Turntable Cartridge Comparison : Denon DL-103 vs Denon DL-103R

[@angusflood6801]

103R is more hifi. Sounds more like cd. Sweet harmonics though. The 103, whilst requiring adjustment, is much more natural and organic. Sounds like the pre amp is better matched to the 103. Suspect the 103r could fantastic in a well matched system. Thank you for posting.

[@tedkalazarova3928]

Sounds like poorly adjusted cartridges mate. The distortion in the higher frequencies is obvious.

[@robertcastiglione9871]

Excellent comparison. Thanks. I will dig out my Denon DL 103 and give it another whirl.

[@kfl611]

You mean spin?

[@benzionkrick7552]

The R is fatiguing from the get-go, also a bit sibilant. The regular 103 sounds some much more natural and smooth.

[@roscoejones4515]

Laughable. You've obviously never heard the 'r' in real life.

[@mikeKempMKB666]

You either haven't heard one, have it on the wrong tonearm for it's compliance or it is setup wrong for VTF/Azimuth.

[@kfl611]

I think if you asked 100 people which sounds better, you would end up with 100 different opinions.

[@francoisgariepy1587]

If I'm not missing something, the DL103 and DL-103R are pretty much the exact same cart with different coil winding. Same stylus, same cantilever, same mass, same suspension, same materials, same channel separation. The only difference is coil winding with "better" 6N wire in the R model and slightly lower impedance and output. So it's not surprising they sound pretty much the same. Maybe high purity copper sounds better, I don't know. Maybe you can hear slight difference but it's definitely not night and day. I have both and the DL-103 seems a better value because the R model basically charge you 150$ for less wire.

[@2HatHudders]

What happens if they are the same cost? I picked up the 103r for the same cost as a 103 as it was on sale. I had no idea which to pick (online) so went with the 103r.

[@michaelburke5750]

​How does it sound?

[@rodchua3513]

Amazing 103r

[@euro-music-library]

The music flow is better with DL-103...(I had this before) but both are great of course! Thanks, Yoon hyun Lee.

[@culturallyrich]

prefer the 103. the R is too spitty and sibilant. more details but its biting my head off. can relax with the 103, with the R I'm on edge I find.

[@Geoduck.]

I own the Denon DL103R it's a wonderful sounding cart.

[@brucetaylor7095]

If you can pick any real differences from a lo-res compressed sound clip like this, good luck. I went to look for the Hi-Res file download link, but there isn't any? Are you able to give us a link to the actual high-res files so that we can take the KZbin compression out of the equation? Thanks!

[@jonathanbliss1945]

More sibilance on the 103 unfortunately, is that doen to misalignment though I wonder?

[@emiliopolanco8587]

Did they both work for 78rpm records?

[@richardelliott8352]

it would be nice if the differences were explained between the two cartridges , so folks wouldn't have to look up the information. But both are good for a system needing a more forgiving resolution , as many more modern carts have the ability to transmit more detail. one must remember the internet is forever, and a lot of the praise these carts received were from a different time , like old TV shows without much competition . Lot's of people like them , and I like the denon company , but I favor a different path.

[@osamukihara7150]

If you listen and compare, you can see the difference. I feel that the DL-103R has a wider playback bandwidth. This is the difference in price.

[@LanciaD50]

what phono preamplifier are you using, please?

[@libattery00]

Creek OBH-15mk2 (Phono Preamp) and Denon AU-320 (SUT). Thank you!.

[@Lasse3]

0:58 4:40

[@Mrch33ky]

103 FTW!!!

[@theone69ize]

Dl-103R is more refine , where i find DL 103 rolled off

[@libattery00]

Thanks for watching!

[@josejlfb]

Este tema, en concreto, tiene un grave problema de sibilancia en la grabación, que se hace especialmente molesto con la Denon dl 103 normal. Me hubiera gustado escucharlas con otra grabación de más calidad. Creo que la dl103r suena un poco mejor.

[@wolfman007zz]

Yea, getting just a bit of sibilance. But that’s been the age old problem with conical styli since the late 1950s to early 1960s. That’s why the elliptical stylus was invented. The 1970 ADC 10E MKIV shames both of these MC cartridges. But the 103R sounds a tad more clear here.

[@GforceRonier]

0:11 3:53

[@meckarmickebjornsson2567]

103 more live

[@TheMarkingegno]

I’ve both. R is superior also in trackability .

[@keithcoltron3171]

In the end it's all down to your own ears and what you're listening through, my Denon 103R set up correctly on my Linn sounds just beautiful to me, I have tried many, many, many other carts. and have to say some which were a great deal more expensive didn't come even close so get off you're snooty horse and listen to the cart. NOT it's name and price! OK you may not get on with the Denon then find a cart. you do get on with but for me Denon 103R is my thing and that's all I care about, suppose I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for it but that's another bonus! There is sooooo much crap out there that is way overpriced and performs way under par but because it's a ********* or a ********* and is much more expensive some ears hear things that just aren't there, my ears don't care who made it just what it sounds like, the same with everything else in the chain, one thing I'm not is a HiFi snob, THANK GOD!!! Oh and my interconnects didn't cost thousands, SO VERY VERY SAD, FOR GOD'S SAKE WAKE UP they're having it right up your rear end and laughing all the way to the bank. Ah well that's my rant done!

[@z90012]

Well said mate I couldn't agree more.could I ask what pre amp you use on th MC 103R.Thank you👍

[@highmentalabilities]

You’re 100% correct, Keith! What matters is the QUALITY of sound-not the price tag or name brand or other marketing BS. That includes the fake, paid-for-by-advertisement “professional” reviews by so-called audiophiles!!! And you can do a lot of things to “tweek” and improve your home audio system without spending $10,000+ dollars!

