[lcrim]

Its for the standard DL-103
http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-Denon-DL-103-MC-cartridge-DL103-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ150145004545QQihZ005QQcategoryZ64620QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The Pro version you're speaking of still has a conical stylus and the specs show a higher compliance than the fairly stiff 103 and 103r even though Denon specs their compliance figures for a higher frequency than most other manufacturers.   I'm still more interested in the 301II which was primarily intended for Japanese home market usage and is much cheaper and IIRC has a higher output.
BTW-my screen name is LCRIM as in Larry Crimmins my actual name

[TheChairGuy]

Jampot,

It could be called underseal there...I think I have occasionally heard it referred to that here in the States.

Yes, Plast-i-Clay is a trade name for a company that makes 'modeling clay'...which is normally found in art and hobby shops (for, predictably, making hand-formed shapes or models).  Plasticene is probably a brand name too of one of the vendors in the UK of such stuff.

Modelling clay is the general term used here for it.

The $148 price for the DL-103 that Larry refers to is a vendor in Germany called William Thakker: http://stores.ebay.com/William-s-Stylus-Shop_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

[TheChairGuy]

Larry,

The DL-301 II is now offered by Denon US...you no longer have to grey market import it here in the US: http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/Accessories.asp

[Jampot]

Germany is good - we have free circulation of goods in the EU, so if the dealer is straight the duties and VAT will already be paid. Could be of course that he gets the taxes rebated for exporting to the US, and we would still have to pay the tax - all be it at German rates rather than British.

Off topic (excuse me Marco) I ordered a maple cutting board from the seller you linked John - it will come home in my daughters luggage in September! It does serve as a useful guide - UK price of the exact block TCG featured in his thread about isolation is £95  - 190 bucks - go figure

[doug s.]

well, as i said before, i would spring for the vdh wersion, linked on the audiocubes page - it has a proper stylus.  (kinda ironic, imo, that audiocube would provide a link to an improved iteration of something they sell...     )

meanwhile, i have been quite happy w/my (relatively) inexpensive ortofon mc25-fl.  it's not as cold or forensic as you categorize inexpensive mc's, imo.  i do have a never-used vdh-rebuilt lyra clavis that i picked up for about the cost of the rebuild.  folks tell me i am crazy for not haviing ever mounted it, that i will be blown away w/it.  (i got it from a/c's own klaus, of odyssey audio.)   but, for some reason, i am quite content w/the ortofon.  mebbe if i ever get my o-l rb250 mounted on my vintage empire 498, i will stick the ortofon on it & put the lyra on my main turntable...

doug s.

[TheChairGuy]

Off topic (excuse me Marco) I ordered a maple cutting board from the seller you linked John - it will come home in my daughters luggage in September! It does serve as a useful guide - UK price of the exact block TCG featured in his thread about isolation is £95  - 190 bucks - go figure

Cool, Jampot!  It's a dang great upgrade for $100...probably worth $200, too (I was dang surprised how helpful it really was, frankly). The cutting board is cut/made in Michigan...the ebay seller is in Michigan - hence the good price stateside, likely.

Damn, must be a good Daddy to your daughter...that particular cutting board is some 27 lbs (12Kg or so)   

[Marco1408]

Hi Jampot,

Marco, You have my utmost admiration for going to the trouble of importing the KAB Technics into the UK. Our friends / fellow audiofools across the pond have difficulty understanding our import tarrif and VAT structure - it makes US (and far east) sourced kit very expensive

Thanks, and you're telling me! It cost me very nearly £200 in import duty and taxes for the KAB-modified Technics, and that's not including priority shipping by Fed-Ex

But I don't regret it for a SECOND. I carried out quite a lot of research before I decided to invest in the KAB mods and the SL-1210, so I had a good idea what to expect. Kevin from KAB is also very professional and great to deal with. It's really a fabulous T/T and (probably) unique in the UK.

I've spoken to some key figures in the UK hi-fi industry recently who are *very* interested in my findings, and whom I shall be speaking to at length at this year's London hi-fi show. This thing is a total giant killer and so good that it deserves to take off big time. The only trouble is some leading UK belt-drive T/T manufacturers might not be too happy at the prospect...

Do I care? NO. It’s time now for the direct-drive revolution that should have happened 30 years ago!!

TCG's 'mastic spray' is (I think) what we call underseal - though obviously it must go on pretty thinly and is a modern formulation if it can be over-painted (I found that in the link provided in Johns thread about it). Similarly, Plasticlay is Plasticene - took me a while to work that out and be comfortable I wasn't making a BIG mistake. Of course, it is quite inoxious and easily removed if you don't like it.

