Make me feel better

David, a basic 103 is nice, but not as nice as what you had. It would work on the Alphason, but the highs would not be as nice as the R,S,or D models. It has a different(lower) compliance(same as the R model), and the S model and D model are medium compliance family. Your S cartridge shared more characteristics with the D model, than with the basic 103 or 103R. Unfortunately, the D model costs even more than the S model. I think if you really liked the S, then you should get it again, or else step up to a Shelter 501.

Tom-The biggest problem is finding these Denon's.
The 103 is a easy find but the others,well you know.
I'd buy a 103S again in a heart beat if I knew where to get one.
The Shelter is out of my price range.
Im leaning towards a used Grado Platinum .5mv
I had the 4.6mv version and really liked it.
The LO are better sounding,or so I've read.
My phono has 65db gain and my Alphason likes heavy p.u.'s so I have to be careful.The grado's are rather light so that may not be a good choice anyway.
I need a 103S again I'd say.
I can live with my SACD's until I find one.

You are not alone! I waited three months for a new Benz Micro Glider...Cost $800.00. When I was installing it on my arm the strong moving coil magnet pulled a small steel square I was using and clipped off the entire Boron cantilever at the base....Zero hours on cart. Replacement under 'OPPS' clause from Needle Doctor cost an additonal $400.00. After another two month wait I was very careful not to have any magnetic materials within 20 feet of that Benz! I was heart broken for a long time!
Regards

Quincy-MAN! Thats sad! I dont feel bad for myself anymore after reading that and other cartridge tragedies here.

Quincy, that's the cart I have now (M2 version, but I have to admit I was able to get away spending less with a trade-in [of my busted old AQ] and discount from The Elusive Disc, thank goodness...I also didn't have to wait like you did - what's up with that stuff?). Anyway, the thing that initially held me back the most was this cart's totally exposed 'nude' bodiless design, which won't even accept a stylus protector and doesn't come with one, a first for me. And that needle for sure does stick right out there, not to mention the generator assembly and those wires much thinner than a hair.

Now I'm used to handling this cart and don't feel so much like I'm living on the edge of disaster all the time, but suspect this level of comfort is illusory: Like you, I learned first-hand that when they say to watch out because the magnet is so strong, they aren't just whistling dixie. Fortunately, my stars must have been in alignment the day I unthinkingly brought this cart and a free piece of metal within several inches of one another - like an insaniac, I seem to have been seized by the momentary idea that I was going to use a steel jeweler's screwdriver to assist in dressing my headshell lead-out wires (Doh!!) - and I can confirm that unexpectedly experiencing an object ripped from your grasp and moving through space straight toward your cartridge at such a lightning rate of acceleration will definitely lose you a few heartbeats you won't be getting back anytime soon. I can still close my eyes and practically feel that sickening sensation at the moment of impact. Don't know how I ever escaped this one with zero damage done, but something tells me that in the end it'll only be a matter of time...

And the digital-only types wonder what makes us treasure so much our time wasted on vinyl-playing preparatories...Hey, as a thrill, it's safer than rock-climbing...