ORTOFON SPU fans often have a soft spot for heavy calibres. That's right. I am such an SPU fan.
But now there's the new DPU 103 with wooden housing from MK Analogue at audio-freak.de . It's such a calibre and fits right in with my preferences. Will it sound as good as it looks?
First impression after unpacking. Extremely solid, quite heavy and very high quality.The blue vial on the beautiful wooden housing speaks for practicality.
So I immediately switched from the SPU #1E tothe DPU 103, which is quick and easy as both have the SME connectionof my DENON tonearm. The bubble level on the wooden housing isa great help for quick adjustment of both VTA and azimuth.
The signal path looks like this.
From the turntable to the Phonopre AS Phonolab 1.0 from Audiospecials.de
An exclusive manufacture in Germany.
Balanced connection with AS phonocable -Analog Spirit/Balanced-, which I use to connect directly to the RCA input sockets via RCA plugs. The ground is routed separately and connected to the AS Phonolab GND (PE) socket. Interference has zero chance.
The MC input is set to + 66 dB gain, very suitable for the DPU-103 with0.3 mV. The input impedance is set to 500 Ohm.
An SPU with anoutput voltage of only 0.18 mV needs a good +69 dB and is alreadyvery close to the limits of many phono pres.
Listening comparison.
As always, I use a mix of rock/pop, jazz andclassical music as reference discs.
Maxi singles at 45 rpm with their huge synth basses, rock/pop and jazz line-ups from trio to big band. But also classical music, where I am particularly interested in the separation of the individual instrument groups.
Systems with rather low values for channel separation can easily blur the contours, something that bothers me immensely.
MySPU #1E with just 20dB channel separation at 1 KHZ is already at the lower end.
In contrast, the DPU 103 has sensational values. A real 35 dB channel separation at 1 kHz is awesome.
This is how I would describe my very subjective sound impression of the DPU 103 compared to the SPU #1E. Anyone who loves the very full-bodied, warm and almost fat SPU with a slight belly will continue to love it. The very reduced treble above 8 kHz is only noticeable when switching to cartridges with a linear level in the frequency response.
After switching to the DPU-103, this is immediately noticeable. The SPU reduces the top treble extremely. Well, that's a known fact.
I would describe the DPU 103 in comparison as follows. More neutral, more balanced, more clarity and separation in the spatial representation, coupled with control and contour.
Localisation sharpness better to the point, great spatial imaging and dynamics.
As a lover of a more linear reproduction, I really like the connection of the mid-range to the bass range. Blackness in the bass with full control in the lower registers. Just my cup of tea. Plus this wonderfully tight punch for the pit of the stomach with rock music.
And with classical music? Complex passages with strings, double basses and brass?
The separation of the instrument groups clearly wins out over my SPU #1E. Of course, only if the recording allows it. The DPU's sensational channel separation of 35dB is fully utilised here.
What are the benefits of the wooden cabinet?
A kitchen chief would say: And to round it off, deglaze with red wine.
According to the manufacturer MK Analogue, walnut wood was just right to enhance these characteristics.
It is not for nothing that the DL-103 is regarded as one of the systems whose sound character can be tuned to suit a wide variety of tastes by choosing the right material for the cabinet. This is exactly what has been done here.
I lifted the bonnet and saw why this is as it is.
The DL-103 housing sits flush in another metal housing, which in turn is tightly enclosed by the walnut housing. Top workmanship with zero gaps.
What's left for me as an SPU fan?
In future, the two will have to share the space next to my AS Phonolab.
groovemaster
But now there's the new DPU 103 with wooden housing from MK Analogue at audio-freak.de . It's such a calibre and fits right in with my preferences. Will it sound as good as it looks?
First impression after unpacking. Extremely solid, quite heavy and very high quality.The blue vial on the beautiful wooden housing speaks for practicality.
So I immediately switched from the SPU #1E tothe DPU 103, which is quick and easy as both have the SME connectionof my DENON tonearm. The bubble level on the wooden housing isa great help for quick adjustment of both VTA and azimuth.
The signal path looks like this.
From the turntable to the Phonopre AS Phonolab 1.0 from Audiospecials.de
An exclusive manufacture in Germany.
Balanced connection with AS phonocable -Analog Spirit/Balanced-, which I use to connect directly to the RCA input sockets via RCA plugs. The ground is routed separately and connected to the AS Phonolab GND (PE) socket. Interference has zero chance.
The MC input is set to + 66 dB gain, very suitable for the DPU-103 with0.3 mV. The input impedance is set to 500 Ohm.
An SPU with anoutput voltage of only 0.18 mV needs a good +69 dB and is alreadyvery close to the limits of many phono pres.
Listening comparison.
As always, I use a mix of rock/pop, jazz andclassical music as reference discs.
Maxi singles at 45 rpm with their huge synth basses, rock/pop and jazz line-ups from trio to big band. But also classical music, where I am particularly interested in the separation of the individual instrument groups.
Systems with rather low values for channel separation can easily blur the contours, something that bothers me immensely.
MySPU #1E with just 20dB channel separation at 1 KHZ is already at the lower end.
In contrast, the DPU 103 has sensational values. A real 35 dB channel separation at 1 kHz is awesome.
This is how I would describe my very subjective sound impression of the DPU 103 compared to the SPU #1E. Anyone who loves the very full-bodied, warm and almost fat SPU with a slight belly will continue to love it. The very reduced treble above 8 kHz is only noticeable when switching to cartridges with a linear level in the frequency response.
After switching to the DPU-103, this is immediately noticeable. The SPU reduces the top treble extremely. Well, that's a known fact.
I would describe the DPU 103 in comparison as follows. More neutral, more balanced, more clarity and separation in the spatial representation, coupled with control and contour.
Localisation sharpness better to the point, great spatial imaging and dynamics.
As a lover of a more linear reproduction, I really like the connection of the mid-range to the bass range. Blackness in the bass with full control in the lower registers. Just my cup of tea. Plus this wonderfully tight punch for the pit of the stomach with rock music.
And with classical music? Complex passages with strings, double basses and brass?
The separation of the instrument groups clearly wins out over my SPU #1E. Of course, only if the recording allows it. The DPU's sensational channel separation of 35dB is fully utilised here.
What are the benefits of the wooden cabinet?
A kitchen chief would say: And to round it off, deglaze with red wine.
According to the manufacturer MK Analogue, walnut wood was just right to enhance these characteristics.
It is not for nothing that the DL-103 is regarded as one of the systems whose sound character can be tuned to suit a wide variety of tastes by choosing the right material for the cabinet. This is exactly what has been done here.
I lifted the bonnet and saw why this is as it is.
The DL-103 housing sits flush in another metal housing, which in turn is tightly enclosed by the walnut housing. Top workmanship with zero gaps.
What's left for me as an SPU fan?
In future, the two will have to share the space next to my AS Phonolab.
groovemaster