Yeah I know the sort of stuff you're talking about. Not sure if I want to coat my T/T in it, though...

Where abouts in UK are you Marco? I would love to hear your setup....

I'm in Wrexham in North Wales, about 10 miles from Chester and 48 miles south of Manchester. If you'd like to hear the set-up you're more than welcome - just drop me an email here:

framed6images@aol.com

and we'll organise something

Marco.

[TheChairGuy]

I think the more extreme the stylus shape, the more the need for finite adjustments like azimuth. I think that is one of the reasons Sumiko has given by offering only ellipticals in their line (you don't need to be a gnat's hair perfect to hear them in their best sonic state with an elliptical)...odd that their headshells have azimuth adjustment 

As Sumiko is a marketer and not manufacturer, they are likely just repackaging some headshell made in Japan and it just happens to have azimuth adjustment.

The vdH styli are very particular to exact placement of everything....the line styli I have are next in terms of choosiness...then the ellipticals. 

[Marco1408]

tvad,

I'm totally with you when it comes to Azimuth!

Chairs,

I've just been reading Larry's KAB thread elsewhere (which I will be contributing to shortly) and your championing the importance of platter isolation on the SL-1200/1210. I reckon I've adressed this issue nicely with the Herbie's & Isoplatmat, so my next plan is to supply more isolation for the table itself (even though mine already sits on 14 levels of non-magnetic stainless steel Mana Acoustics supports! )

I intend to get a made-to-measure granite plinth for the table from this company:

http://www.slatedeck.com/turntables/Turntables.html

Can you imagine how sexy an SL-1210 would look in one of those? (See the special commission from a Hong Kong customer at bottom of page)

People have done it with Garrards, but never a Techinics (other than an SP10).

I've made initial enquiries as to suitability, and it can be done, but it won't be cheap! This is my project for later in the year or the beginning of the next.

Marco.

[Marco1408]

Where's everyone gone?

Is there anyone out there...

Marco.

[lcrim]

Still here.  I forgot to mention it but Kevin exchanged my record clamp w/ one that has a longer shaft so that I can use it with the isoplatmat and standard thick rubber mat on the platter.  I have to be careful because the shaft extends a bit below the center surface of the clamp and could screw up the surface of a record. 
I have also been using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser as a stylus cleaner.  If used carefully, my Benz Glider L2 is nude and looks very vulnerable, then a brush with isopropyl soaked stylus brush, the stylus is extremely clean.  I bought a loop just to check this out and its amazing how much gunk a stylus can pick up.
BTW- I keep asking this, what's your take on the Denon DL-301II.  @ $255 from a Japanese reseller on Ebay it really looks interesting.  I have the Glider and messing about w/ woodsyi's MC-3 led me to it but I just wanted a change of pace.  I have a Goldring Eroica LX in my other setup and the 301II is also light enough and compliant enough to work w/ the Dual CS5000 there.  Sorry, the conical 103's just give me pause, afraid what they would do to the vinyl surface.

[Toka]

lcrim,

Thats good news on the longer clamp shaft...I can't put together a mental image of the potential problem you describe, however...any chance you could snap a pic?

[lcrim]

lcrim,

Thats good news on the longer clamp shaft...I can't put together a mental image of the potential problem you describe, however...any chance you could snap a pic?

I'm at work right now and have plans for this evening, so I'll get to it tomorrow.

[Toka]

Sounds good. Thank you sir! 

[lcrim]

Here's the spindle machined to accept the shaft for the clamp:





then here's the clamp showing the shaft that screws in to the spindle.  Since that shaft extends slightly below the bottom surface of the clamp it could gouge up a record if I were not careful.

[Toka]

Ah, I gotcha now. Thanks! 

[Marco1408]

Hi Larry,

Sorry for taking so long to reply, but I got caught up doing one or two things!

I forgot to mention it but Kevin exchanged my record clamp w/ one that has a longer shaft so that I can use it with the isoplatmat and standard thick rubber mat on the platter.  I have to be careful because the shaft extends a bit below the center surface of the clamp and could screw up the surface of a record.

