advertisement


Tightening up screws on Denon DL103R cart?

Just checked my arm, horizontal in relation to record and it is exactly horizontal to record, if I put IsoKinetic I suspect the headshell end will be higher than the counterweight end so buying two Rega step rings would be required. Starting to think I should have bought a Benz Micro Gold as I wouldn't need to worry about arm mass etc with that cart.
 
If you have the normal Allen bolts with hex nuts, the Rega headshell has convenient slots for the nuts, enabling them to be gripped, whilst you tighten the bolts from underneath.
 
I just can't grip the knurled bit tight enough between thumb and finger of left hand. While I am tightening from the top the knurled bits turn under my thumb/finger.
Sounds like the nuts are locking on the threads of the bolt. Have you tried taking the bolt out of the cartridge/headshell and just running the nut all the way up and down the threads, to ensure it is turning free and not obstructed by something? In my experience, you don't really even need to grip the nut to prevent it turning; once it has wound itself far enough up the threads to come lightly into contact with the face of the cartridge, friction takes over and it stays put while you tighten the bolt from above.
ML
 
Just checked my arm, horizontal in relation to record and it is exactly horizontal to record, if I put IsoKinetic I suspect the headshell end will be higher than the counterweight end so buying two Rega step rings would be required. Starting to think I should have bought a Benz Micro Gold as I wouldn't need to worry about arm mass etc with that cart.

I'd experiment with blu-tak both ends, as Steve suggests, to see if you can get it to sound the way you want with the music you listen to. It's true that it's not an ideal match for the arm, and you might not be getting the best out of the arm or the cart, but depending on the characteristics of your other bits and pieces it can still sound great: I'm currently listening to Miles in the Sky on an old Planar 3 and it sounds tremendous, and this is without having faffed around with extra mass. With this kind of record I'm pretty sure I prefer it to the AT440Mlb I had on the arm previously, and that's a much better match in theory. I find it's only with music that's very busy at the high frequencies that it becomes a bit white knuckle.
 
I'd experiment with blu-tak both ends, as Steve suggests, to see if you can get it to sound the way you want with the music you listen to. It's true that it's not an ideal match for the arm, and you might not be getting the best out of the arm or the cart, but depending on the characteristics of your other bits and pieces it can still sound great: I'm currently listening to Miles in the Sky on an old Planar 3 and it sounds tremendous, and this is without having faffed around with extra mass. With this kind of record I'm pretty sure I prefer it to the AT440Mlb I had on the arm previously, and that's a much better match in theory. I find it's only with music that's very busy at the high frequencies that it becomes a bit white knuckle.

Good points. I have a 'reference' LP that I'm very familiar with that I use – Simply Red's Picture Book – as it is a good quality recording and I know every detail in it. As is, the Denon sounds bright with little bass, but I've since read that the Denon needs to be angled down somewhat, due to the way it was designed in the early 60's with those record grooves in mind, hence the headshell should be significantly lower than the counterweight end so the arm is not perfectly horizontal to the record, but with an obvious angle down so the tip of the stylus is cutting downward into the groove. With this, and all the other stuff in mind about mass missmatch I'm going to stick the Denon on eBay and cut my losses and lose whatever I lose on it as I doubt AudioVisual Online will refund me now it has been fitted to an arm, and buy the Benz Micro Gold as I don't think the Benz Gold has any issues with the Rega RB300, not that I've been able to see with my research around the web anyway.
 
Moreover from last post. I heard that Benz Micro don't actually make the Gold, they only make from the ACE up. Anybody know who (in Japan I heard) makes the Gold for them, and if that company are any good? I've heard good things about the Benz Micro Gold, regardless of who makes it for them.
 
Good points. I have a 'reference' LP that I'm very familiar with that I use – Simply Red's Picture Book – as it is a good quality recording and I know every detail in it. As is, the Denon sounds bright with little bass, but I've since read that the Denon needs to be angled down somewhat, due to the way it was designed in the early 60's with those record grooves in mind, hence the headshell should be significantly lower than the counterweight end so the arm is not perfectly horizontal to the record, but with an obvious angle down so the tip of the stylus is cutting downward into the groove. With this, and all the other stuff in mind about mass missmatch I'm going to stick the Denon on eBay and cut my losses and lose whatever I lose on it as I doubt AudioVisual Online will refund me now it has been fitted to an arm, and buy the Benz Micro Gold as I don't think the Benz Gold has any issues with the Rega RB300, not that I've been able to see with my research around the web anyway.
Might be easiest to start with a better match alright. Don't rush into anything though, there are other things that might account for the light bass and brightness: a bit of settling in time might help, as might fiddling with the phono stage settings, or just getting used to a new presentation. A doubt a few hours will affect the re-sale value.
 
Benz Micro Gold turning up tomorrow, I'll try that and, hopefully, it will be just as good as, if not better than, the Denon DL-103R. At least the Gold is a good mass match for the Rega RB300 arm. Got a new box set of Handel's Harpsichord works I'm gagging to listen to!
 
TOO MANY CARTRIDGES iam sure have been distorted by overtighting bolts ,even more so using allen keys if the screwdriver handle has a shiny finish ,rough it up with glass paper to assist grip.
 
I seem to recall years ago when I had a record player, that I had some issues with the Denon fixings, and instead used some alternative fastenings.
 


advertisement


Back
Top