Is it worth the money?

[iceman16]

+1 for the Denon 103r .. I have used it on my gyro se(black). with Trichord dino and dino psu with great results

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

 

[keeper of the quays]

Denon 110, or 160 or very reasonable priced shure m97xe...theres no reason to spend £500 + the cart at some point will wear out..if you have a halfway decent turntable one of the above sounds fine! The denon was on linn thru naim..the shure on michell turntable thru quad..these turntables are good..this is my opinion for what its worth..

 

[chebby]

+1 Shure M97xE

 

[plastic penguin]

Jeeze - the last time I used a Shure cart was circa 1986 (M55E)

 

[keeper of the quays]

Jeeze - the last time I used a Shure cart was circa 1986 (M55E)

it comes in a metal tin! Says audiophile quality on box! Before it gets fitted the expectation bias is zooming up..and the sounds of shure m97xe mmm? Melodious....that word fits.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

The denon 103r is very low in compliance and the tonearm of the project will be a low mass unit making them not very good for one another.Just been down this road with a project carbon arm.Audio technica carts look like they mate very well with the lighter project arms as does the ortofon mm carts.

 

[BigH]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

Your £200 is from 10 years ago? I think yes spending £500 is a sideways move. Maybe you can audition the new Rega 3, it should be at dealers now. I think there is more to it than just spinning a platter, the bearing and motor are important, no doubt you are paying more for better quality thereby reducing vibration and improving sound quality. In the cheaper turntables there are lots of problems it seems with the motor, hum is an issue in some brands. Think about it a £200 turntable costs how much to make £50?

 

[BigH]

The denon 103r is very low in compliance and the tonearm of the project will be a low mass unit making them not very good for one another.Just been down this road with a project carbon arm.Audio technica carts look like they mate very well with the lighter project arms as does the ortofon mm carts.

Thats a good point, how would the Denon be on a Rega arm, like the 200 series?

The Denon 110R is also well rated by users. Also don't use with steel platters.

 

[chrisr1718]

I upgraded my Pro-Ject with the S/E upgrade kit and Nagaoka MP110 and certainly noticed the difference, better sounstage & separation. Was it the upgrade kit or the cartridge, who knows, but as the upgrade kit was only £25... Overall, I was pleased with the result.

I'm thinking about upgarding the platter but do I go for the Acrylic or the Sandwich platter, or do I wait and upgrade to an RP3?

Thats the thing, we love tinkering, upgrading... thats 'cos we don't just love hifi, we do hifi !!*biggrin*

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

Your £200 is from 10 years ago? I think yes spending £500 is a sideways move. Maybe you can audition the new Rega 3, it should be at dealers now. I think there is more to it than just spinning a platter, the bearing and motor are important, no doubt you are paying more for better quality thereby reducing vibration and improving sound quality. In the cheaper turntables there are lots of problems it seems with the motor, hum is an issue in some brands. Think about it a £200 turntable costs how much to make £50?

Meant to have said £300-£500 for a cartidge.

 

[Al ears]

Jeeze - the last time I used a Shure cart was circa 1986 (M55E)

It's still my go-to cartridge if you only want to spend around £80and will better just about anything up to about £120.

 

[Al ears]

The denon 103r is very low in compliance and the tonearm of the project will be a low mass unit making them not very good for one another.Just been down this road with a project carbon arm.Audio technica carts look like they mate very well with the lighter project arms as does the ortofon mm carts.

Thats a good point, how would the Denon be on a Rega arm, like the 200 series?

The Denon 110R is also well rated by users. Also don't use with steel platters.

I used the 103R on a Rega RB300 arm with no problems. It certainly improved though when I upgraded to Roksan turntable with Tabriz arm.

 

[BigH]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

Your £200 is from 10 years ago? I think yes spending £500 is a sideways move. Maybe you can audition the new Rega 3, it should be at dealers now. I think there is more to it than just spinning a platter, the bearing and motor are important, no doubt you are paying more for better quality thereby reducing vibration and improving sound quality. In the cheaper turntables there are lots of problems it seems with the motor, hum is an issue in some brands. Think about it a £200 turntable costs how much to make £50?

Meant to have said £300-£500 for a cartidge.

I see, yes I tend to agree. But yours is now equilovent to about a £500 TT?

You have a metal platter?

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

Your £200 is from 10 years ago? I think yes spending £500 is a sideways move. Maybe you can audition the new Rega 3, it should be at dealers now. I think there is more to it than just spinning a platter, the bearing and motor are important, no doubt you are paying more for better quality thereby reducing vibration and improving sound quality. In the cheaper turntables there are lots of problems it seems with the motor, hum is an issue in some brands. Think about it a £200 turntable costs how much to make £50?

Meant to have said £300-£500 for a cartidge.

I see, yes I tend to agree. But yours is now equilovent to about a £500 TT?

You have a metal platter?

