DL-301II

Name: DL-301II
Brand: Denon
SKU: 136701-00-00-051
Price: 449.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$449.00

DL-301II is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 5.

Reference Moving Coil Phono Cartridge.

Reference sound
Moving coil (MC)

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In Stock

$449.00

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DL-301II

$449.00

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DL-301II

$449.00

Reference sound

Moving coil (MC)

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DL-301II

Details & Specifications

DL-301IIEM_Instruction Manual.pdf

Features

Reviews

Rated 5 out of 5 by Analogarhythm from Remarkable moving coil value. It's not difficult to find a moving coil cartridge under $1k, but it isn't easy to find one which has some sort of tonal imbalance or general sonic compromise. In many cases it's better to go for a similarly-priced moving magnet if you know where to look. Denon have other ideas. They have been making moving coil cartridges for so long now, that the original pics of the legendary DL-103 are in black and white. Japanese radio stations have been using the DL-103 as their cartridge of choice for over 60 years now. To my ears, the DL-301MKII offers a level of sonic refinement which makes you do a double take on the price at which it is being sold. I have heard cartridges costing much, much more offer better overall sound, but the DL-301MKII does not embarrass itself in such company. Aside from having a very civilized tone and a neutral balance to it's delivery, what I like most about the DL-301MKII is the way it tracks like a blood hound. I have one or two LPs which have very challenging tracks at the end of the side which can cause problems for cartridges costing upwards of $2k. The DL-301MKII had no such issues. Sibilance and distortion are seemingly swept aside by the DL-301MKII, and it just gets on with it's transducer duties as though it is it's favorite passtime. All you need is a good moving coil phono pre-amp, or even a step-up transformer for your moving magnet phono pre-amp, and you can look forward to hearing your music effortlessly come alive. I would give it 5/5 stars for set-up, but it lacks the lazy feature of having a threaded body. No matter - once you have it installed, you're not likely to want to remove it from your tonearm anytime soon after. Thank you, Denon. I thought I was going to have to spend close to a grand to get the sound I was after. Not so. This really is remarkable moving coil value.

Date published: 2024-05-15

Rated 5 out of 5 by EJasonC from Expectations exceeded! This DL-301II exceeded my expectations. I had been using a DL-110 for some time with very good to excellent results. I already expected the upgrade to DL-301II to provide improvements. However, I was pleasantly surprised with significant improvements in all aspects of sound quality. In a word I would describe the soundstage width and depth as massive! I have it mounted to a Technics SL1210GR and my phono stage is a TEAC PE-505. I have it connected using fully balanced with a custom set of RCA to XLR cables; and I have it set to 1.2g with same setting anti-skate. Because the noise floor is so low and this cartridge is so quiet, the music flows with effortlessness! The music is very palpable and engaging!

Date published: 2022-11-04

Rated 5 out of 5 by Nando from My favorite cartridge. I have 13. Cartridge with excellent sound and unparalleled cost-effectiveness. Better than many expensive cartridges. Works superbly with my Technics SL 1200 MK5.

Date published: 2021-12-24

Rated 5 out of 5 by unionista from Tremendous value! I have had this cart for about a year and a half. It was mounted briefly on a U-Turn Orbit TT and subsequently switched to a new MoFi Ultradeck. It is far superior to any MM cart I've tried. I have it plugged into an old mini-transformer feeding an Aric Audio all-tube phono stage preamp. It is a very revealing cart and is unforgiving of poorly-recorded vinyl or of used vinyl in rough condition. The Ultradeck/DL-301 is for my good stuff. The Orbit/MM cart is for the rougher vinyl in my collection. Different horses for different courses...

Date published: 2020-11-25

DL-301II Reviews - page 2

Questions

Is this a P mount cartridge?

Asked by: Samuel Emanuele

Hello, The DL-301MKII is not a P Mount cartridge. It can replace a P Mount cartridge. All you have to do is remove the existing P Mount cartridge and connect/align the DL-301MKII. With the DL301MKII, you will also need a phono pre-amp which supports low-output moviong coil cartridges. If you do not have one of these, the DL-110 cartridge will work with your existing moving magnet phono pre-amp, as it is a high output moving coil cartridge.

Answered by: Denon Response

Date published: 2024-02-20

Hi, I would like to ask you, for the DL-301 MKII, what is the ideal input loading to set on the phono stage. I have an Accuphase AD-60 phono option board which can be set to 30, 100, 200 and 300 ohms. Thanks in advance and best regards. Pietro

Asked by: Pietro

Hello, The recommended impedance load for the DL-301MKII is listed as 'above 100 ohms'.

Answered by: Denon Response

Date published: 2024-01-03

I'm trying to choose a Moving Coil cartridge for my 1210 GR. Will I be able to use supplied head shell from Technics or would you recommend a Denon. I'm concerned about overhang. Also want to match output as close as possible. Mostly new records, no DJ.

Asked by: fz1163

Hello, Any of our cartridges will work if you a phono pre-amp with both moving magnet and (low output) moving coil settings. If you only have a moving magnet pre-amp, our DL-110 will work well as it is a high output moving coil and works well with a moving magnet pre-amp. The provided headshell with an SL-1210GR is all you need. Overhang isn't a problem as the SL-1210GR's headshell allows for the cartridge to slide forwards and backwards to set the overhang correctly.

Answered by: Denon Response

Date published: 2023-12-04

What is a good replacement cartridge for the Denon DP-7F turntable?

Asked by: John at Best Buy

Hi John, If you visit the website for 'LP Gear' and type in this code in the search bar, it will take you to the recommended stylus for a DP-7F turntable: LP Gear Code - DENONSTDP0007F

Answered by: Denon Response

Date published: 2023-01-03

Does it work on shellac 78 rpm?

Asked by: EmilioKiara

Hello, Unfortunately, none of our cartridges are compatible with 78 shellac playback. The groove of an LP is much narrower than the groove of a 78 rpm record. Therefore, you will need a specific cartridge for playing 78s. LP Gear (online store) have a selection of cartridges which support the playback of 78 rpm records.

Answered by: Denon Response

Date published: 2022-12-29