That's interesting. Kevin mentioned doing that for me if I wanted but I decided against it. How does it sound with the Isoplatmat and thick rubber mat? I must admit that I wasn't too enamoured with the effect of the rubber mats when I tried them. I asked Kevin to send me both the thick and thin ones so I could assess their different effects. They were ok to begin with, when I didn't know what to expect from the deck, but once I installed the Herbie's and Isoplatmat the difference was very noticeable. Both rubber mats made the deck sound 'thick' and 'heavy' in comparison (which tallies with my previous experience of rubber mats on other decks) whereas with the combination of the Herbie's and Isoplatmat (and clamp) music was much more detailed, open sounding, and rhythmically adept - everything just sounds much more realistic and believable.
 

I have also been using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser as a stylus cleaner.  If used carefully, my Benz Glider L2 is nude and looks very vulnerable, then a brush with isopropyl soaked stylus brush, the stylus is extremely clean.  I bought a loop just to check this out and its amazing how much gunk a stylus can pick up.

It sounds pretty effective. Are you sure though there's no damage being done to the stylus? I am always very wary when cleaning styli.

BTW- I keep asking this, what's your take on the Denon DL-301II.  @ $255 from a Japanese reseller on Ebay it really looks interesting.  I have the Glider and messing about w/ woodsyi's MC-3 led me to it but I just wanted a change of pace.  I have a Goldring Eroica LX in my other setup and the 301II is also light enough and compliant enough to work w/ the Dual CS5000 there.  Sorry, the conical 103's just give me pause, afraid what they would do to the vinyl surface.

Right, sorry, I didn't realise you were directing the question at me

I've not heard the DL-301II personally, but from previous experience of using a multitude of Denon cartridges I have a fairly good idea of its sonic characteristics. Whilst I'd always be wary of buying cartridges on Ebay, for obvious reasons, the 301 should be a good buy. I'd expect it to have a nice fluid sounding midrange, sweet sounding top end, and decent bass. It will not be bright or clinical sounding in the way of some Lyras and Ortofons, as that's not what Denon MCs are about. Musically, it should be a joy to listen to, but make sure that your phono stage has enough gain to cope. In my experience, low output Denon MCs prefer a step-up transformer into a MM input than just an MC stage on its own. It will likely work best with Denon's own step-up transformer shown here on the Audiocubes website:

http://www.audiocubes2.com/product/Denon_AU-S1_Audiophile_MC_Step-up_Transformer.html?osCsid=a3a38b99f36aecec62b93456ce01d1d7

But it's not cheap. Still, if you want to do things properly...

Here's a few pics of my KAB-modified SL-1210MK5G and the rest of the system:



That's a Queens Of The Stone Age album on coloured vinyl, incidentally, not some mad T/T mat!

A poncy headshell shot (taken before I got the Zupreme):



My Sony transport on a Mana Sound Frame with the SL-1210 underneath:



KAB PSU, Highphonic step-up transformer and ECS monoblocks:



Sony DAC and Croft valve preamp:



My dinky little Spendors on custom-made Mana supports



Twin towers!



The Herbie's and Isopatmat in position:



And shown separately:



Isoplatmat on its own:



Lastly, a picture of the brass counterweight I had specially made for the Technics arm:



Marco.

[Toka]

Great pics Marco! Cheers to you for the detailed posts...and being one of the first to take the plunge from across the pond!

[Marco1408]

No worries, Toka. This is a great forum full of decent dudes who are into T/Ts and vinyl. I really enjoy participating here

I don't think I'll be "one of the first" for long. I've already got one mate who wants a KAB-modified 1210 the same as mine (after hearing it on Monday) and I think I have a fair chance of getting my SL-1210 reviewed in Hi-Fi World, so who knows what will happen. David Price, the editor, wants to try a KAB PS-1200 for his modified SL-1200, and as all Kevin's ones are currently needed to complete customer orders for T/Ts, and as I'm probably one of the very few people in the UK that has one, it makes sense for him to listen to my T/T with the KAB PSU to find out what it's like. He'll also be able to hear what a fluid-damped and Cardas rewired stock arm sounds like compared to his modified Rega RB250

Marco.

[Emmodd]

Hi guys, newb here.

Recently purchased a stock 1210mk11 and am looking at modifying the t/t. I've got the arm booked in for internal and external re-wiring with AudioOrigami (in the UK) and am also in for the KABUSA fluid damper and either the Isonoe feet or the Soundcare super spikes. I currently use a Funk 5mm Achromat but notice a lot of people recommending the Isoplatmat with the Herbie's (or similar). Does anyone have any views on whether I should drop the Achromat for the Isoplatmat etc or will they work together?

Any tips/hints/views would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, Dan.