Bottom Rung Koetsu..

Any Koetsu is a good cartridge. The question is do you like the sound? I like the Koetsu sound. Another cartridge to consider in this price range is the Shelter 901. Some consider it to be the best sounding cartridge of all. This is very subjective. Both the Shelter 901 and 501 provide excellent price/performance ratio. They are low output MC with about 9-10 compliance number. I think the weight is about 7-8 grams. Check the EIFL Export website from Japan.

Tom, I also use a DL103 in my system. I agree with your assessments. Many times, however, people cannot believe that a low priced cart like the DL103 can compete with something like a Koetsu. And sometimes they just want that name brand recognition. Also, he doesn't tell us what his tonearm is, and we both know how tough the DL103 is on arm bearings. The Koetsu and Shelters are a little easier to manage at 9 or 10 in compliance than the DL103 at 5. It is one stiff mama. But I love the sound of mine. I use a Origin Live Silver 250 arm and it handles the Denon real well.

Motdathird, I think that the DL103 is not a good match for a unipivot tonearm. Its compliance is so stiff(the stiffest cartridge made), that I think it will "wag" your tonearm all over the lot. It sounds to me like the Koetsu Black you listened to was doing that to some degree also, since you noticed a lack in bass weight. Koetsu usually has a kind of warm type sound. Most unipivots prefer a higher compliance cartridge that does not destabilize their attitude. I read the Nottingham web page on the Spacearm and they use "rods" to stabilize, like a tightrope walker, instead of silicone fluid. Since I haven't used the Spacearm, I can't say for sure it wouldn't work, but I am very skeptical about it. Unipivots do some things very well, but handling an extremely low compliance is generally not one of them. IMO, the 103 is a cartridge for medium mass gimbal-bearing arms with bearings of the highest quality and closest tolerance. If you stray from this formula with the DL103, you are moving into risky territory. I have seen some lower-end tonearm bearings literally ruined by a 103 in a year's use. The clearances had been chattered open to a point that the arm was useless for decent reproduction. Of course on a unipivot, you don't have to worry about that. But the stability of that tonearm in tracking that cartridge is a big concern to me. I'd be looking for a compliance of around 15 or more if I had the Spacearm. I would try listening to the ZYX cartridge line. They are a very innovative, music oriented analog company that makes some excellent carts in your price range.(100 series)They are much better suited to your arm(compliance 15)than the ones we have been discussing. They can be purchased from Music Direct online. You may also try the better Dynavectors. They are alot of cart for the money, but I think the ZYX is better. The arm/cart interface is very important and needs to be considered as a package. A great arm and a great cart do not necessarily make a great sound together.