Hi! I have removed the plastic casing of my Denon DL103R, and is considering if I should pot or not? The new body is aluminum. Can the cartridge be retipped after epoxy potting? It seem to me that you will not be able to reach the thin wires of the cartridge if using to much epoxy? I also thought of using acrylic filler (not sure if this is the correct term..) instead of epoxy. It would be difficult, but not impossible to remove, but would it give similar sonic result as epoxy?
No, I ment fill about half the cavity, like eg. the Zu The body isn’t friction fit, so I need to use some adhesive.
Even potting up to this level, part of the coils lead-out wiring will be affected, so no rewinding future operation possible.
Potting a DL-103 is IMO a non-reversible operation.
Modifying a DL-103 (a Nov 2009 story)
George
Potting a DL-103 is IMO a non-reversible operation.
Modifying a DL-103 (a Nov 2009 story)
George
Even potting up to this level, part of the coils lead-out wiring will be affected, so no rewinding future operation possible.
Potting a DL-103 is IMO a non-reversible operation.
Modifying a DL-103 (a Nov 2009 story)
George
Thanks! Great info in your link��
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I have modified several DL-103R’s.
To answer your question, it is ok to re-tip a potted DL-103R.
First of all, you need to know it is not reversible and its weight may be excess of the weight which your arm allowed. However, both are not problems for me.
Changing the body improves the sound more significantly than re-tipping. You may try to change the body and potting the cartridge first. You can be very happy after changing the body without re-tipping. I had such an experience.
1. If you want to pot the cartridge, the level of epoxy should be about 1/3 height of the body. Never let the epoxy higher than 1/2 height of the body. Pouring too much of epoxy into the body may cause stuffy sound.
2. Leave the wires loose enough so it will not restrain the movements of the coil.
3. You may use small pieces of lead or magnesium as supports to push into the gaps between the cartridge and the body. I used three pieces of leads as supports, one for front and two for sides.
4. Don’t let epoxy get close to the coil areas.
5. How to apply epoxy is critical as well. I used a toothpick to pick epoxy and let the epoxy drop into the body. Two or three drops will be enough. It was very effective and controllable.
Some said that it was better to use marine epoxy. I have never tried that.
Here are two photos to show you two of my most successful cartridge bodies. One is modified aluminum one(I cut the front part to leave the coil area exposed and the other is DIY Africa black wood.
My suggestion is to pot the cartridge first, then, to think about if you need to re-tip.
To answer your question, it is ok to re-tip a potted DL-103R.
First of all, you need to know it is not reversible and its weight may be excess of the weight which your arm allowed. However, both are not problems for me.
Changing the body improves the sound more significantly than re-tipping. You may try to change the body and potting the cartridge first. You can be very happy after changing the body without re-tipping. I had such an experience.
1. If you want to pot the cartridge, the level of epoxy should be about 1/3 height of the body. Never let the epoxy higher than 1/2 height of the body. Pouring too much of epoxy into the body may cause stuffy sound.
2. Leave the wires loose enough so it will not restrain the movements of the coil.
3. You may use small pieces of lead or magnesium as supports to push into the gaps between the cartridge and the body. I used three pieces of leads as supports, one for front and two for sides.
4. Don’t let epoxy get close to the coil areas.
5. How to apply epoxy is critical as well. I used a toothpick to pick epoxy and let the epoxy drop into the body. Two or three drops will be enough. It was very effective and controllable.
Some said that it was better to use marine epoxy. I have never tried that.
Here are two photos to show you two of my most successful cartridge bodies. One is modified aluminum one(I cut the front part to leave the coil area exposed and the other is DIY Africa black wood.
My suggestion is to pot the cartridge first, then, to think about if you need to re-tip.
Attachments
Thanks for the detailed instruction😀 The cartridge is almost new, and I don’t plan to retip before the tip wears out.
From the picture of your diy African black wood, it seems like all the wiring is covered with epoxy? When you say «leave the wires loose enough», do you move the wires? Sounds risky to me.
Did you use the lead-pieces to center the cartridge in the body? Your alu-body looks the same as mine.
Re-tipping is definitively an improvement over the stock cantilever. As I said before, you may like the sound after potting. In that case, I don't see the need to re-tip especially if you listen to rock and jazz. All my re-tippings were done by Sound Smith. I won't recommend ruby cantilever, but I highly recommend boron cantilever.
All wires are loose. There are about 4 mm long from the coil to epoxy. I potted my cartridge in two processing. This why the flexible suspension filament area is covered with epoxy, too.
I don't use the lead pieces to center the cartridge. The naked cartridge should fit the body without extra space around the cartridge. Please see the photo.
Attachments
I'd like to warn you that filling with epoxy or any other glue will make it impossible to remove the DL-103 from the body and will make it impossible to do any serious repair.
It is very lucky that when the aluminum cantilever or the DL-103 breaks it tends to break at the from yoke so it is possible to attach a new boron, sapphire or ruby cantilever into it properly... however to do it right the cartridge needs to be removed from the plastic body. In case there are more serious issues, for example broken or damaged piano wire then a potted DL-103 will not be repayable, it will be a piece of junk.
Honestly speaking I've seen too many DIY "upgrades" with magic varnish on the from, magic pieces of materials added here and there.
The DL-103 is a great cartridge by default, but has a lot of potential to further improve by:
1) putting it to a better body
2) installing a better cantilever/stylus combo (LC, FG-S or MR on boron cantilever)
3) changing the damper
4) changing the coil (to silver for example and lower impedance)
Many people are making bodies for the DL-103, all change the sound a bit and it is up to your preference which one you would like to get.
So far I've only seen and heard one body that took the best out of the DL-103 and in unconventional compare to others.
In short I would not ruin the cartridge by filling it with anything, however the cartridge is yours, so the decision.
It is very lucky that when the aluminum cantilever or the DL-103 breaks it tends to break at the from yoke so it is possible to attach a new boron, sapphire or ruby cantilever into it properly... however to do it right the cartridge needs to be removed from the plastic body. In case there are more serious issues, for example broken or damaged piano wire then a potted DL-103 will not be repayable, it will be a piece of junk.
Honestly speaking I've seen too many DIY "upgrades" with magic varnish on the from, magic pieces of materials added here and there.
The DL-103 is a great cartridge by default, but has a lot of potential to further improve by:
1) putting it to a better body
2) installing a better cantilever/stylus combo (LC, FG-S or MR on boron cantilever)
3) changing the damper
4) changing the coil (to silver for example and lower impedance)
Many people are making bodies for the DL-103, all change the sound a bit and it is up to your preference which one you would like to get.
So far I've only seen and heard one body that took the best out of the DL-103 and in unconventional compare to others.
In short I would not ruin the cartridge by filling it with anything, however the cartridge is yours, so the decision.
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