Why do I like the Denon 103r so much?

Jeff, my experience mirrors yours. I had sworn by my Transfiguration Temper Supreme, and then Orpheus, for 12 years, marvelling at it's detail and neutrality. I then got a bit fed up of the experience of retipping every 18-24 months, and took a chance at a Zu modded 103 at half the cost of the retipping. Well! Loss of some detail and soundstaging, but a big increase in dynamics and good edge of your seat excitement. In my system, it can occas. veer into being a little 'hot', but my system compensates well for this.
I'm currently sending both the Orpheus and Zu 103 to the Expert Stylus company in Surrey, England for Paratrace stylus retpping/white sapphire cantilever upgrades. In due course I will a-b both, and get a definitive comarison of the Zu 103 versus the rest.
If you love your 103, consider Expert Stylus in UK or Soundsmith in US for cost effective mods to boost it's performance even further.

Tobes, I very much like what I am hearing you say re the Soundsmith retip. After some consideration, and living in England, I made the practical decision to send my retip/cantilever upgrade of my Zu Denon 103 (and Transfiguration Orpheus) to the Expert Stylus Cartridge company just 20 miles from me, rather than across the Atlantic to Soundsmith. They have fantastic positive feedback, and I am very much looking forward to the big shoot out btwn the Zu 103 and Orpheus (which is 4x the price). I suspect the Zu may lose on points, but there'll be no definitive KO. Maybe there'll be a shock win for the Pretender!