Technics SL-23 TT opinions.. mated with Denon DL-103?

Of course not, ONLY heavy tonearm is a good match for a very low compliance cartridge like Denon DL-103. You are way off with Technics tonearm for low compliance catridges. You need superheavy tonearm for this cartridge.

Technics tonearm designed for MM cartridges, they are all mid or high compliance, but your Denon 103 is a low compliance.

Read this article first

Buy a decent vintage MM cartridge instead of DL-103 MC and you will have much better sound

Sure, you have to look for tonearm effective mass, not every manufacturer will let you know what is the actual effective mass, but this is the most important as you can read in the Ortofon's article: "Cartridge and tonearm systems resonance frequency." 

Cartridge dynamic compliance and Tonearm effective mass - this is what you have to take in count. 

I can't give you an example of the turntable with high mass tonearm if your budget is $150.

The best high mass tonearm is Fidelity-Research, but it's about $1500-2500 just for the arm. 

But my advice is to buy some nice MM cartridge for your $150 turntable, sell your Denon DL-103 or just don't buy it. If you want to stay with Denon's "oldschool sound" and conical tip just look for DL-107 MM, designed for NHK broadcast (just like the DL-103). 

If you're looking for high-resolution cartridge with much better stylus (and much longer life-span, less record wear, better sound quality) look for Audio-Technica AT-ML150 OCC MM (Beryllium Cantilever / MicroLine stylus tip), which you may find for $400 NOS. This cartridge has medium compliance and it will put in the dust much more expensive cartridges. 

BTW I don't like Denon DL-103 and all the hype about it.   

@millercarbon

Do you know what is resonance frequency and why it shouldn’t be in the musical range? If you don’t know just buy yourself a Hi-Fi TEST LP, put low compliance cartrige on lightweigh tonearm, play Test LP and you will see how your arm and cartride will start shaking, a thrilling experience. This is resonance frequency. Do you want your arm and cartridge shaking while you’re playing normal record?

This is what’s on the Test LP:

Tracks 2 & 3: Cartridge & Arm, Lateral & Vertical Resonance Test
These two tracks are used to test the resonant frequency or your tonearm and cartridge combination in both the vertical and horizontal domains. These tracks offer both a visual and auditory indication of the resonant frequency; the stylus will “wobble” and the test tone will warble.

P.S. With Denon DL-103 cartridge a high mass arm must be used (20-30g effective mass), not a lighweight arm, this is the basics.

Denon is not the best cartridge at all, but using it on lighweight arm like @uberwaltz Black Widow (3g effective mass) is just the opposite to the common sense. The Black widow designed for MM cartridge with a compliance figure at least 4 times higher than DL-103 compliance. Also the effecive mass of the Black Widon is 10 times lighter than it should be for DL-103. The music will be transferred from LP to the speakers, but it’s a total mismatch in terms of tonearm/cartridge resonance frequency. I would never do that!

I've heard from a few members that FR 64s tonearm can be used with High Compliance cartridges, i got the arm, but i've never tried any High Complinace cartridge on that arm, simply because i have different arms for High Compliance cartridges. BUT The FR arm has detachable headshell and optional light counterweight, so it can be adobted a bit for experiments with higher compliance carts. Ikeda-San designed FR-64fx then for cartridges with higher compliance (i have it too).   

The Black Widow tonearm does not have detachable headshell or optional counterweight to add mass. This toneam has very thin armtube (easy to damage). The whole combination designed for High Compliance cartridges like Stanton, Grace, ADC ... The effective mass of Black Widow arm is just 3g (this is extremely low mass). Honestly i think it's a very bad idea to use this arm for low compliance cartridges. I'm pretty sure Raul can hear the resonance frequency all the way from Mexico @uberwaltz 

@lewm

Who here mentioned using a Black Widow with a low compliance cartridge?

You’d better read a content of my answers or entire thread Lew, because you missed the point. I was shocked to see our @uberwaltz is actually using DL-103 on his Infinity Black Widow. Will you accept that? See below:

I have a Denon DD tt with Infinity Black Widow arm, extremely light! The 103 played perfectly well on it imho. Sure it may not have given its best on that arm but it was more than acceptable.

Zu audio produces a modified Denon DL 103 that is meant for a Denon VL-12 turntable. How does this combination fit into low compliance cartridge, heavy mass arm theory?

I must say that i am a big fan of Zu Audio speakers, also i like people at Zu Audio.

But regarding the cartridge i have to say they are NOT manufacturer, Zu Audio just replaced the stock Denon plastic body to a much better one made by ZU in USA. Their higher graded Denon is just selected stock Denon. Zu Audio has been selling Denon DL-103 in a custom body for years and the best arm for their cartridge was Audiomods (made in UK).

Before Zu Audio started selling modified Denon DJ tunrtable they did an excellent mod of Technics SL1200MK2, the stock arm was replaced with Audiomods and the cartridge was Zu Denon DL-103.

I’ve never tried that new Denon turntable, but with superheavy headshell, heavy mounting screws and maybe heavier counterweight the tonearm mass can be increased.

Personally i have no idea why anyone should use DL-103 if any vintage MM cartridge (same price) is much better than Denon.

But i know why Zu Audio are happy to make their modified version of Denon DL-103 and even modified version of new Denon turntable. I think it’s profitable and the wholesale price from Denon for Zu Audio is pretty low (i’m sure it’s a good business).

However, if you will visit Zu Audio show in USA you will see Sean Casey playing record from Luxman PD-444 turntable! The arm is Thomas Schick designed for low compliance Denon DL-103 and Ortofon SPU.

@uberwaltz

When i bought the table it came cw 103 mounted to the Widow already so obviously I tried it even though theory said it should be awful.It was not and it was actually listenable. But not as goid as vintage mm carts which rapidly replaced it.

So why bother with it, on the wrong arm, if it’s "not as good as vintage MM" ? I just don’t understand the logic, even if the OP has DL-103 the arm is not optimal and the best result will be with higher compliance MM on that arm anyway. For this reason i’ve mentioned DL-107 MM as alternative to Dl-103 MC for his arm if "Denon sound" is what he likes.

I was relating my experience but you seem to only want to take oblique sideswipes at me instead of seeing my post for what it was.But here you go Chak if it will help you sleep tonight.

I never sleep

DL-103 on Black Widow is the worst nighmate i can imagine. The worst ever could be only Ortofon SPU