Phono stage good for classical and jazz?

In order so that we can provide you with a useful answer, please describe the rest of your system: what TT/tonearm/cartridge, amp/preamp, speakers and your room?

I am going to give you some *free* advice and (hopefully) save you a ton of money. Try replacing the Denn DL-103R with something else; I suggest an Ortofon 2M Blue MM or maybe a Denon DL-110 HOMC cartridge.

The DL-103R is a wonderful cartridge, but it is not well suited for the tonearm on your Pro-Ject 2 turntable. The DL-103R is a VERY low compliance cartridge, and the Pro-Ject tonearm was designed for a cartridge with medium-high compliance. Designed for radio station and transcription work, the DL-103 and R versions are well suited to heavier, well damped tonearms. While the DL-103R is attractive from a price perspective, if you are not using it as intended there will be no egg in your beer.

Also, and pardon me if I sound like I am talking down to you, but does your integrated amp support MC cartridges, or are you playing the MC DL-103 through an MM-only phono stage?

Bill

Jackyjack,

No, you really can't overcome a fundamental compliance mismatch between cartridge and tonearm. Adding mass will simply add mass where neither the tonearm or cartridge designer wanted it, and still won't overcome the basic mismatch problem.

You can order a Denon DL-110 HOMC cartridge (plays through the MM stage) for just $87. I would give that a try first and see if it sounds better than your DL-103R before dropping some major gelt on a (possibly unnecessary) external phono amp.

If you think that you need a new phono amp on a budget, I have had heard good results with the Lehmann line. They have units in all price ranges from <$500 to approx. $2K.

Having said that, there are lots of guys who use and enjoy the sound of their DL-103 cartridges on lighter-weight tonearms. I'm just not one of them.

Many people said the Rega tonearm matches well with the denon 103r

I have found this to be not true, at least to my ears. I suspect that the DL-103x gets used in these situations mainly because they are one of the, if not the, least expensive MC cartridges on the market.

In a nutshell, a compliance mismatch will result in less than optimal sound (duh!). This can include the system sounding overly bright or dull and lifeless, depending on if the cartridge is over or under-damped by the tonearm. What is less understood is that a severe compliance mismatch can also result in poor stylus tracking and a smeared or "inaccurate" soundstage presentation.