Denon 103r ????

Pedrillo, I want to hear more about your K&K experience. How does it differ from the JLTI and 834P? What tubes are you using?

What load are you using for the 103R?

I've also struggled with the edginess of the 103R. I realigned it several times thinking it wasn't set up properly. I added mass to the tonearm to accommodate its compliance. I damped the plinth to death. I tried several phono stages (Phonomena, Wright WPP100c, WPP200c, EAR 834P). I tried different SUTs (Lundahl and Cinemag). I tried loading at 40 ohms, 100 ohms and 500 ohms. But after all this messing around, I still hear some edginess. What's a fellow to do? yes, yes, take the plastic body off and try an Uwe ebony body. That's not out of the question, but why not try something different altogether?

And that's what I did... I picked up a Grado Reference Sonata. It may not be the last word in high end carts, but you know what? It's so much smoother than the 103R. And there's no fussing with tonearm mass, loading, SUTs, extra ICs. Just get it aligned, sit down and relax. There's something about the Sonata that sounds very nice. The timbre is realistic. The bass is deep. The top end is smooth and free of glare.

I haven't lost hope for the 103, but I'm frustrated. It requires so much tweaking. FWIW, I strongly recommend reading Romy's rant: Denon 103: myths and the reality

Yep, sometimes it sounds great! I forgot to mention that too.

This may seem off-topic, but what tools and methods do you use to align your cartridge on your tonearm? I've been using the paper guide that came with my RB-300. Square carts like the 103 are easy to set up. Non-square carts like the Sonata are much more difficult. Would a protractor help align things more accurately? fwiw, I adjust VTA by sight.

This was one of the most informative DL-103 threads I've seen. Thanks to all for the great information.

I pulled out my exacto knife tonight and it took less than 5 minutes to take off the case. It was surprisingly easy. Now I need an Uwe body. Without a body there's no way to mount this thing.

I performed surgery on a standard 103. I'll keep my 103R for comparison until I decide to do the same thing.

I'm looking for comments on this if anyone has info to share. Thanks in advance. -Mark

03-17-08: Mingles
what tools and methods do you use to align your cartridge on your tonearm? I've been using the paper guide that came with my RB-300. Square carts like the 103 are easy to set up. Non-square carts like the Sonata are much more difficult. Would a protractor help align things more accurately?

Is it possible to remove the cartridge from Al's brass plate without damaging it? I'd like to try the plate first, then move on to the wood body.

Thanks Gadfly. I appreciate the info. I have a plate on order. :~}

I also contacted Uwe. The wood body is 100 euros (US$150 delivered) which is a bit more than I thought it would be, but if it delivers as much as everyone says, then it's worth the cost.

I got the brass plate mounted on my 103 and I hear a different cartridge. The brittleness in the top end has disappeared. The bottom end also seems tighter and better defined. Vocals and stringed instruments are more present and realistic. Stevie Nicks voice on Dreams (Fleetwood Mac Rumours) is stunning. In the past, it's felt congested and edgy on my system. That's gone now.

I sandwiched a thin piece of shrink wrap tubing between the brass plate and the tonearm. Some folks have recommended this as a means to damp. I was extra careful aligning the cartridge. The exposed cantilever makes it easy, but I wanted to make sure I got it right. I added weights to the RB300 bearing joint (Twl's tweak). And I used the weight adjustment on the Tecnoweight to set the tracking force (2.5g) rather than the spring-loaded knob on the RB300. It's probably a combination of all these things that are creating the improvement, but the end result is wonderful. The cartridge is more enjoyable and less fatiguing than I ever remember it. An ebony body will come at some point, but I'd like to settle in with this new arrangement for a while.

Pedrillo, a K&K is definitely in my future, but the tax man will delay its arrival for a few months ;~}

What are you loading your 103R at? Have you tried 14 ohms?