my re-built Denon
Peter and all,
I received my re-built Denon DL 160 today, and wanted to report my first impressions to your staff (and any of your potential customers you may wish to share this with).
I almost literally ‘threw’ it on one of my ‘back up’ turntables this afternoon…so far-VTA, projection, and azimuth adjustments were by sight only (I promise I will get back to this later)-and all I have to say is W.O.W! This thing immediately sounded absolutely fantastic! I almost cannot believe how quiet the background is on my records as compared to my Ortofon Black-which has been very carefully dialed in over the previous few months in every aspect…It is a good sounding cartridge-and one I am fairly certain I cannot make sound any better than it does right now…This re-built unit more than gives it a run for its’ money!
With your work, every bit of the sound is exactly where and how it should be (well centered, a wide and deep stage, all intricacies expressed evenly) and there is essentially no noise whatsoever! I have been critically listening to records for well over 40 years, and I just cannot say enough about what you were able to do with this ‘entry level’ cartridge. To anyone considering a similar re-build, I say this…’If you really care about things sounding as good as they possibly can, just do it!’ This is BY FAR the best value I have ever realized over many years of ‘messing with the sound’!
Every so often, things just sound so good in my music room that I do not want to go to bed-tonight was one of those night for me…Thank you for that!
Happy listening to you and all of those you help by enhancing their experience.
Yours, Michael
Minneapolis, MN


"The Soundsmith Carmen's ultra-low-mass MI assembly plays with more agility, is more naturally detailed, and sounds less stressed than any MC I'm aware of. Its treble is not dull or rolled off—it's just the most authentic treble I've experienced from a phonographic transducer." 


