2013/09/22

DENON raising the price of phono cartridges

先刻 路傍の石さんのブログ「帝都熱烈音盤解放戦線」 にて知りました。

I just happend to know the news, at 帝都熱烈音盤解放戦線, the blog dedicated to Showa-period popular songs, J-Pop idols.

   

デノン(旧・デンオン、DENON)が誇る、永遠のスタンダードMCカートリッジ DL-103 が 26,000円 から 36,750円 へ(カートリッジ針交換価格は 16,900円 から 23,940円 へ)、上位機種で私も長年愛用している DL-103R が 33,100円 から 44,100円 へ(交換価格は 21,500円 から 28,600円 へ)と、それぞれ値上げとのことです。

The very standard MC cartridge DL-103 will have the new price tag 36,750 YEN (367.50 USD when 1 USD = 100 JPY), while the higher version DL-103R (which I’ve been using with decent satisfaction for dozens of years) will be 44,100 YEN in the domestic market. The new price will be effective staring on October 1, 2013, according to the above news release.

 
[DENON DL-103R on GyroDec]
 

レコードの生産量は年々復活しているとはいえ、所詮は好事家向けの小さなマーケット。生産中止や撤退ではなく、技術や製品が残ることに感謝するべきなのかもしれません。

Phono cartridges has been facing small and niche market (although sometimes we see the news vinyl market is surprisingly growing back every year). We must rather thank DENON’s decision, not to withdraw from the phono cartridge market but to raise the prices to keep their technology, history and products available.

 
 
 
2008/06/16

Otono Edison Cartridges – 3mil version now available

以前 4mil バージョンしかないことを残念に思った (その時、メーカさんには「ぜひ 3mil バージョンもお願いします」とメールで切々と訴えておいたのですが) 音のエジソン の SP 用モノーラルカートリッジ。瀬谷さん から教えてもらったのですが、ついに 3mil バージョンも正式に販売されることになったようです。

While ago I wrote an article about Otono Edison monaural cartridge for 78rpms. When I wrote that article, there was only 4mil version available, while most of the 78rpms from “golden age” plays best with 3mil needle tip. So when I bought the cartridge, I wrote several e-mails to the company that they should sell 3mil version as well. Then in 2008, Otono-Edison finally decided to sell 3mil version as well as 4mil version – thanks Seya-san for letting me know.

しかし、5月に引越ししてから、まだ一度も SP 盤を聴いていません。ゆっくり音楽を聴く時間がまだとれずにいることもありますし、前の住まいより周りがあまりにも静かなので十分な音量で聴くのがためらわれる、というのもあります。最大の理由は、引越し後のどたばたで、SP がすぐに手の届かない場所にいってしまったためです . . . 時間ができたら、まだ整理完了とは程遠い私の部屋をなんとか整理し直さないといけません。

BTW the bad thing for me is that, since I moved to a new apartment in May, I have never had a chance to listen to 78rpms – maybe because I haven’t had enough time to fully enjoy listening to music, or maybe because this new place is too quiet all around (which is a very good thing for my sweet little baby, now in 9 months old) and I feel I hesitate to play vinyl/shellac records at louder volume as I used to do. But the most probable reason is, that I had been very busy and confused while moving/restoring whole lot of stuffs, and cardboard boxes which contains my 78rpm collection are out of reach behind my other stuffs (books, cloths, other boxes et al.) – so the first thing I have to do after I have spare time is to do another cleanup in my room . . .




Suspension Tower Upgrade Kit for Michell Gyrodec」に続く . . .

2006/11/05

Edison Replica SP

相も変わらず忙しくて、以前の様に音楽に浸る時間を十分に割けない日々が続いていますが、 今回は SP 用のカートリッジを追加購入したお話を . . .

I’ve still been very busy, unfortunately, and I can’t have enough spare time to devote listening to vinyls and 78rpms – oh my. Anyway this time, here is a story of another 78rpm cartridge I bought several days ago . . .

[Edison Replica SP]
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