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Denon DL-103: The Original!
The DL-103R is a low output Moving Coil cartridge with an output voltage of 0.3mV with an output impedance of 14 ohms.
Denon's Classic Cartridge
The DL-103 has been an industry standard for decades.
Smooth Response in Many Hi-Fi Systems
Gives a Pleasing Sound and Brings Out the Full Detail of Audio Performances
R. Rosales
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024
I can't believe the the total sound quality difference! I've always had magnetic cartridges and upgraded different ones and styluses but now I have a amplifier system that can support this coil cartridge, I say Wow! I can't believe the sound and quality I've been missing from vinyl records! The highs and bass quality is excellent! I just have to say I'm excited to revisit and play all the records I have!
tal
Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2024
Amazing cartridge and performs well above cost with a sut.
DJ
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2022
Swapped this in on a Music Hall Classic Turntable, replacing a Music Hall variant on the AT95E cartridge (which came stock with the table) and a ATVM95EN (which I had swapped the stock cartridge out for). Even before break in, the DL-103 had a very pleasant sound. When compared to the two aforementioned cartridges, the 103 produced a fuller sound, with a more defined midrange and bass. The treble was slightly rolled off, but not excessively so. The effect was quite pleasant on some of my hotly mastered LPs, like the recent re-release of King Crimson’s In the Court of the Crimson King. Treble is nicely detained while still providing plenty of detail.Alignment was quite easy. I mounted it on the removeable headshell that came with the Classic turntable, set the overhang with a set of calipers, eyeballed the alignment, and set the tracking force at 2.5 grams. My integrated amp is an Emotiva basX TA1 with a built-in MC/MM preamplifier. The sound is sublime. I can listen for hours on end with no fatigue whatsoever. And as the 103 has broken in (I have around 15 hours on it now) the sound has continued to open up, with treble becoming sparkly yet still nicely tamed. I’ve had a handful of high-end cartridges over the last year (many of them costing more than the 103), and thus far the 103 is my favorite. Detailed, yet with lush and full sound. Really glad I gave this one a chance.
alex i
Reviewed in Canada on May 17, 2021
It does not excel neither on the top nor on the bottom but midrange is pretty good.
Dam857
Reviewed in Canada on March 29, 2020
This is my second DL103. I bought my first one ten years ago when it was retailed for higher. My only question is how the heck could Denon be selling this gem for cheaper ten years later, not even account for inflation! This cartridge is under appreciated by people for the price asked. I wonder how many people passed on it because of that.How could something be good for such low cost? All the "hype" you've heard since 1962 was not hype at all; this cartridge do deliver the sonic goods in spades. When properly setup, it matches the sonic of MC cartridges 3 times its price in several areas, and I own a few of those higher priced MC. Sure, the more expensive MC cartridges have more exotic stylus profiles and some sound more detailed; however, the conical stylus on the DL103 is much better than people believe. It's reasonably detailed across the band; it offers great low and deep bass, midrange is the star of the show, treble is sweet. This cartridge also scales and responds very well with better equipment; it gets progressively better with better turntable, arm and phono preamps.Something has to give, right? It does struggle with inner groove tracking on some records, where an elliptical or fine line stylus does better. The plastic body is also a weak point of this cartridge, where Denon saves money on. You must not over tighten the bolts or the body would deform.In all, this is a budget priced MC, and deceivingly so. It's not the best MC available, but it has many attributes of higher end sound. For this price to try out a MC, there is no better place to start, and finish.
A. Black
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019
I love the Denon DL-110 but wanted to try the DL-103 due to history of excellent reviews and slightly cheaper price. I am very happy with cart at this point. Setup was a little more involved, as this is a moving coil design, but definitely worth the trouble and expense (I had to purchase a preamp that works with MC carts -- Musical Fidelity - LX-LPS MM/MC Phono Preamplifier). Also had to add extra weight to the stock SL-1200MKIV headshell and move counterweight all the way back to balance properly, but sound and tracking have been excellent!
Will Szent
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2019
After studying this cart for months I rolled the dice. From everything I'd read it just seemed like the right cart for me and my setup, and my tastes.The stylus? Well it didn't clear up the clicks and pops AS MUCH as I'd hoped. For the most part they're still there but subdued and ultimately drowned out by the now extremely present and full music. I had one record that skipped, it doesnt skip anymore. High end detail is all there and yet sibilance on Thriller is no more! And IGD is much better than it was with my Nagaoka MP-110 as much as I love that cart.I'm using an AR XB with a Technics tonearm tube and knockoff headshell. I had to shim the heck out of this cart though, 3/32" and it's still shy of 90 degrees! But that's my turntables problem I'd say.I didnt mess with any headshell weights though. According to the resonance chart on Vinyl Engine everything checked out and again SOUNDS FANTASTIC.The transformer discussions were fun but I wasted a lot of time. Wiring up your own is very simple - I bought Shure mic trannys off ebay for like $35, a Hammond enclosure from here for about $15 and then RCA jacks from parts express for about $15 with shipping and that's my SUT. Very quiet and maybe years from now I'll discover something I'm lacking, but until then I'll be THOROUGHLY enjoying my music.
