I totally agree with Pgtaylor. The SME turntables are far more neutral and of higher resolution than the typical mid-priced Brit belt drives from Rega and Roksan. While I've never heard any of the REALLY expensive (> $100K) turntables, the SME 20 and 30 series are the best I've personally heard, particularly in the ability to convey the emotional power of the music. At first Concerning the DL-103, the SME IV has the same effective mass as the SME V, so it must be the 20/2's ability to drain more spurious vibration out of the turning of the record. In other words, the Roksan table's colorations were compensating for a bad cartridge/arm match. The DL-103 needs about an 18g arm, and the SME IV and V have an effective mass of 10g. Have you messed with VTF and VTA on the SME to listen for the effects?
I was listening to a Roksan Radius a month ago and found it to be highly colored. The midrange was recessed, which made the bass and the ambient details sound bigger than they really are at the expense of the voice or instrument carrying the tune. Switching to a more linear turntable may be revealing a less than optimum arm/cartridge match.
I was listening to a Roksan Radius a month ago and found it to be highly colored. The midrange was recessed, which made the bass and the ambient details sound bigger than they really are at the expense of the voice or instrument carrying the tune. Switching to a more linear turntable may be revealing a less than optimum arm/cartridge match.