Aluminium Body for Denon 103R Catridge

[gee_john]

And finally after a long thought ( and after taking insurance) I decided to bite the bullet. With my gut in my mouth, I went into the surgery, "nuding" the 103R, and implanting it into the new Aluminium body. My hands are still stiff ...

http://imageshack.us/a/img541/610/83qq.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img843/3978/ejb7.jpg

 

[reubensm]

pardon my ignorance, but what are the expected benefits?

slick but risky job done, did you fabricate the aluminium casing?

 

[gee_john]

pardon my ignorance, but what are the expected benefits?

slick but risky job done, did you fabricate the aluminium casing?

There is a lot (of benefits) experienced by lots of people. They are all explained on various forums and web sites. I am yet to ascertain them visa viz the originat 103R catridge.

Yes, it is very risky. It became more apparent when I opened the cartridge.
No, I did not fabricate the casing. I got it from the "Sound Improvement" from UK.
I am yet to sit down and listen ...hands are still shaking..

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Hi George,
I hope your effort was worth the risk that you took. I know how dangerous it is to play with these things especially when it is a moving coil. a slight break and the cart is doomed.

 

[gee_john]

Hi George,
I hope your effort was worth the risk that you took. I know how dangerous it is to play with these things especially when it is a moving coil. a slight break and the cart is doomed.

Hi Kuruvilla,

I spend some time with the Alu. Mod 103R. To me the sound has become slightly more cleaner and the bass tighter. Overall, it sounds little more defined and cleaner with a little more detail. The 103R continue to propagate the midrange it is known for, but with more lucid top end.

You need to be extra careful undertaking this surgery. Even a touch of the micro wires can ruin your cart. You would also require a heavier counter weight to balance the additional weight of the cartridge.

Will I undertake a similar adventure ?? Only time will tell...
Does this mod. take the Denon 103R into the 1000$ league ( as posted in many forums)??..I don't think so....It just makes a good cart ...better !!!

 

[reubensm]

Hi Kuruvilla,

I spend some time with the Alu. Mod 103R. To me the sound has become slightly more cleaner and the bass tighter. Overall, it sounds little more defined and cleaner with a little more detail. The 103R continue to propagate the midrange it is known for, but with more lucid top end.

You need to be extra careful undertaking this surgery. Even a touch of the micro wires can ruin your cart. You would also require a heavier counter weight to balance the additional weight of the cartridge.

Will I undertake a similar adventure ?? Only time will tell...
Does this mod. take the Denon 103R into the 1000$ league ( as posted in many forms)??..I don't think so....It just makes a good cart ...better !!!

to be brutally honest, i'd never undertake such a venture, especially if it lightens the bass response

 

[gee_john]

to be brutally honest, i'd never undertake such a venture, especially if it lightens the bass response

Did I say "lighten" ??I thought I said "Tighten", I meant controlled and more precise bass !! I felt the bass is better now.

 

[jls001]

to be brutally honest, i'd never undertake such a venture, especially if it lightens the bass response

Going by users who are bold enough to denude their 103s and changed to wood bodies or aluminium, there is substantial improvement across the whole spectrum. Additionally, a retip by Expert Stylus Company (especially with their Paratrace diamond) or Soundsmith with their ruby cantilever and their special stylus - their Nude "Optimized Contour" Contact Line Diamond - not for everyone, BTW, as it needs very careful setup) takes the performance to super cartridge territory.

Uwe wood bodies made from different woods have been around for quite some time. Here's an aluminium clone of the Uwe woods, made by a Lenco Heaven member from HK. He sells on audiogon for $ 149.

Even on a stock 103, an aluminium body is said to improve the high frequencies extension (my one complain against the 103). The day my 103 needs a retip, I think it will also get an aluminium body

 

[omishra]

The day my 103 needs a retip, I think it will also get an aluminium body

I hope you will wait till existing diamond burns up after many many records played.
I am scared to leave my TT with 103R open, always put protecting cover after each playback session. So I can not imagine handling it under knife. I saved for 3 months to buy it.

 

[arj]

if you use an Aluminium body then you better have a Wooden headshell..the boding and hence mechanical isolation is great.

I had an accident with nuding a DL103 one of its channels is gone anyone knows who can fix it ?

 

[gee_john]

if you use an Aluminium body then you better have a Wooden headshell..the boding and hence mechanical isolation is great.

I had an accident with nuding a DL103 one of its channels is gone anyone knows who can fix it ?

I can try fix it for you. Can you see( using a powerful lense) where the wire is broken. I have repaired couple of cartridges. I can try a hand with yours, but no guarantee though!!

 

[Rajiv]

Hi,

I can try fix it for you. Can you see( using a powerful lense) where the wire is broken. I have repaired couple of cartridges. I can try a hand with yours, but no guarantee though!!

Wow! that is fantastic. Not many people can/or are willing to do it .Even reputed cartridge rebuilders throw up their hands when faced with broken coils.

I have a Fidelity Research FR1 mk3 that has a broken coil in one channel.The stylus is also broken but that can be fixed if the coils are OK. Expert Stylus and Soundsmiths did not want to take up the coil repair.:sad:

Would it be possible for you try and fix the cartridge?

Regards
Rajiv

 

[arj]

I can try fix it for you. Can you see( using a powerful lense) where the wire is broken. I have repaired couple of cartridges. I can try a hand with yours, but no guarantee though!!

le me try to check that ! thanks a lot for the offer I have a Midas Bodied DL103R ..the 103 has a better midrange although its highs/low are a bit recessed compared to the R version

 

[gee_john]

Hi,



Wow! that is fantastic. Not many people can/or are willing to do it .Even reputed cartridge rebuilders throw up their hands when faced with broken coils.

I have a Fidelity Research FR1 mk3 that has a broken coil in one channel.The stylus is also broken but that can be fixed if the coils are OK. Expert Stylus and Soundsmiths did not want to take up the coil repair.:sad:

Would it be possible for you try and fix the cartridge?

Regards
Rajiv

I haven't tried fixing broken coils. If you can see if where the coil is broken, then I can try fix it. In most cases, the coils remain intact, it would be the portion that connects the coil to the terminals that would be damaged ( broken). In such cases, if you have a powerful table lense and a low wattage soldering iron and of course stable hands, you can try reconnecting back. I have successfully restored couple of denon 103's that got damaged when nuding. In most cases, it's the connection that would have broken.

If the coils are gone, then it's a lost case...

 

[gee_john]

le me try to check that ! thanks a lot for the offer I have a Midas Bodied DL103R ..the 103 has a better midrange although its highs/low are a bit recessed compared to the R version

In most cases, you would be able to see the broken wire. If that is the case, you can try repair the cartridge. Be extremely careful trying to solder these wires. They just vaporize if touched with hot iron. You would require a temperature controlled iron and possibly low melting lead, preferably, silver solder. You need extreme stable hands for this. I have heard that A J at Van Den Heul stops taking coffee days back before he attempts such operation.

 

[arj]

I haven't tried fixing broken coils. If you can see if where the coil is broken, then I can try fix it. In most cases, the coils remain intact, it would be the portion that connects the coil to the terminals that would be damaged ( broken). In such cases, if you have a powerful table lense and a low wattage soldering iron and of course stable hands, you can try reconnecting back. I have successfully restored couple of denon 103's that got damaged when nuding. In most cases, it's the connection that would have broken.

If the coils are gone, then it's a lost case...

it is the cable....coil is intact because 1 channel works perfectly

 

[gee_john]

it is the cable....coil is intact because 1 channel works perfectly

I can give it a shot if you can get it across to me !!