DL-304 Replacement

I've been happily using this cartridge in my Nima/Dino for some time but a friend's son bent the cantilever at the weekend.

I could trade it in for another 304 but fancy a change and I've read good things about the Audio Technica 33PTG on this forum. I could source this for the same cost which is about as much as I want to spend, so could someone tell me if the nima and this cartridge work well together.

 

If you've been happy with the 304 a move to the AT (any AT) might not be a good move. All ATs sit on the cooler, brighter side of neutral and the tonal balance is quite different to the Denon. I say that having used many AT moving coil cartridges over the years though not the AT33 but I'd say you are taking a big risk if things were right with the Denon on board.

 

dont do it...i tried an oc9 after using the 304...what a bad move the 304 is an awesome cartridge..very hard to beat no matter how much money you spend..

exchange it for a new one.

 

Thanks for advice so far, while I enjoyed the denon I felt it was perhaps a bit too laid back and thought the AT would liven things up a little. Rest of the system is dino into MF xp200 monoblocks and epos es22's.

 

Gav,

Given the rarity of the AT33 I doubt you will find anyone who has actually tried it. From a theoretical point of view its a little hard to say due to AT (like Denon's) habit of measuring compliance figures differently to everyone else, however it looks unlikely to be a mismatch.

The comments about a cooler, brighter sound than the Denon, are likely to be pretty accurate if other ATs are anything to go by.

I wouldn't take Mr Gleebits comments too seriously. There are only two things he feels qualified to comment on as regards record decks 1) the LP12 is rubbish and 2) the AT OC9 is rubbish. He's pretty much wrong on the latter certainly, the problem being that he doesn't really know what he's talking about.

 

FWIW I always found my 304 much too polite and hygienic sounding, though maybe my Lingo 1 of that time was also responsible. Apart from changing to a Norton and a step-up transformer instead of MC input, I went for a 103Pro and am much happier (same detail and tracking, more music).