Has anybody tried a Shelter 501/Linn Ekos comb.

I think I may know the answer. I had a lp12 and tried a 103d years ago. Like 15-20 years ago. The Denon cartridge does have a large body, it's not the mounting into the screw holes, it's that the cartrige hook up pins extend back into the tonearm hookup pins. It's a bear to get the cartdige leads connected...it's almost like the cartridge pins and the tonearm pins are alomost touching...no room for the little wires.

Again, this isn't a conclusive answer...but a theory.

Jfrech, thank you very much for your answer. At least now I have a theory! Being a social scientist I feel much better than yesterday ... Seriously, thanks a lot: what you are describing is exactly what the Linn dealer described to me few days ago. Pablo.

Pablo, looking back at my DL103 that is sitting in my RB600 Rega arm, the
Denon is slightly longer than the Kontrapunkt A I have. However it is sitting
much more to the front of the headshell so that effectively it does not extend
further into the back than the Kontrapunkt. It might be possible that in order
to achieve the correct geometry (using a DB protractor) the cartridge has to
sit more forward in the headshell, so that there is no problem with the
hookup pins hitting the tonearm pins on the Ekos as well. Did your dealer
check the alignment correctly?
TWL is probably right in that the Shelter is a better cartridge anyway (still
hoping to hear it someday). Can't argue with him. However the size/length of
the cartridge won't tell you very much wether it will extend to far to the back,
since that will depend also on the cartridge alignment to achieve the correct
geometry. It might be worth trying to shift the arm slightly forward so that
the cartridge can be mounted as far up front as possible.

Also I do remember seeing people use the DL103 with an Akito or Ittok arm,
can't remember the websites though.

Again, Good Luck!

Thank you Restock. I'll transmit the info to the Linn dealer. Pablo.

The Ittok headshell is a little longer than the Ekos so there's more room for the cartridge pins/wires. My Lyra Argo is a real tight fit in the Ekos so I imagine the Denon may be also.

I loved the Denon 103D cartridge I owned 20 years ago but I'm not sure the 103R is in the same class (spherical stylus). In an Ekos and comparable quality associated equipment, I suspect you could (should?) do better.

Keith