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Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

RE: You've found the crux of the biscuit

As the experts at Expert say: "Conicals statistically trace less surface area of the groove wall, so can theoretically pick up less record damage (unless they trace an area where there HAS been lots of wear or damage)... Shibata, Micro Line or Ridge...designs have a sharper edge (radius) that play the record groove walls, which allows better high frequency reproduction (especially at the inner grooves where it is more difficult) resulting in lower distortion, better imaging, depth, and many other aspects of fine analog listening that are lost when the high frequencies are not resolved as well - usually by lower quality stylus shapes." The last comment referring to ellipticals and conicals.

The technical quantity 'contact area' is one of a vast array of competing design aspects in a cartridge, and they all play against the backdrop of budget. That's why there is so much room for personal preference in selecting cartridges-- no ONE cartridge is somehow dead neutral and hence 'right.' They're more like violins than anything else.

I have only owned DL103's with the factory "D" tip- a modified Shibata purportedly. It traced impeccably and sounded, at all times, sweet and natural. My other Denon's were possessed of more advanced styli, the DL303 (mk 1) was an example, that were superior engineering-wise but didn't sound as well-rounded and sweet as my beloved DL103D. The Dl03D diamonds lasted in the range of 1200Hr of play also. They claim to be grain-oriented etc. - who knows?

I just want the stylus that sounds good and lasts a long time.


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