Hi, I've found the Denon 103 a difficult cartridge to match to the Rega arms. Unlike most MCs the cartridge body is very light whilst the compliance is low. Not good.
The cartridge seems to respond to being set up in an arm with a fairly high polar moment and the easiest way to do this is to add mass at the headshell. For an RB300 you could try adding about 5g. There are several ways to do it. Some people use a brass disk either:
1 above the headshell
2 underneath the end of the arm tube
Unless it's done in conjunction with a modified counterweight I'm personally not too keen on these because (1) reduces and (2) increases the the pitch stability. OK if you are doing it deliberately.
My own favourite is to use one or two lead sandwich plates between cartridge and headshell. Like this:
They add the mass needed and also help damp the cartridge body and decouple it from the arm, useful in this case. The brass plug fits inside a hollow counterweight shaft.
At the other end, I think it's actually beneficial with the Denon to have the counterweight set a little back from the bearings, again to raise the polar moment. It's about the only cartridge I'd do this with! So avoid the heaviest counterweights.
The reason behind the comment about adding mass at the outside of the Rega arm yoke tends to be related to the bias (antiskate) performance. A fairly complicated subject. It can work if it's designed in as part of an antiskate solution (I use it) but perhaps less so on the RB300 than the 250.
The cartridge seems to respond to being set up in an arm with a fairly high polar moment and the easiest way to do this is to add mass at the headshell. For an RB300 you could try adding about 5g. There are several ways to do it. Some people use a brass disk either:
1 above the headshell
2 underneath the end of the arm tube
Unless it's done in conjunction with a modified counterweight I'm personally not too keen on these because (1) reduces and (2) increases the the pitch stability. OK if you are doing it deliberately.
My own favourite is to use one or two lead sandwich plates between cartridge and headshell. Like this:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
They add the mass needed and also help damp the cartridge body and decouple it from the arm, useful in this case. The brass plug fits inside a hollow counterweight shaft.
At the other end, I think it's actually beneficial with the Denon to have the counterweight set a little back from the bearings, again to raise the polar moment. It's about the only cartridge I'd do this with! So avoid the heaviest counterweights.
The reason behind the comment about adding mass at the outside of the Rega arm yoke tends to be related to the bias (antiskate) performance. A fairly complicated subject. It can work if it's designed in as part of an antiskate solution (I use it) but perhaps less so on the RB300 than the 250.
I have lead sinkers fitted to the bolts at the vertical pivot, is this what you mean?
Learning quickly even without the cart, thanks everyone.
I will trick my arm into thinking the cart is heavier than it is...is that it?
Thanks, meanwhile I am running a Supex SM(?)100 MM cart into a cheap nad receiver, off to my new darkvoice headphone amp and sennheiser HD580s, or 650s. I truly can't wait for my denon DL103 and retipped Supex SD900 Super to get home..the stock supex looks to be much heavier and bigger than the denon and will probably become this years main cart...and no fiddling with this one.
Learning quickly even without the cart, thanks everyone.
I will trick my arm into thinking the cart is heavier than it is...is that it?
Thanks, meanwhile I am running a Supex SM(?)100 MM cart into a cheap nad receiver, off to my new darkvoice headphone amp and sennheiser HD580s, or 650s. I truly can't wait for my denon DL103 and retipped Supex SD900 Super to get home..the stock supex looks to be much heavier and bigger than the denon and will probably become this years main cart...and no fiddling with this one.
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