So, my Dynavector 10x5 high-output MC was about to kick the can (sounded lifeless and had about three years of faithful service) and I decided I'd like to try a low-output MC. I had considered a low-output Benz Micro Ace, but an old friend talked me into the Denon DL-103R.
My setup is a Thorens TD-160 with a Rega RB-250 tonearm, which causes a bit of a mismatch for the Denon-DL-103R, for two main reasons:
1. The Rega arms appear to not allow (at least initially) the proper overhang for the Denon cartridge-- it misses it by about a millimeter. Like Mrs. Annan, the DL-103R is built solid and really old school, i.e., the mounting inset is located really close to the needle, leaving not much room for forward adjustment in the Rega headshell.
2. The compliance of the Denon DL-103R is akin to that of a Pullman Car, that is, it's rated as a 5 x 10-6 cm/dyne which means a high-mass tonearm is required to control this monster. The Rega, at around 12g - 13g (depending on who you believe) is not officially up to the task in it's stock form.
Furthermore, I needed a step-up device to address the .25mV output of the DL-103R.
After a short commercial break, we'll tell you what happened and hopefully add to the discourse by becoming part of the solution for once.
<Insert Cialis commercial here>
OK-- here's the schematic for the MC stepup I used, which was provided by Thorsten some time ago. More pictures and clever, snappy narrative to come.
Kofi
My setup is a Thorens TD-160 with a Rega RB-250 tonearm, which causes a bit of a mismatch for the Denon-DL-103R, for two main reasons:
1. The Rega arms appear to not allow (at least initially) the proper overhang for the Denon cartridge-- it misses it by about a millimeter. Like Mrs. Annan, the DL-103R is built solid and really old school, i.e., the mounting inset is located really close to the needle, leaving not much room for forward adjustment in the Rega headshell.
2. The compliance of the Denon DL-103R is akin to that of a Pullman Car, that is, it's rated as a 5 x 10-6 cm/dyne which means a high-mass tonearm is required to control this monster. The Rega, at around 12g - 13g (depending on who you believe) is not officially up to the task in it's stock form.
Furthermore, I needed a step-up device to address the .25mV output of the DL-103R.
After a short commercial break, we'll tell you what happened and hopefully add to the discourse by becoming part of the solution for once.
<Insert Cialis commercial here>
OK-- here's the schematic for the MC stepup I used, which was provided by Thorsten some time ago. More pictures and clever, snappy narrative to come.
Kofi