How Do I Get The Best From My Denon 103 ?

[Stemcor1990]

I thought I would ask the HFS constituency first (I also have an account at PFM).

I’m using the 103 in a Pioneer PL71. I like the combination a lot but I’m also a fan of detail. Just about everybody says “use it in a heavy arm”. That box is ticked.

So has anyone tried one of the metal body caps for the cartridge ? Is it worth the investment or a waste of money ? Perhaps more importantly, are there any other suggestions / recommendations to improve performance or should I look at something like the 103R ?

[antonio66]

I had the plain 103, now I have the 103r. It's worth the difference. Retains the musicality but with better separation and micro-detail, to my ears.

[Lindsayt]

What is your TT sitting on?

Have you tried an original Sound Organisation turntable table? Or the nearest equivalent you can find? Light and rigid?

Where is your TT placed relative to your speakers? Different room would be best, but probably a bit impractical.
Opposite side of the room with long speaker cables?

I see far too many TT's on floor mounted stands sharing a floorboard or joist with a speaker.

Then there's double checking the geometry of the cart in the arm and tweaking downforce and anti-skate by ear.

And there's getting a better TT than the PL71. Which is good, but it's not the very best that Pioneer ever made.

The 103 that I had was a bass king. And good at dynamics. Making it work well with bass king speakers. And with amplification that didn't muck up the bass (eg not some woolly bassed valve phono stage)

[Stemcor1990]

@savvypaul. Many thanks for your thoughts. I suspected that the 103R was a candidate for my next cartridge and you have now taken it to 99%.

@Lindsayt. The PL71 is on an Ikea Kallax and close to a speaker. I can’t do much to make a change. I have not heard any feedback.

Fortunately, the speakers are Cube 3. Plenty of bass but it all fires upwards.