Yes, I would imagine it is, but no doubt Henleys would say otherwise.

The platter is metal of some description (aluminium or an alloy).

 

[plastic penguin]

Jeeze - the last time I used a Shure cart was circa 1986 (M55E)

It's still my go-to cartridge if you only want to spend around £80and will better just about anything up to about £120.

Mmmm... my overriding memory of the M55E was the high MVs. Jeeze it did 'alf pump out the volume.

What I'll do is contact Henleys over the next few days and ask about upgrade kits for the Xpression.

 

[keeper of the quays]

My linn has aluminium platter...two pieces inner disc..belt fits into this..and outer disc..i put blu tac between inner and outer disc..bit less vibration..every little helps..so they say.

 

[BigH]

Thanks guys.

I totally understand that a turntable, any make, has one funtion: To spin the platter and record, but surely spending £300-£500 will be a massive overkill for a £200 deck - or have I got this wrong?

My first ClearAudio Classic Wood cartridge cost me £115 (IIRC) back in 2006 and the price for the cartridge went through the roof at nearly £350. My replacement 'Concept' cart cost me £150 (last year).

The more knowledge I gain in this hobby the more confusing it gets.

Your £200 is from 10 years ago? I think yes spending £500 is a sideways move. Maybe you can audition the new Rega 3, it should be at dealers now. I think there is more to it than just spinning a platter, the bearing and motor are important, no doubt you are paying more for better quality thereby reducing vibration and improving sound quality. In the cheaper turntables there are lots of problems it seems with the motor, hum is an issue in some brands. Think about it a £200 turntable costs how much to make £50?

Meant to have said £300-£500 for a cartidge.

I see, yes I tend to agree. But yours is now equilovent to about a £500 TT?

You have a metal platter?

Yes, I would imagine it is, but no doubt Henleys would say otherwise.

The platter is metal of some description (aluminium or an alloy).

Its just some or maybe all MC cartridges ahve a problem with platters with steel content, Denon says all metal platters should be avoided but others say aluminium is OK. Easy enough to change to acrylic or glass but not that cheap. You could also look at Inspire upgrades, again not cheap.

 

[keeper of the quays]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

 

[BigH]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

I think its to do with magnetic force will pull the cartridge towards the platter. Denon warn against using them with metal platters. The Linn platter is zinc/al alloy I believe, so not magnetic.

 

[Al ears]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

I think its to do with magnetic force will pull the cartridge towards the platter. Denon warn against using them with metal platters. The Linn platter is zinc/al alloy I believe, so not magnetic.

I cannot think of anyone these days that uses a steel platter and that's about the only thing that could be magnetic.

 

[BigH]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

I think its to do with magnetic force will pull the cartridge towards the platter. Denon warn against using them with metal platters. The Linn platter is zinc/al alloy I believe, so not magnetic.

I cannot think of anyone these days that uses a steel platter and that's about the only thing that could be magnetic.

I thought Nottingham used steel? Pro-ject? And a lot of older TTs.

 

[Al ears]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

I think its to do with magnetic force will pull the cartridge towards the platter. Denon warn against using them with metal platters. The Linn platter is zinc/al alloy I believe, so not magnetic.

I cannot think of anyone these days that uses a steel platter and that's about the only thing that could be magnetic.

I thought Nottingham used steel? Pro-ject? And a lot of older TTs.

I believe most are aluminium or alloy. Nottingham might but I actually think they are alloy, how many turntables do they sell these days anyway, I wonder. ;-)

Also I cannot think of any older turntables that used iron or steel platters.

 

[plastic penguin]

Earlier today spoke to SSAV Epsom and Henleys and they both recommnend upgrading the platter to either plastic or cork. SSAV suggested perhaps the bearings could produce better SQ but Henleys didn't agree. SSAV said that changing the tonearm would also give extra benefits. Guess what Henleys said?

Other than changing the platter both have given conflicting advice. Mmm...

 

[BigH]

My denon sounds fine with my metal platter..my mates dl103 sounds good on his metal platter linn too...i use a suede slip mat.

I think its to do with magnetic force will pull the cartridge towards the platter. Denon warn against using them with metal platters. The Linn platter is zinc/al alloy I believe, so not magnetic.

I cannot think of anyone these days that uses a steel platter and that's about the only thing that could be magnetic.

I thought Nottingham used steel? Pro-ject? And a lot of older TTs.

I believe most are aluminium or alloy. Nottingham might but I actually think they are alloy, how many turntables do they sell these days anyway, I wonder. ;-)

Also I cannot think of any older turntables that used iron or steel platters.

Really. I read on Pro-ject site it was steel, maybe not 100%, some older TTs had stainless steel, like Roksan? Some platters are heavy they would not use AL if they wanted the weight. Anyway I have read of problems with Pro-jest and Denon MC cartridges, tracking force if nothing else.