A Canadian
Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2018
This is my first moving coil, but I have listened to others. I have owned a Shure V15-V-MR for about 30 years and more recently an Audio Technica AT440MLb moving magnet and two other Shure and AT magnets (four turntables altogether). I put this cartridge on my old Denon DP-72L turntable in place of the Shure, combined with an Emotiva phono preamp into a DJ rig that has a pair of 600-watt mono amps and powered 18-inch subwoofer -- nothing too elaborate, but a decent mid-range system that can reveal a good amount of detail and defects.The moving coil needs more amplification so I notice more background hiss than was present with the others, but wow, the sound quality is worth it. The booklet says it is a good choice for radio stations because you can back-cue, but I can tell that the other big advantage for on-air use is that surface noise is dramatically low with this cartridge. I thought the Shure was good at reducing crackling noise, but this one beats it hands-down. I put on albums that are 50 years old and have tons of scratches and they sound beautiful -- not perfect, but better than I have ever heard them before.With new albums the difference in sound quality is not as dramatic, but still it is a treat. The channel balance is really nice. Details that are in the background with my lower-end Shure cartridge are very present in this one. I have not compared enough albums side-by-side to say exactly what is better about this cartridge or find words to describe it, but I can say it is very nice sounding -- smooth, balanced, capturing detail while avoiding surface noise (how they do that I have no idea). One album that I did do a comparison on is a new Vince Guaraldi jazz pressing that I got for Christmas: I listened on three of my turntables and found the lower-end Shure was lack-lustre compared to this Denon. The detail that I hear in the AT440ML (which is in the same price range) is comparable to this one, so for a new album I would put those two on par (at least with that one jazz album). But when it comes to old albums, nothing I've heard does what this Denon cartridge does. So all in all, the Denon is the winner in my book. If you have old albums you will find yourself digging them out to enjoy the renewed freshness you will hear with this cartridge.
KtownJohn
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2017
Not the first DL-103 / 103R I have purchased over the years. This one was purchased for use while my primary cartridge is undergoing rebuild at the factory in Europe. I received the cartridge on time and after mounting and running in for a few hours can report that the DL-103 remains one of the great values in HiFi. Once I get my primary back I'll move this to spare status but could happily live with the Denon if I didn't have a much more expensive LOMC available. The 103 is a great music maker and has a sound I have always enjoyed. 4 stars for performance since there are better sounding pickups available at much higher price points. Value is 5 stars. I would purchase again, and again, and again.
Toni
Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2017
Let me start with what I am using. Project Carbon DC TT., Project Phono Box S, Onkyo TX-NR555 receiver and Elac Debut 5 speakers. The Denon is replacing a Shure M97xe with a Neo Sas stylus. The Shure is a good cartridge and the SAS stylus definitely improved it but the sound still wasn't good enough. The DL 103 changed everything. The bass, mid and treble all come together to produce a much more musical sound. The sound stage is much wider and fuller. You know where every instrument is located. The surface noise on older records (pops and crackles) are reduced. I'm talking albums I have been playing for more than 40 years. I wish I had switched to this cartridge decades ago. You really have to hear this for yourself, words are not enough to describe how good this sounds. The snooty audiophiles say this cartridge isn't compatible with the light tonearm on my turntable. Well my ears tell me different.
G N
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2015
I have owned a number good catridges in the past, Nakamichi, Fidelity Research, Shure V15 type IV, Grado Signature but this is the only one I liked so much I brought a second Denon DL 103 cartridge and would not hesitate to buy another. I love the balance of the tight bass, strong midrange, and clear transparent highs. I have read people like other cartridges better or truly dislike this cartridge. This cartridge as well as all low output MC cartridges you can taylor the sound to your liking by changing the preamp impedence. So generally speaking, if you don't the sound just change the impedence and don't judge this cartridge if you didn't vary it. I like it set around 390 ohms +/- 120 ohms. Decrease it and high frequencies decrease; increase it high frequencies increase. Finally, this cartridge really likes a lot of mass and high rotational inertia to achieve this add weights to the headshell or change to a heavy headshell so that the counter weight is backed out all the way and the tracking force is 2.5 grams. My headshell and cartridge combination is a heavy 31 grams!
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