[@keithcoltron3171]

@@z90012 Hi Trevor, sorry for the late reply, I use the Cambridge Audio 640P again lots will cock their nose up at that but for my ears it's just superb, it's not easy to get hold of but of course that doesn't bother me now :-) may I wish you many happy hours of LISTENING!

[@keithcoltron3171]

Oh and by the way listening to and commenting on ANY piece of HiFi component via KZbin is just one big joke, are they aware of the signal processing that happens from source to their ears, give me a break please! I'm sure I heard a mouse tippy toeing across the floor in part of that music :-) :-) :-)

[@mikeKempMKB666]

I love my DL103-R have it on a Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT which was pretty expensive lol and it sounds amazing. VTF Set to 2.4g

[@klaymoon1]

Your system or recording method sounds off.

[@luisenrique5096]

Everything more defined with the R, especially the bass and the piano. The wheezing in the voice may be due to poor cartridge damping / alignment. Either way, the AU 320 is more suitable for 103 than R. (40 ohm for 103; 14 ohm for R)

[@hwccheng]

So I pull this song up on Amazon Music running HD SACD quality and compare. Same album and same artist. I play it on my phone as comparison. The streaming version of course doesn’t have the vinyl’s organic vibe and mechanical sound but the music can be a good baseline. What I found is the 103R sounded a bit closer to the SACD but with some distortion. I’ll say both may sound a bit less demanding on the high frequencies if there is a tube phono pre amp to tone it down. The 103 sounds a bit less fatigue. Based on my experiences with DL-110, a phono pre with matching independence does help toning down the fatigue high and brings out a better balance to the whole spectrum. So I would imagine the DL103 or DL103R also require a careful matching pre setting and obviously one setting does not apply to the other cartridges.

[@hwccheng]

103 needs 40 ohm load impedance and 103R needs 100 ohm, same as DL 110

[@2720icom]

DL-103R Good

[@micharogalewicz6249]

This sounds great even on a pair of 15 EUR ear buds :0

[@sats87]

Damn so hard to judge. One is to mellow the other is too shrill. Sound good though

[@jonathannolan6910]

Absolutely zero sibilance (I think that is what one comment meant by 'distortion at higher frequencies') audible listening on my old 27" iMac Retina. Altho I own two 103R cartridges I have to admit the 103 is more relaxed.

[@Bever70]

Better bloom and air with DL103. BUT bad sibilance with both, you need to address your setup first!!

[@MrMarcolondonuk]

103 sounds much better than R, more natural

[@c-claudel]

103R much more relaxed in a positive way! But 103 better :D

[@arielrodriguez6980]

They both the same to my ears.

[@humphreygokart2135]

¿Ambos? ¿Estás seguro de que no es solo uno de ellos el que suena igual?

[@arielrodriguez6980]

@@humphreygokart2135 No lo se. Es un poco duro descartar cual de los dos es mejor atravez de una computaroda.

[@FranciscoSanchez-ut2mv]

La denon103 es mejor y más natural

[@shangyien]

The R sounds more musical, in a way, while the 103 sounds more natural. But perhaps that's just what I grew up listening to on the radio.

[@robertpud2099]

No, the typical standard 103 does not sound natural because it has a slightly distorted midrange, and enormously (even reprehensively) distorted all the highs, sharp sibilants. Nothing and nothing to do with the neutral and natural sound recorded in the pressing plant on the disc.

[@cubdukat]

A lot less sibilance on the 103R.

[@libattery00]

Thanks for listening !

[@ピーチピーチ-i1b]

DL-103Rかな❗️

[@libattery00]

Thanks for listening !

[@edwardce8341]

First one

[@soundatc2058]

103r

[@greggb681]

Can't hear a massive difference tbh

[@gordsnieder4046]

Are you serious? Are we meant to A-B through limited bandwidth audio and PC speakers? Oh and my office acoustics were not especially designed for HiFi ... think I'll pass on reading comments by folks talking smack about a track most have probably not heard before now.

[@garnetnewton-wade6254]

Siblance on both. Not a good test as they need setting up properly.

[@wolfman007zz]

Wrong. They both use conical styli. That’s the nature of conicals. That’s precisely why elliptical styli were invented and took over about 1965.

[@Raskolnikov1863]

Great job! 103 R is up front and live!

[@Grimwriggler]

@@wolfman007zz my 103 is not Siblant in my denon arm

[@saugghos]

103r is more close to natural voice. 103 has a colouration but in a good way.

[@cjaronsson963]

DL-103R easy

[@papabear1417]

Sibilance off the scale. The r but not by much. Not a good recording

[@БОРИСЛАВБОБИ]

103

[@ColocasiaCorm]

So much fucking distortion

[@lotusmanb3832]

Why do all vinyl enthusiasts listen bizarre obscure artists no one has ever heard of ? Was this album in the $1 bin at the convenience store ? Just weird...

[@davidthom7127]

🤣

[@rickyblair8802]

What’s weird is how many people like yourself that has shity taste in music and only lets the main stream producers dictate your tastes.

[@Lasse3]

This is beautiful music to many people.. the world is larger than you think, beyond your little nose.

[@kfl611]

I thought it sounded nice. Can you sing as well?

[@michaelburke5750]

I ordered the album halfway through the video. She has the voice of an angel. It's just delicious to my ears.

[@54tristin]

I think they both sounded mediocre and I cannot stand the singer I think she’s overrated I have heard that song thousand times I do not understand the audio files community love affair with this singer

[@jeffreymorris7093]

Nice Lewis.

[@chrisf153]

Such dreary music

[@beverlyleano-bascos4051]

103

[@miguelduran1664]

103