whats best step up for denon DL-103

[vinylflo]

hello
i just waant to build a new phonopre for my syste.
using a garhard 301,sme 3012 and denon dl103-
my biig problem is the step up trafo for the dl103. whats a good combination.
trafo? preamp?
thanks for help

[Brian Clark]

I intend to get a pair of S&B TX103s for mine.
Heard nothing but glowing reports

Brian.

[ingvar ahlberg]

Hello
Nice turntable !!
The best step up for Denon DL103, and for most mc actually,
that i´ve heard is the Hiraga mc amp, its very simple to build
but becomes pretty big as it needs both 2 6V lead/acid cells
and a huge pile of electolytics.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

The best step up for Denon DL103, and for most mc actually, that i´ve heard is the Hiraga mc amp, its very simple to build but becomes pretty big as it needs both 2 6V lead/acid cells
and a huge pile of electolytics.

Yep, I like that one too but it tends to get big.
Batteries and close to a Farad of decoupling...Wow!!!

Here the schematic with the replacement Toshis:

BONAVOLTA

If you can, match the semis.

Another alternative for the DL103 is a tube preamp with low noise, 60 dB gain and 0.5V sensitivity.

I know mine takes the DL103 without noise or any other artefacts. You can find it somewhere in the "Tube" section of the forum...

Be warned, it's not an "El Cheapo" project.


Ah...Found it:

PHONOPREAMP

Cheers,

[arnoldc]

i use a pair of Peerless 15095 currently connected to the MM input of my Musical Fidelity X-LP until such time that i can build one of frank's preamp, as described.

i have also tried the Altec 15095A, and friends use Tamura TKS-27, Tamura TKS-83, Denon AU 320, UTC A-10, Altec/Peerless 4722 (green can), Tango MCT-999, Denon Alpha 1 (with Permalloy core).

hope this helps.

[pamaz]

IMHO A good choice is sowter 9580. They are made just to fit DL103.
This is the better stepup at a decent price that I've heard for DL103 ( by now). In fact now I own them
Here's the link to their site.
http://www.sowter.co.uk/

Ciao
Paolo

[electrontinkerer]

FWIW (and 7 years too late!) I am using a pair of Tamura TKS-27 at 22x amplification. I am told by my dealer in Singapore that this is the SUT that Sakuma uses with his DL103 cartridge.

Warm regards.

[kevinkr]

I've found the Partridge 977 run into 47K to be quite good with the DL-103, tried the Cinemag and a number of others that I liked even less. This transformer is very well magnetically shielded and has a mu metal core. They sound absolutely stellar IMHO with the DL-103, the 103D, and 103SA - I see no reason why it would not be good with the 103R as well, but have not tried one. Gain is modest at 1:6 but that will get you up to just over 2mV with a DL-103..

There is a seller on ebay.co.uk who is currently selling the 977 for just £79.95 which is just a little more than I paid for a pair a couple of years ago..

Here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISA...m=360397383944 (link updated 10/1)

Note that I have no affiliation with the seller.