my spacedeck. Very impressed. This is in direct comparison to a Virtuoso Wood MM. I prefer the Uwe/103, which has less speed and clarity then the Virtuoso. But it has, ..how do you say in English.. "tonal density"? .. not objectively better, just more fluid, less cd-like or mechanical.

I normally listen to a (currently damaged) Zyx Airy3SB. Denon is tonally opaque, thick and clunky in comparison. To my ears, the refined qualities, or "delicate" aspect of the Zyx has to do with successful reproduction of minute tonal shadings and dynamic subtelties. Rather then an intellectual/audiophile wow! response I get from other cartridges/systems with hyper detail, the Zyx nuance results in a deeper emotional connection to the performance. On topic: I heard an EMT that is perhaps the sound you're looking for... of course that was an all EMT TT/pre & cartridge..

Queg, I'm now running a Soundsmith-retipped (Optimized Contour Line Contact stylus assembly) DL-103 in a Uwe PanzerHolz body and it sounds fantastic. A thorough-going refinement of the Denon DL-103, it accentuates all the finer qualities of this cart and adds new levels of dynamics and openness on my "hybrid" JMW arm (10.5 base, 10.5 armtube, 12.7 pivot point assembly).

I'm familiar with one Zyx Airy 3 and am frankly puzzled at the popularity of this cart. Sparkly highs, good bass, but a recessed midrange. Didn't do much for several audiobuddies and me, as heard on an awesome system and compared with a Cardas Heart and Koetsu Black and Rosewood carts. Frankly I'd rather have my modded DL-103. Obviously your mileage varies! Dave