I have the Charisma Audio version of the Denon 103. I believe Sound Smith has their own (very similar) version. I find it quite competent with macro-dynamics and slam. Jumping up to 2K, I like both the Air Tight PC7 and EMT TSD 15 and 75. I find the EMT (on my Kuzma arm) to hold the edge over the PC-7 when it comes to dynamics. I think the other poster hit it right on when he mentioned the Lamm likes to see more output. I think 0.6mv to really unleash the Lamm. . Funny I had the Lamm and think it was very good. I kick myself for not trying a higher than 0.3 mv cart on it. Neither my Koetsu or Benz had enough output for the 57.5 db of gain the Lamm offered. Too bad I didn't try a good SUT, which I hadn’t become aware of until years later.
Cartridge recommendation around $2k?
I'm ready to invest in a new cartridge having become tired of the quirks of my Decca Super Gold. Previously I've owned a Delos and I'm currently testing out a highly upgraded DL103R. Really like vocals and strings with the DL103 but dynamics and soundstaging are lacking. I listen to all kinds of music, except rock. Lots of jazz and blues but also tons of psych and hip hop/electronica. Soundtracks and Latin music too. Nothing dense though, if that makes sense. The Delos was a good cartridge at it's original release price, less so at $2,000. Arm is a unipivot, VPI Fatboy. Anyone have a somewhat versatile cartridge to recommend?
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Try an EMT HSD 006. The EMT cartridge line is IMO underappreciated and a super price performer ($1,600) See the review in the link below. The output is fairly high so it will easily match with your 58 db of gain. Very natural and dynamic https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-192-koetsu-ortofon-emt-page-2 |
The ultimate Denon 103 upgrade is the Audiomusikraft First Series cartridge/shell. I got the Bronze shell weighing in at 21 gms and its extremely good. Has made it in Stereophile's Class A cartridges for a number of years. I replaced the original103 stylus with a VAS Audio 103R retipped with the boron cantilever and microridge stylus and it sounds spectacular. First time buyers have to buy the shell w/ the cartridge - after that, just replace the cantilever and stylus as it wears out. No need to wait for lengthy retips and relatively cheap compared to performance. I use it w my Kuzma 4P (11) - make sure that your tonearm can handle the weight. I do not see a need to buy expensive cartridges anymore. Link to site below - also check out Stereophile's Recommended Components for the last few years. Bronze (Br) - First Series Cartridges - Audio MusiKraft |
I had the unipivot Graham 2.2, went to Origin Live Conqueror. The bass did get better (duh, everything did!) but no more than everything else. It was not night and day. The bass with the Graham was deep, articulate, superb. So anyone wants to say you can't get good bass because unipivot, same as tablejockey said, false statement of the day. Where do these ideas come from? I'll tell you where: audiophiles repeating blather overheard from other blathering audiophiles! My bet is the current blatherer, instead of deciding he should maybe stop repeating this one will keep right at it, say the same thing another 20 times, and this is how these phoney baloney myths take on a life of their own. Get a Soundsmith. Whatever you can afford. It will be fab. Then if you have anything left over, get a sheet of fO.q tape, carefully cut it to fit between the cartridge and the headshell. Tape a strip along the underside of the arm tube. Look real close at my system pics, the tape is kind of ugly I like to hide it so you have to look close. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 One sheet will do a whole lot more than your table. Some of that tape together with a Soundsmith and some PHT man oh man will your table sing! |
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